Roast Wars: Light, Medium, Dark—Choose Your Side Wisely

Coffee mug and beans

Surprisingly, there is not much industry standardization when it comes to coffee roasting types and labels. Each roastmaster may have their own equipment, time, and temperature formulas for achieving their signature roasts. However, most coffee roasts fall somewhere on a spectrum of light to medium, medium-dark, and dark roasts. If you are the type of person who can’t tell the difference and just likes good coffee, feel free to dismiss yourself from reading the rest of this blog. But if you want to geek out on the roast battle, proceed with caution. It is about to get dark!



Spectrum of coffee roasts


LIGHT ROASTS

Light roast coffee is light brown in color and retains more caffeine than darker roasts. In general, it has a mild flavor and more acidity or brightness than darker roasts because the beans haven’t roasted long enough to force the natural oils out of the beans. Another appealing quality of light roast coffee is that you may taste more flavor nuances unique to its origin.

 

If you are partial to the mild and smooth flavors of light roast coffees, be sure to check out Chock’s Gourmet Roast coffee or Soho Morning coffee.


MEDIUM ROASTS

Medium roast coffee is sometimes referred to as American roast because of its popularity in the USA. Medium roast coffee is a deeper brown color than light roast but still retains a matte or unglossy finish. Medium roast coffee strikes a balance between bright, sweet, and bitter flavors, which is why it is a palate-pleaser for so many.

 

Our Chock full o’Nuts Heavenly Original Blend is the one that started it all. Even though we know you can never go wrong with the OG, be sure to try some of our medium roasts such as our Colombian coffee or Donut Shop coffee. But if flavored coffees is more your speed, try our French Vanilla coffee or Heavenly Hazelnut coffee.



DARK ROASTS

The darker the roast, the less caffeine the coffee will contain. Dark roast coffee is very dark in color with a gleaming, oily finish. The most notable flavor attribute of dark roast coffee is its striking bitterness. Because of the pronounced bitter notes of dark roast coffee, it pairs exceptionally well with milk or cream.

 

Dark roast coffee is called by many names. At Chock full o’Nuts, we have a dark and bold cup of brew for everyone. You can’t deny our intense New York Roast coffee, the full body of our French Roast coffee, or the boldness of our Cuban Roast coffee.

 

 

Ultimately, the battle of the roast is up to your own taste buds and personal preferences. If you enjoy more caffeine in the morning, you may enjoy a light roast to start the day. If you prefer your coffee to have a bit of a bite, try dark roasts and experiment with cream, milk, and sugar. We honestly don’t care as long as it's Chock in your cup. But tell us what’s your favorite roast? Tell us on Facebook or Instagram. Feel free to stalk us on social media...promise we won’t bite.
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