Coffee Bean Roast Level Comparison Chart Visual Tutorial Classification Differences Which is Better Medium or Dark Roast Coffee Beans

Roasting is the process that transforms green coffee beans into brown roasted beans. The longer the roasting time and the longer the heat exposure, the darker the coffee beans become. Different roasting durations produce beans with varying surface colors, which FrontStreet Coffee refers to as coffee roast degree.

SCAA Coffee Roast Classification

Currently, the world's largest coffee trade association, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), has established a coffee bean roasting color chart that divides coffee roast degrees into 8 levels. The higher the color value, the lighter the roast degree. From light to dark, they are:

Light Roast (SCAA #95, Agtron 95)

With an Agtron value of 95, this is called Light Roast. The beans are typically removed from the roaster during the first crack's peak phase (when the beans are still making popping sounds). Coffee generally exhibits bright acidity, but if the development time during roasting isn't properly controlled, it can easily develop grassy, astringent flavors.

Cinnamon Roast (SCAA #85, Agtron 85)

With an Agtron value of 85, this belongs to Cinnamon Roast. Beans are removed around the end of the first crack (when popping sounds have just stopped or only occasional pops remain). Coffee at this degree typically shows dominant acidity with sweet fragrant notes, and the aftertaste exhibits a clean sweetness similar to cane sugar or honey.

Medium Roast (SCAA #75, Agtron 75)

With an Agtron value of 75, this is called Medium Roast. Beans are removed approximately after the first crack ends (when popping sounds have completely stopped). Coffee flavor at this degree is dominated by sweetness with some fruit acidity, and the aftertaste shows caramel-like or roasted sweet potato notes. On FrontStreet Coffee's bean menu, most Ethiopian coffees are roasted within this range to preserve delicate floral aromas while highlighting the coffee's inherent caramel sweetness.

High Roast (SCAA #65, Agtron 65)

With an Agtron value of 65, this is called High Roast. Beans are removed approximately after the first crack ends but before the second crack begins (during about 1-2 minutes of quiet). The flavor shows nutty and caramel notes, balanced without acidity, with a full, robust mouthfeel.

City Roast (SCAA #55, Agtron 55)

With an Agtron value of 55, this is called City Roast. Beans are removed approximately when the second crack begins (after a period of quiet, hearing one or two faint popping sounds). The flavor becomes more bitter with heavier caramel aromas, similar to unsweetened pure dark chocolate - rich and mellow.

Full City Roast (SCAA #45, Agtron 45)

With an Agtron value of 45, this is called Full City Roast. Beans are removed approximately before the second crack becomes intense (before hearing the popping sounds). At this point, the coffee is already quite dark, with more intense burnt-bitter flavors. If the beans are evenly developed from surface to core, coarse grinding with lower water temperatures can produce coffee with syrup-like consistency, with obvious sweetness after the bitterness.

French Roast (SCAA #35, Agtron 35)

With an Agtron value of 35, this is called French Roast. Beans are removed approximately during the intense second crack (hearing popping sounds again, but deeper than the first time). At this point, coffee beans begin to seep oil, and the coffee's character becomes very intense.

Italian Roast (SCAA #25, Agtron 25)

With an Agtron value of 25, this is called Italian Roast. Beans are removed approximately when the second crack ends (after the intense popping sounds). At this point, coffee beans are jet black and shiny, with oils having penetrated the surface. Beans roasted this way are only suitable for espresso production or coffee that needs sugar and milk to be palatable. Currently, except for Southeast Asia, few regions roast coffee beans this dark.

Emerging Roast Styles

In addition to the official roast classifications mentioned above, in recent years more people have noticed new concepts such as "Nordic ultra-light roast" and "Japanese ultra-deep roast." What do these mean?

