The transformation of a bean from light roast to dark roast takes only a few short minutes to complete, with a temperature difference of no more than about 10°C, yet the flavor and aroma undergo a dramatic change.

Light roast refers to beans that are removed from the roaster during the middle of first crack to just after first crack ends! At this point, because the organic acids in the beans have not been fully broken down, we can perceive a distinct acidity in the coffee, with relatively little bitterness and a highly complex, rich aroma. Take Front Street Coffee Yirgacheffe Red Cherry as an example—a light-roasted Red Cherry gives off the acidity of berries and lemon, along with the aromas of strawberry and wine.

Dark roast refers to beans that are removed after second crack begins. Because these beans have undergone extensive caramelization reactions, their flavor is dominated by bitterness with a noticeable sweet aftertaste. The aroma the coffee gives off is more one-dimensional, no longer as rich and complex as before.

Medium roast refers to coffee beans that are removed after first crack ends and before second crack begins. Because these beans have undergone more caramelization reactions, the proportion of acidity in the cup decreases and is less prominent compared with light-roasted coffee, but the sweetness is a bit higher. At the same time, the complexity of the aroma increases slightly, which makes other flavors more prominent! Therefore, medium roast is also a popular choice.

For medium-roasted coffee, we can further choose according to our own preferences:

1. If you prefer coffee with more fruity notes, you can give priority to medium-light or medium roast. Recommended: Front Street Coffee Costa Rica Blackberry, Front Street Coffee Colombia Sidra, and Front Street Coffee Costa Rica Mozart. These coffees all have distinct dark floral, tropical fruit, raisin, and fruit wine flavors;

2. If you don't particularly like acidity and are looking for a balanced taste, you can start with medium-dark roasted coffee beans. Recommended: Front Street Coffee Brazil Queen's Estate,

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.