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

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). FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Coffee Roasting Levels. Since many people are not very clear about general roast level terms, such as Cinnamon, City, etc., and each company's standards are not exactly the same, for convenience we will divide the roast levels from light to dark as A, B, B+, C, C+, D, E, etc., in order to

Professional coffee knowledge exchange for more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Coffee Roasting Levels

Since many people are not familiar with general roasting level terms such as Cinnamon, City, etc., and standards vary among different roasters, for convenience we classify roasting levels from light to dark as A, B, B+, C, C+, D, E, etc., for easy memory. The alphabetical arrangement is primarily to easily distinguish depth levels by sequence, with the + sign representing smaller differences. The earlier the letter, the lighter the roast level and color, and vice versa for darker roasts.

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

Roasting Level Details

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

End of First Crack - City Roast
Teak color, light reddish-brown. 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 expanded, smooth surface. Slight acidity and bitterness with medium sweetness. 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 relatively shiny surface. Acidity nearly disappears while bitterness slightly increases. Distinct caramel sweetness with 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 rich, full-bodied texture and strong aroma. Suitable for adding milk.

End of Second Crack - French/Italian Roast
Dark brownish-black color with oily surface. Aromatic bitterness with strong, intense flavor. However, due to oil content, 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's Philosophy

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a dedicated coffee research establishment, 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 low-discount coffee activities each month because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest price - this has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past 6 years!