Nordic Light Roast

First, what's called "Nordic light roast" (also known as Nordic roast) involves controlling roasting duration and heat to preserve more aromatic substances within the beans, thereby highlighting the coffee's delicate flavors. The coffee beans' color value typically falls between 85-90. According to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding, the Nordic light roast style first emerged in Norway and is currently represented mainly by Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. Compared to medium and dark roasts, coffee presented with Nordic light roast produces visibly lighter-colored coffee regardless of extraction method, with higher acidity. However, precisely because the roast degree is lighter with shorter heat exposure, this approach easily triggers "underdevelopment" and "astringency" issues, making it a very niche style within the coffee community.

Japanese Ultra-Deep Roast

As one of the representatives of Asian coffee styles, ultra-deep roast comes from Japan's preference for "heavier flavors." It's much darker than the deep roast we commonly encounter. Japanese deep roast coffee beans first show significant oil on the surface, appearing almost like "charcoal," with color values around 25-30. When extracted using methods like flannel drip or pour-over, the blooming process shows excellent expansion, with visibly active degassing from the coffee bed and continuous release of rich roasting aromas. The brewed coffee predominantly shows sweet-bitter flavors, with an intense, stimulating entry.

When FrontStreet Coffee expresses their own coffee roast degrees, they don't directly use this roast degree classification system because在日常很少会看到编号95、45-25的烘焙度咖啡. To help everyone better understand, FrontStreet Coffee divides these roasted beans into categories: light roast, medium-light roast, medium roast, medium-dark roast, and dark roast, making it easier for consumers to understand coffee roasting.

The Art of Coffee Roasting

Good roasting can maximize the personality of green beans while minimizing the expression of defective flavors. However, just because the surface color of coffee beans meets the standard color chart requirements doesn't guarantee good-tasting coffee. Whether the inside of the coffee beans is properly roasted is the most crucial factor determining coffee quality.

The Five Stages of Coffee Roasting

Coffee bean roasting is typically divided into 5 stages: drying, dehydration, first crack, second crack, and discharge.

1. Drying Stage

When green beans are heated, water vapor inside the beans evaporates. At around 135°C, green beans begin to lighten from green, gradually turning white.

2. Dehydration Stage

As heating continues, green beans transform from green to light yellow. At temperatures around 160°C, they emit grassy aromas or roasted grain fragrances. With continued heating, beans become light brown.

3. First Crack

Around 190°C, after dehydration is complete, internal heat expansion causes cell walls to rupture, creating the first crack. At this point, a series of thermal decomposition reactions occur inside the beans. The caramelization reaction brings sweetness, dark brown color, and body to the coffee beans. The first crack typically lasts about one minute.

4. Second Crack

As heating continues, the process enters the second crack, when more intense reactions occur inside the beans, releasing large amounts of heat. With the end of the second crack, the beans have basically turned black, expanded to about 1.5 times their original size, with surface oil appearing and weight reduced by 12%-20%.

This is a medium-light roast Ethiopian Gedeb Cooperative washed coffee bean, discharged one and a half minutes after first crack.

5. Roasting Termination

Generally, roasting should end no later than one minute after the second crack ends. When temperature reaches 230°C, roasting concludes, producing relatively dark French or Italian roasts. If heating continues above 230°C, coffee beans may naturally burn.

Key Roasting Considerations

If coffee beans don't have sufficient time to fully roast and develop during the dehydration stage when they turn from green to light yellow, or from yellow to before first crack, the coffee can easily display underdeveloped, grassy, or raw flavors. Therefore, slow roasting with low to medium heat and appropriate drum speed to ensure constant bean tumbling is crucial for even heat distribution.

For regular-shaped coffee beans (flat beans), FrontStreet Coffee recommends a drum speed of 60-65 revolutions per minute during roasting. The heat level shouldn't be too high initially, as this can cause premature surface caramelization, resulting in an outside-cooked but underdeveloped interior. However, when roasting peaberbs (round beans), the speed should be reduced slightly to avoid too-fast tumbling and insufficient heat exposure.

If enthusiasts want to roast at home, FrontStreet Coffee recommends purchasing drum-style roasting tools to ensure even tumbling of coffee beans during direct fire roasting.

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