Coffee Bean Roasting: The Difference Between Dark and Medium

The difference between dark and medium roast

Roasting coffee beans is one of the key steps in making delicious coffee. Different degrees of roasting will bring different taste and flavor characteristics. In the coffee world, the two most common roasting degrees are heavy and medium. This article will explore the differences between these two roasting degrees in terms of color, aroma, taste, and suitability for food pairing.

color

Heavy roasted coffee beans are usually dark brown to black, with a shiny and smooth appearance, while medium roasted coffee beans retain a certain degree of original color, usually light to medium brown.

aroma

Heavy roasts produce spicy and powerful aromas due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures. In contrast, medium roasts produce softer, more aromatic flavors.

Taste

When you taste a rich and heavy taste in the cup, you can be sure that this is a cup of heavily roasted coffee. Heavy roasting allows the oil inside the coffee beans to be fully released, producing a strong bitter taste and full taste. Medium roasting, on the other hand, retains the original sourness and fresh taste of the coffee beans to a certain extent.

Suitable for food pairing

Due to its rich and heavy characteristics, heavy roast is often used to make espresso or mixed coffee such as latte. It is also very suitable for pairing with chocolate, nuts and creamy foods to balance its bitterness and add layering.

In contrast, medium-power roasting produces a softer and more fragrant aroma. Medium roasting is usually used to make American black coffee or hand-brewed single-origin coffee. It can retain the original aroma of the beans and has a certain sour taste. It can better highlight its characteristics when paired with light foods such as bread and fruit.

Summarize

The difference between heavy roasting and medium roasting is mainly reflected in color, aroma, taste and suitability for food. Heavy roasting produces dark brown to black coffee beans with spicy and strong aroma and rich and heavy taste. Medium roasting retains the original color to a certain extent, presents a soft and fragrant aroma, and retains a certain acidity and fresh taste.

It is very important to choose the roasting degree of coffee beans that suits your taste according to your personal preferences and the needs of different occasions. Whether you pursue a strong and bitter taste or a gentle and fresh taste, you can find coffee that meets your needs in different degrees of roasting.