Light Roast Arabica Coffee Beans
Light roast arabica beans are (relatively speaking) the new kid in town. Light roasts are an artful balance between artisan roasting, multi-origin blends, and mixing.
The process of roasting eliminates some of the natural sugars found in the coffee bean, it also creates new sugars. This is the reason a light roast can be sweeter than its dark roast counterpart.
Light Roast
A light roast is coffee that has been lightly-roasted to preserve the natural flavor of the beans. These coffees, as their name implies, are lighter in body and can be enjoyed by using various brewing methods, including drip, espresso french presses, drip pour-overs. Light roasts are generally characterized by fruitier and brighter flavor notes and can highlight the characteristics of a coffee's source more than darker roasts.
This is especially applicable to microlots or single estate coffees. Additionally this level of roasting can help bring out subtle flavors which are often omitted in dark roasts. The good news is, no matter your preference, all roast levels offer amazing and unique coffees!
Light roasts also have a crisp acidity and a soft taste. They can give you an energy boost without the heavy sensation that is often associated with dark roasts. These coffees are ideal for those who want to start the day with a little more pep and a fresh taste.
In terms of caffeine, there is a bit of truth to the common belief that a light roast contains more caffeine than a darker roast. This is somewhat false because it is based on how you weigh your coffee. If you weigh your coffee and scoop it up, a scoop of a light roast will have more caffeine than a scoop of a dark roast (because it's heavier). However, if you're measuring by volume, both will have roughly the same amount of caffeine.
The key to a good light roast lies in the roasting process. This is why it is crucial to choose an established roaster as poorly executed light roasts may be characterized by a strong burnt or bitter taste that can overwhelm the other desirable qualities of the coffee. This is the reason we love working with small and family-owned roasters that value quality.
Our Extra Mile Kenyan is a excellent example of a well-crafted light roast. It has sweet notes of stonefruit and baker's chocolate with a smooth mouthfeel. It is also sourced from a sustainable and ethical farm that works to fully sustainable agriculture practices.
Medium Roast
Often referred to as the Goldilocks roast medium roast is the "just right" coffee that is a blend of light and dark roast. With the familiar, traditional diner-style flavor notes of dark roast, but with a greater balance and nuance, medium roasts offer an array of intriguing flavors and aromas.
Medium roast arabica coffee beans are heated for a lesser amount of time and at less temperature than dark roasts. The beans reach 385 degrees and begin to pop (this is known as the first crack). Beans that are roasted to this level will be light brown in color and will not have any oil on their surfaces.
Coffee roasted to this level retains a lot of the original coffee bean's distinctive aroma and taste. This includes fruity and floral aromas and flavors that are native to the region of origin. Lightly roasted beans also have brighter acidity and a mellow body.
Depending on the beans used a medium roast can have flavors like chocolate, caramel and subtle hints of spice. It's important to note that these flavors are more subtle in a moderate roast than in a lighter roast, as the beans have been more roasted.
Medium-dark flavors can be bittersweet and heavy and can be unpalatable to some taste buds. Dark roasted coffee has a deep oily appearance and flavored with bittersweet chocolate, smoke, and dark carmel.
If you are looking for an even, smooth cup of coffee, that is lighter than dark, but not as delicate as light roast medium roast, then our medium-roasted arabica is the right option. Our Happy Place blend is created with single-origin coffee beans from farms with high elevations that are Rainforest Alliance Certified and practice fully regenerative farming. It has flavors of blackberry, cocoa and guava, with a smooth finish.
All varieties of coffee have the same amount of caffeine, regardless of roasting degree. This is due to the amount of caffeine in beans is based on their natural levels as well as the amount of oxygen that the beans absorb as they are roast.
Dark Roast
A dark roast is a kind of coffee that has been roasted for longer than light roast beans. This allows for a more complex flavor profile to be created. This produces a coffee with an intense, bold flavor, and less acidity as compared to a light-roasted bean. This type of coffee is ideal for those who want a strong cup of coffee to start their day.
Dark roast coffee is distinguished with its brown color and oily top which gives it a full and classic diner-style taste. The roasting process used for this kind of coffee is what makes it distinct, and it's crucial to select a coffee that has been roast correctly to get the full experience.
When a coffee is dark roasted, it has to be roasted until the beans begin to crack. This indicates that the beans have been correctly roasted and ready to be prepared to be brewed. Dark-roasted coffee should have a soft mouthfeel and a balance of sweet and bitter flavors.
To find the finest dark-roasted coffee, you must focus on beans of high-quality that have been perfectly roasted at the right temperature. This will let you enjoy the exotic and unique qualities of the beans, without being overwhelmed by an over-roasted taste.
To find the most delicious dark-roasted coffee, it's important to consider the origins of the beans as well as the location where they were grown. For example, some regions have a certain sweetness that is more suitable for coffee that is dark roasted, while other regions offer a rich and complex flavor that can stand up to the intensity of a roast that is dark.
It is important to remember that the darker the roast the more caffeine you'll get in your coffee. This is because the beans that are roasted are exposed to more heat which causes more of the caffeine to be released. In addition the darker a roast more intense the bitterness will be.
Washed Coffee
Coffee beans that have been washed have gone through a process referred to as "wet processing." After the process is completed, the cherries are de-pulped and then soaked in water tanks to soften the mucilage that covers them. This is followed by a wash to remove the remaining pectin, and then drying. This is a very popular method among specialty roasters and is it is a fantastic choice for anyone seeking clean, crisp, acidic flavor profiles with moderate amounts of sweetness and body.
Based on the length of fermentation and how much mucilage is left on the seeds, different flavor compounds are created. These can have floral, earthy, fruity or some nutty notes. This lets washed-coffees show a wide range of terroir and the typicity of a varietal. This is in contrast to natural processed coffees that can develop distinctive flavors due to the fruity pulp around the bean.
After the mucilage has been removed and the beans are dried by soaking them in large tanks of hot water (as in the wash method), or by spreading the beans on patios, raised beds or terraces, and rotating them frequently. The process continues until the seeds have an moisture content of between 10-12 percent.
Roasting is the last step. When the roasting process begins the temperature inside the bean will rise and a cracking noise is heard. This is the time when vapors begin to penetrate the outer shell of the bean. This is referred to as the first crack.
Once this has happened then the beans can be consumed. Light roasts will taste very fresh and fruity since they have not been roasted long enough for the oils to develop. Medium roasts are more bready, and will have an intense and richer flavor because they've been roasted longer. Darker roasts can be very chocolaty or even smoky, depending on how dark they've been roasted.
This creates a variety of flavors and aromas. It is up to you to decide which coffee suits your tastes! We suggest trying a range of our single-origin light medium and dark roasts to see the distinct flavors each can provide you.