Light, medium and dark roast coffee: what’s the difference in flavor? – 07/14/2023 – Coffee in the Press

You’ve probably seen the information about the roasting point on some coffee packaging. But, after all, what are the differences in flavor between a light, medium and dark roast coffee?

The data on the roasting point must be included on the labels, according to the Ministry of Agriculture’s ordinance that came into force at the beginning of this year. Companies, however, have until June 2024 to adapt.

Roasting is one of the most crucial moments in the production chain. If done poorly, it can spoil the coffee, no matter how good it is. A well-performed roast, on the other hand, enhances the good flavors that a grain is able to produce.

In general, a light roast coffee produces beverages with greater acidity and less bitterness. A dark roast will reveal a more bitter coffee – popularly known as “strong coffee”. In the medium roast, a balance between the attributes is sought.

Experts claim, however, that this trichotomic classification – light, medium and dark – is a very simplistic way of approaching the issue.

According to Thiago Sabino, two-time Brazilian barista champion and founding partner of Sabino Torrefação, this categorization is outdated, and the roast point, by itself, does not indicate quality.

“It depends on what you are looking for in the cup and what that coffee has to deliver. It is necessary to understand what the grain can offer and, from there, develop an adequate roasting profile”, he explains.

Acidity and fruity notes are highly valued attributes among specialty coffees, which is why light and medium roasts end up standing out, as they usually value these aspects more.

In addition, an excessively dark roast is often used to mask the poor quality of the bean. But the matter is not so simple.

Barista Rebecca Nogueira, owner of Um Bom Café and Q-Grader (professional coffee evaluator), explains that, just as dark roasting is not synonymous with low quality, light roast coffee is not necessarily superior.

“A coffee can be good or bad with a light roast. It may be that the roast curve needed to be extended a little more. And the coffee can taste like leaves because the bean is raw. So the information about the roast point on the label doesn’t mean anything if it doesn’t come with the attributes”, he says.

Furthermore, there is still a very strong preference among Brazilians for more intense coffees with a certain bitterness, which is why dark roasting has a lot of space in the market.

In the end, it is a choice that consumers make according to what they are looking for in the drink, as explained by Evaldo Gonçalves, Q-Grader and production and operations manager at Orfeu.

“If you like an acidic coffee, roast it light. You prefer a balanced coffee, medium roast. And if you want a strong coffee, dark roast”, he summarizes.

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