Some coffee experts say that dark roasting ruins a good coffee. Light roasting is the best way to get the delicate, subtle flavors out of high quality beans without the bitterness of its dark-roasted counterpart. These roasts have a complex, toasted grain taste and pronounced acidity. And lightly roasted coffees are wonderful in that they retain more of the specific flavor characteristics of the region where the beans were grown. Think of sweet, complex coffee with a hint of blueberry. Or lemon. Or even chocolate. The subtlety of these flavors enhances the cup of coffee you are enjoying. Accordingly, light roast coffees are aptly named for the regions where the plantation is located (Ethiopian, Guatemalan, Colombian, etc.)

On the other end of the roasting spectrum are the dark roasts. These beans are darker in color and typically are glazed with the oils that have come to their surface. Fuller bodied, dark roasts will generally taste a bit smoky or even burnt, and often have a slightly bitter flavor. Although less complex than a light roast, dark roasts are typically fuller in body with a stronger aroma, which comes from the gases released by brewed coffee. Much of the flavor is achieved from the roasting process, and are thus named accordingly (French Roast, Italian Roast, Spanish Roast, etc.)

In the middle of these two extreme ends lie medium and medium-dark roasts. Medium roasts boast a balanced flavor, aroma, and acidity, and they lack the toasted grain flavor of a light roast. Don’t expect to find oils on the surface of the bean, they have not been roasted long enough to bring these oils out. A medium-dark roast will be darker in color, with some oils beginning to form. They are heavier in body and have a rich, dark color.

Contrary to popular opinion, light roasted coffee and dark roasted coffee actually have the same caffeine content. According to Red Rooster Coffee Roaster, the difference lies in the volume of the coffee used to brew a cup rather than the chosen roast. This is because lighter roasted beans are smaller and therefore more can fit into a scoop. If you want to ensure the amount of caffeine is equal from cup to cup, regardless of the type of coffee a customer chooses, simply weigh the beans rather than scoop them.

Another misconception is that light roasted coffee is milder than a dark roast. While it is true that the roasting process, longer versus shorter, changes the complexity of the coffee, “strength is not the issue as much as character, complexity, uniqueness, and personal preference” according to Red Rooster Coffee Roaster. One represents the flavor of a region (lighter roasts) and the other represents the flavor profile of the length of roasting time (darker roasts.) The enjoyment is personal, and differs from consumer to consumer.

In 2014 Alton Brown, celebrity chef and host of the Food Network’s Good Eats, traveled America in search of top coffees. He sought out smaller markets, including Wichita, Kansas, where he chose Reverie Coffee Roasters as a favorite. Customers have now frequented the store if only to experience the greatness of the roasts that Alton Brown found so delectable. Andrew Gough, owner, is a fan of Alton Brown and meeting him “was kind of like meeting a rock star,” he told Daily Coffee News. One can only imagine how proud Mr. Gough must be, knowing that a celebrity known for his excellent tastes found Reverie’s carefully crafted roasts to be amazing.

In 2015, Alton Brown plans to continue his quest, and will tour 37 cities in America in search of “seriously good coffee and signature espresso drinks, sourced, roasted, and brewed with care.” Do you have a favorite coffee shop you would recommend to Mr. Brown? We’d love to hear about it!

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