How Many Coffee Bean Roasting Levels Are There? Which Roast Level Has a Bitter Taste?

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Coffee Roasting Levels

Since many people are not familiar with general roasting terms such as Cinnamon or City, and standards vary from roaster to roaster, for convenience we classify roast levels from light to dark as A, B, B+, C, C+, D, E, and so on, to make them easy to remember. The alphabetical order is mainly there so the depth of roast can be read off the sequence, with the + sign marking smaller differences. The earlier the letter, the lighter the roast level and color, and the reverse for darker roasts.

Among these, C is approximately what is generally considered medium roast, while most consumers are accustomed to roast levels C, C+, and D. Beyond that range, coffee tends to be too sour or too bitter, and fewer people are comfortable with such extremes.

Roasting Level Details

First Crack Middle to Late Stage - Cinnamon Roast
Cinnamon yellowish-brown color with a relatively rough surface. Strong acidity with distinct grassy flavors, preserving the original acidity of the coffee beans. Suitable only for experimental purposes or cupping.

End of First Crack - City Roast
Teak color, light reddish-brown. The irritating acidity is significantly reduced, with distinct floral and fruit aromas. Preserves fruit acidity.

After First Crack to Middle of Second Crack - City+ Roast
Light brown color. Medium to weak acidity with light floral and fruit aromas. Caramel sweetness begins to emerge as aromatic flavors develop.

Beginning of Second Crack - Full City Roast
Brownish-red color with an expanded, smooth surface. Slight acidity and bitterness with medium sweetness. A balanced roasting aroma with floral and fruit notes. Ideal for black coffee.

Early to Middle Stage of Second Crack - Full City+ Roast
Light brownish-black color, chestnut shell color with a relatively shiny surface. Acidity nearly disappears while bitterness slightly increases. Distinct caramel sweetness with a strong aftertaste. Best expresses coffee texture and depth.

Middle to Late Stage of Second Crack - Vienna Roast
Brownish-black color, chocolate color with slight surface oil spots. No acidity, enhanced bitterness with a rich, full-bodied texture and strong aroma. Suitable for adding milk.

End of Second Crack - French/Italian Roast
Dark brownish-black color with an oily surface. Aromatic bitterness with a strong, intense flavor. However, the oil content means the flavor easily deteriorates after storage.

Knowledge Point

Light roasts primarily emphasize acidity and flavor. If roasting is not handled properly, there may be astringency and irritation, while the coffee's body and complexity feel relatively low.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For the balanced middle of that roast range, FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Queen Estate is a comfortable starting point. The rare yellow Bourbon is roasted medium, showing cream peanut, chocolate, toasted bread, and a sugarcane-like sweetness, and it brews well as pour-over or in a moka pot or espresso machine. If you want the classic medium-roast profile, FrontStreet's Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 is roasted medium to bring chocolate, roasted nuts, cream, and caramel together, so its acidity, bitterness, and sweetness land in balance. Both sit right around the C and C+ levels most drinkers prefer.