Four roast levels, four flavor personalities. Tap a tab to see what to expect in the cup and how to brew it well.
Roast level describes how long and how hot the beans were roasted. As roast progresses, acidity drops, body increases, origin character fades, and roast character (caramel, chocolate, smoke) takes over. Understanding where a bag sits on this spectrum is the fastest way to choose a brew method that flatters it.
Compare the same recipe first, then alter only temperature or ratio. Roast names are not standardised across roasters, and country of origin does not determine roast level. The tabs describe possible tendencies, not guaranteed flavours.
Roast colour alone does not predict caffeine in your serving. Bean composition, dose and brewing method also matter.
Origin-derived organic acids (citric, malic, phosphoric) remain intact. That perceived "brightness" is the point.
A roast level (usually medium) designed to work well as both filter and espresso, common with modern specialty roasters.
Look for surface oil (dark roasts glisten), color (light roasts are cinnamon-brown), and smell (dark roasts smell of caramel and smoke).
NCA: roast terminology. The flavour and brewing suggestions here are editorial starting points; roast names vary between roasters.