What is Dark Roasted Coffee?

Although not as popular as lighter roasts, the discriminating coffee connoisseur will generally prefer dark roasted coffee. What is the difference between light and dark roasted coffee? In general, lighter roasts are sharper and more acidic than the dark roasted coffee. At lighter roasts, the bean will exhibit more of its "origin flavor", the flavors created in the bean by the soil and weather conditions in the location where it was grown.

Dark roasted coffee generally has a fuller flavor. Beans that have been over roasted will take on a burned, smoky or charcoal flavor. Also, there is less caffeine in the dark roasted coffees than in the lighter ones. The roast alone does not determine the resulting coffee taste or quality. The origin of the beans makes a big difference. However, as the beans darken to a deep brown, the origin flavors of the bean are eclipsed by the flavors created by the roasting process itself. With dark roasted coffee, the "roast flavor" is so dominant that it can be difficult to distinguish the origin of the beans used in the roast. Dark roasted coffees are generally recognized by the following names (medium to darkest) French, Espresso, Italian, Dark French and Spanish. Spanish is the darkest of dark roasted coffee and it is so dark roasted that the coffees flavor contributing compounds are severely degraded.

For more information on coffee roasts, please visit our Gourmet Coffee Beans page.