The darker the coffee is roasted, the more the acidity in the coffee is destroyed, replaced by more caramel flavors, smoky notes, and bitterness. Based on their understanding of different coffee beans, roasters use different roast levels to bring out the unique flavors of beans from different origins and varieties. For example, preserving the bright fruity acidity or floral notes of the beans, or presenting a full-bodied sweetness or charred notes. But if you don't like acidity and don't want to taste bitterness either, what roast level of coffee beans should you choose?
 
The coffee bean roast levels we commonly see on the market can be roughly and simply divided into three categories: light roast, medium roast, and dark roast. Coffee that is not too acidic and not too bitter basically belongs to medium roast.

The acidity and bitterness of coffee are actually determined by roasting. In coffee roasting, there is a term called "first crack." At this point, when the coffee beans have absorbed heat to a certain degree and can no longer continue to store energy, they release heat through cracking. In plain terms, this tells you the coffee beans are already done. If they are taken out at this point, the coffee will be very acidic. If we do not take them out after "first crack begins" and continue roasting, waiting until the "crackling" sounds become dense before taking them out, then the coffee will be acidic with some sweetness, which is what we call medium roast.

Medium roast coffee can generally also be divided into two types: medium-light roast and medium-dark roast. We can judge directly from the coffee flavors involved.

1. Coffee with flavors such as ripe fruit, raisins, passion fruit, fermented notes, and dark floral notes belongs to medium-light roast. Recommended medium-light roast coffees are Front Street Coffee Costa Rica Blackberry, Front Street Coffee Colombia Sidra, and Front Street Coffee Costa Rica Mozart.

2. Coffee dominated by nutty, chocolate, creamy, and caramel flavors, while also having slight fruity acidity, belongs to medium-dark roast. Recommended medium-dark roast coffees are Front Street Coffee PWN Golden Mandheling, Front Street Coffee Brazil Queen Estate, Front Street Coffee Colombia Huila, and Front Street Coffee 2013 Yunnan Typica.

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