Which Coffee Bean Roast Level is Best? Does Deep Roasted Washed Shaland Coffee Have Floral and Fruity Aromas?

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FrontStreet Coffee's Introduction to Coffee Roast Levels

1. Light Roast

Generally used for cupping.

2. Cinnamon Roast

At this roasting stage, the Maillard and caramelization reactions gradually release aromas, but the flavor is insufficient. This roast is typically used for coffee cupping. In the current market, influenced by so-called "specialty coffee" culture, some pursue the "fruity acidity" and floral notes of high-altitude African coffees like washed Yirgacheffe, often roasting them to this degree.

3. Medium Roast

At this roast level, the coffee's Maillard reactions and caramelization are perfectly balanced, preserving the coffee's quality acidity and best expressing the coffee beans' inherent flavors. Most specialty coffee single-origin beans in the current market are roasted to this degree. Examples include most Ethiopian natural and washed beans that retain lively acidity, natural and processed Panama Geisha, and Costa Rican honey-processed beans.

4. High Roast

At this stage, the coffee's acidic compounds begin to weaken, with the sweet aftertaste performing at its best. When suitable beans are correctly roasted to this level, the flavor compounds that should be expressed by the beans basically emerge, achieving a balance between bitterness and acidity, with excellent aroma and flavor. This is most favored by Japanese and Central European people. For example, Jamaica Blue Mountain. The bean surface is fully expanded, and the color becomes uniform and glossy.

5. City Roast

The standard roast level for traditional single-origin coffee in European and American countries. At this stage, bitterness begins to strengthen while acidity gradually weakens. Bitterness and body reach a balance, with weak acidity that's sometimes barely noticeable. The mouthfeel is rich and full, with high extraction stability. Most Central and South American coffees such as Kenya AA, Brazilian pulped natural, Colombian Huilan, and Panama Boquete highland beans can be roasted to this degree.

Taste: Full and rounded mouthfeel, with noticeable bitterness, weak acidity, and good sweet aftertaste. When left to rest for some time after roasting, it will develop spot-like oils.

6. Full-City Roast

As roasting enters the full-city stage, the bean surface turns dark brown with spot-like oil emergence. Bitterness intensifies, while acidity and delicate aromatic compounds (flowers, fruits) almost disappear, and roasted spices and distillation spiciness begin to appear. Golden Mandheling, Hawaiian Kona, Jamaica's locally roasted Blue Mountain, Colombian Huilan, and some other single-origin coffees, as well as beans specifically for cold drip and cold extraction, often use this roast level.

7. French Roast

Coffee beans at this roast level carry unique distillation spiciness flavors like clove, dried ginger, pepper, and smokiness, often used to make traditional French au lait, Vienna coffee, and hot and cold milk coffee. When coffee of this roast level blends with milk, it produces rich aroma, full color, strong contrast, and clear, bright patterns, often used by latte art enthusiasts to make lattes. However, many people dislike the smoky and burnt flavors of this roast level.

8. Italian Roast

After the second crack ends, the beans continue to stay in the roaster for a while longer. When they come out, white smoke billows up, nearly carbonized, with a strong burnt flavor. It was mainly popular in Latin countries before, and in recent years with the rise of quick takeaway coffee, often using relatively cheap beans.

Knowledge Point: Extremely dark roasts that are not burnt, bitter, or salty, and can still reveal the basic flavors of the coffee.

In Brief

FrontStreet Coffee is a dedicated coffee research hall, happy to share coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation only to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Additionally, we hold three high-discount coffee activities every month because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest possible price—this has been our mission for six years!

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