Coffee culture

Comparing Coffee Bean Flavors by Roast Level: Characteristics of Dark Roast Coffee Beans and Why They're Oily

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style). When looking at the dazzling array of coffee products on shelves or tasting in cafes, if you're not sure what to choose today, you can start by roughly distinguishing flavors based on roast level, then slowly try different origins to find a coffee that suits your style! ● Sweet floral and fruity notes

Professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Cafe Style (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

When faced with a dazzling array of coffee products on the shelves or tasting at a café, if you're unsure what to choose today, you can start by distinguishing flavors roughly by roast level, then gradually explore different origins to select a coffee that matches your personal style!

Floral and Fruit Notes—Sweet and Expressive — Light Roast

Flavor Profile: Sweet and expressive floral and fruit notes

Mouthfeel: Intense aromatic freshness, bright fruit acidity

Quality light roast coffee feels refreshing and lively, presenting sweet floral aromas and bright, expressive fruit flavors that create a wonderful and rich taste experience.

Nutty Elegance—Medium Roast

Flavor Profile: Elegant notes of nuts, cocoa, and caramel

Mouthfeel: Smooth with sweet aftertaste

Compared to light roast, medium roast coffee offers a touch more sophistication, characterized by elegant notes of cocoa, nuts, and caramel. Subtle fruit aromas can still be detected, while the lingering sweetness that remains on the palate is simply captivating.

Gentle Caramel and Cream—Full City Roast

Flavor Profile: Gentle caramel and cream aroma

Mouthfeel: Smooth and rich, perfect companion for milk

Falling between medium and dark roasts, Full City roast presents a much smoother character. With warm caramel and cream flavors that are neither acidic nor bitter, this smooth and rich profile offers distinctive enjoyment whether savored for its layered complexity as a single-origin or enhanced with milk to highlight silky dairy aromas.

Intense and Bold—Dark Roast

Flavor Profile: Rich, bitter chocolate notes

Mouthfeel: Intense and mellow

Dark roast coffee's bitter flavors are more pronounced than its acidity, showcasing a strong character that leaves a lasting impression. For those who love rich, full-bodied coffee flavors, starting with dark roast is ideal. The sweet aftertaste that follows the bitterness is particularly captivating for enthusiasts who appreciate this multi-layered experience.

Recommended Dark Roast Coffee Brands

FrontStreet Coffee's dark roast beans—including Honduras, Brazil Red Bourbon, and Indonesian Mandheling—offer excellent guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they provide exceptional value. A 227-gram half-pound bag costs only around 80-90 RMB. Calculating at 15 grams per pour-over cup, one bag can make 15 cups, meaning each specialty coffee costs only about 6 RMB—a remarkable value compared to café prices that often run dozens of RMB per cup.

FrontStreet Coffee: A Guangzhou-based roastery with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. Online services are also available at https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473

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