A Beginner’s Guide to Types of Coffee Roasts (Part 1)

If you’re not an avid coffee drinker just like me, then you probably aren’t too familiar with the many varieties of coffee. Whether you’re a beginner on a journey to become a coffee connoisseur or just looking to explore your taste in another beverage, it can be a little overwhelming to find the right place to start. That’s why we made this beginner’s guide about the bare basics: the different types of coffee roasts.

Common Coffee Questions

Before we get into the nitty-gritty details of coffee roasts, you might be curious about coffee from a health perspective. Below are a couple of commonly asked questions regarding the nutritional facts of the popular beverage. 

How Much Caffeine is in a Cup of Coffee?

One cup of coffee (8 fl oz) contains about 95 mg of caffeine on average. Caffeine content also usually varies depending on the type, brand, and brewing method.

Is Coffee Good for You?

In order to answer this question, we first need to consider some of the advantages and disadvantages of drinking coffee. Below is a simplified list of perks and side effects of drinking the popular beverage.

Advantages of Drinking Coffee

• Boosts energy levels and physical performance
• Helps to increase metabolism and burn fat
• Rich in essential nutrients such as vitamin B2, B3, and B5 as well as manganese and potassium
• Reduces the risk of several conditions and illnesses including Type II diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and certain types of cancers

Disadvantages of Drinking Coffee

• Can cause insomnia, restlessness, and anxiety
• Elevates blood pressure
• Increases urination
• May lead to addiction and psychological and physical dependency

So, what’s the final verdict? Well, just like any other food or beverage, there are benefits of consumption but also side effects or health risks. Although responses can vary between individuals, the bottom line is that coffee can be beneficial for you if you drink it in moderate amounts; moderation is key! In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends consuming no more than 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per day, which roughly translates to four to five cups of coffee. As long as you don’t go overboard with your caffeine intake, you’ll get the most out of your morning starter without having too many bathroom breaks throughout the day.

What Are the Different Coffee Roasts?

Since there’s little standardization when it comes to naming conventions, you may notice that many coffee roasters come with specialized names for the different coffee roast levels; this can be pretty confusing (especially for new coffee lovers). Generally, however, roasts fall into one of four main categories: light, medium, medium-dark, and dark. We’ve broken down each group into several defining characteristics that will help differentiate the types of coffee roast.

*In the tables below, note that first crack is an industry-standard term that describes when coffee beans begin to make a popping or cracking sound; this happens during the peak of the roasting process.

1. Light Roast Coffee

Color	Light brown
Taste	Toasted, very acidic, light body
Oil on Surface	No
Caffeine Content per Scoop	High
Internal Temperature of Beans at *First Crack	180°C – 205°C (356°F – 401°F)
Other Profiles	Cinnamon, New England, Half-City, Blonde

2. Medium Roast Coffee

Color	Brown
Taste	Sweet, rounded, aromatic, acidic
Oil on Surface	No
Caffeine Content per Scoop	Medium
Internal Temperature of Beans at *First Crack	210°C – 224°C (410°F – 435°F)
Other Profiles	American, City, City+, Regular

3. Medium-Dark Roast Coffee

Color	Dark brown
Taste	Heavy, full-body, rich, bittersweet
Oil on Surface	Some
Caffeine Content per Scoop	Medium
Internal Temperature of Beans at *First Crack	225 – 234°C (437 – 454°F)
Other Profiles	Full City, Full City+, Viennese, Continental, Light French, Light Espresso

4. Dark Roast Coffee

Color	Black
Taste	Smoky, burnt, bitter, small taste of spice
Oil on Surface	Yes
Caffeine Content per Scoop	Very low
Internal Temperature of Beans at *First Crack	239 – 246°C (462 – 474°F)
Other Profiles	Vienna, (Dark) French, Italian, Espresso, Turkish, Heavy

Other Coffee Varieties

You’ve probably noticed that in the tables above, each of the four main types of coffee roasts have their own subtypes or profiles. While most countries exclusively use light, medium, medium-dark, and dark to define their coffee roast levels, some countries like the U.S. prefer to break up the categories even more to make communication easier between roasters. We explain more in detail about some of the additional coffee roast profiles in Part 2 of this beginner’s guide.

Coffee Essentials

Now that you have some basic knowledge about the four main coffee roast levels, you might be wondering about the kinds of equipment you need to prepare your cup of joe. For starters, it’s helpful to have a container or canister of some sort to store your coffee beans in to keep them fresh. The BPA-free stainless steel Coffee Gator Coffee Canister is a must-have kitchen item that’s equipped with a date-tracker and CO2-release valve to keep your coffee beans or grounds in prime condition.

Date-Tracker

• Keeps track of freshness when you log your purchase or expiration date with the calendar wheel on the steel clasp lid. You can finally put an end to trashing your precious coffee!

CO2-Release Valve

• Releases CO2 but locks out oxygen to preserve the flavor of fresh-roasted coffee and stops the beans and grounds from going bad.

As a bonus, the airtight canister also seals out light and moisture to prevent staleness and mold and comes with a measuring scoop (⅛ cup, 30 mL) for precise measurements. Now that’s some serious quality control for your perfect cup of coffee.

If there’s one thing to remember as a beginner coffee lover, it’s that your ideal cup of coffee isn’t possible without proper storage. Whether it’s light, medium, medium-dark, or dark roast coffee that you prefer, all types of coffee roast need to be stored in the same way so that you can enjoy as you please!

Contributing Writer: Rebecca Lee