Coffee culture

Understanding Coffee Roasting: The Differences Between Roast Levels and the Transformation from Green to Brown

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style). FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Coffee Roast Levels Freshly harvested and processed green beans are nearly odorless and tasteless. Through the heating process of roasting, moisture is removed, the chemical composition of the coffee beans changes, producing volatile rich coffee aromas while simultaneously revealing the unique characteristics of coffee.
Coffee Roast Levels

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

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Coffee Roast Levels

Freshly harvested and processed green coffee beans are nearly odorless and tasteless. Through the heating process of roasting, moisture is removed, and the chemical composition of the coffee beans changes, producing volatile and rich coffee aromas while revealing coffee's unique bitter, sour, and sweet flavors.

Generally speaking, the degree of roasting can be divided into 8 stages, each displaying distinct flavor characteristics. The lighter the roast, the stronger the acidity; conversely, the deeper the roast, the richer and more aromatic the bitterness becomes.

Light Roast

Coffee beans appear yellowish-brown, with relatively light aroma and body.

Cinnamon Roast

Cinnamon-colored, suitable for black coffee due to its extremely light roasting degree.

Medium Roast

Coffee beans are chestnut-colored with mild flavor, suitable for brewing American coffee.

High Roast

Slightly stronger than medium roast, coffee beans are tea-brown with excellent aroma and appearance. Bitterness is more pronounced than acidity, making this the most common roast degree for coffee consumed in cafés or homes.

City Roast

The most standard roasting degree, originated from New York. Coffee beans appear bright tea-brown with a rich flavor that balances bitterness and acidity. This is also the typical roast level for cafés or home consumption.

Full City Roast

Coffee beans are dark brown, characterized by weak acidity and strong bitterness. "Charcoal-roasted coffee" also belongs to this category. Suitable for iced coffee or after-dinner consumption.

French Roast

Coffee beans are blackish-brown with intense bitterness and unique roasting aroma, suitable for European-style coffees such as café au lait and Vienna coffee.

Italian Roast

The strongest roast degree, coffee beans appear charcoal-black with strong bitterness and rich body. Suitable for espresso and cappuccino.

Key Points

Light roasts emphasize acidity and flavor. If roasting is not handled properly, there can be astringency and irritation, while the body and aftertaste may feel weaker.

FrontStreet Coffee Philosophy

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research establishment dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation because we want more friends to fall in love with coffee. Additionally, we hold three monthly low-discount coffee events 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!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473

0