Light, medium or dark? How your coffee roast profile affects the flavour and aroma of speciality coffee

Most of us know that great coffee starts with high-quality beans. But did you know that the roasting process itself can dramatically change how your coffee tastes? It's the coffee roast profile – the degree and method of roasting – that determines whether your cup features fruity, caramel or intense, bitter notes. In this blog post, we’ll take you inside our artisan roastery at Coffee Broastery, where we craft speciality coffee every day to bring out the best in every bean. Discover what coffee roasting is all about, the main roast types, and which one is the best fit for your preferred flavour and brew method!

Summary:

1. What is coffee roasting and why is it done?
2. Types of roast: light, medium and dark
3. Which roast profile is best for you?
4. Why choose coffee from an artisan roastery?

What is coffee roasting and why is it done?

Before coffee reaches your cup, it must go through several important stages – from harvesting on the farm, through processing and transport, all the way until the green (raw) beans reach the roastery. And this is where the process that significantly impacts coffee flavour begins – roasting.

But what exactly does that mean? Roasting coffee involves heating raw beans in a specialised roaster at very high temperatures – typically between 180°C to 240°C. During this transformation, the beans undergo a series of chemical reactions, such as sugar caramelisation and the so-called Maillard reaction – a process in which sugars combine with amino acids to produce hundreds of compounds responsible for the complex flavour, aroma, and brown colour of roasted coffee. Without this process, coffee wouldn't have its familiar aroma or taste – the resulting brew would be more like a grassy-herbal infusion than a delicious espresso.

The coffee roast profile – that is, how the roastery manages temperature, time and roasting intensity – determines how the coffee will taste. Will it be more fruity and acidic, or rich and chocolatey? That depends not only on the bean itself, but also on the choices made during roasting.

At Coffee Broastery, we approach this with full dedication. We never roast by eye – every batch is thoughtfully roasted to develop a tailored roast profile that suits its origin and character. This lets us bring out the absolute best from every speciality coffee bean – without over-bittering, burning, or masking its natural aromas.

Light, medium and dark roasts – what’s the difference?

The length of time and the temperature at which coffee beans are roasted has a direct impact on the flavour you'll experience in your cup. In the world of coffee, there are three main roasting levels: light, medium and dark. Each of these has its own characteristics and is best suited to different brewing methods. Choosing the right coffee roast profile allows you to highlight specific flavour notes, balance acidity and enhance aroma intensity.

Light Roast Coffee

Lightly roasted coffee showcases the bean’s origin and character at its most natural. This is where you can best taste the terroir and growing conditions – such as citrus notes from Ethiopia or blueberry from Kenya.

✏️ Key characteristics:

• light brown coloured beans
• high acidity
• distinct notes of fruits, citrus and floral aromas
• light body, subtle sweetness

Medium Roast Coffee

Medium roast is a middle ground between the brightness and acidity of light roasts and the boldness of dark roasts. At this level, the coffee develops more sweetness, a fuller body and added depth, while still retaining the origin flavours of the speciality beans.

✏️ Key characteristics:

• medium, chocolatey-brown colour
• balanced acidity with subtle bitterness
• notes of caramel, nuts, dried fruit or milk chocolate
• richer mouthfeel (body)

Dark Roast Coffee

Dark roasted beans are roasted the longest and at the highest temperatures. At this stage, the flavour is determined more by the roasting process itself than by the natural characteristics of the beans. While some people enjoy this intensity, for speciality coffee, it’s not typically the preferred roast level.

✏️ Key characteristics:

• very dark, almost black beans, sometimes shiny with surface oils
• low acidity, high bitterness
• roasty, smoky flavours with bitter chocolate notes
• very full body, but less complexity

The right coffee roast profile is not only about flavour preference, but also about your brewing method and personal taste. There’s no universal “best” option, but we can confidently say that for speciality coffee, light and medium roasts allow the beans to reveal their authentic character and complexity.

That’s why at Coffee Broastery, we believe in intentional roasting – so your coffee tastes just the way it should: clean, natural and refined!

Which coffee roast profile is best for you?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to that question – just like there’s no one “perfect” coffee for everyone. Your favourite coffee roast profile depends mainly on how you brew your coffee and which flavours you enjoy most in your cup.

📍 For pour-over coffee: drip, Chemex, Aeropress

• Ideal roast profile: light and medium-light
• Why? These profiles bring out the bean’s origin flavours – think citrus, tropical fruit, floral tones, honey and caramel.
• Our recommendations: most of the coffees from Coffee Broastery – roasted to a medium light 3/5 level.

📍 For espresso or moka pot

• Ideal roast profile: medium or medium-dark
• Why? These roast levels give the coffee a fuller taste, sweetness and a richer body, without excessive roastiness or bitterness.
• Our recommendations: Amico dall’Italia Espresso Roast – roasted to a medium 4/5 level, perfect for espresso and moka pot users.

📍 What about dark roasts?

Dark roast coffee is often associated with intense “black coffee” flavours, but in the world of speciality coffee, it’s not the most popular path. Why? Because dark roasting tends to hide the bean’s natural aromas and often leads to dominant bitterness and smoky notes that mask even the best-quality beans. In commercial coffee, this can be intentional – but at a craft coffee roastery like Coffee Broastery, we prefer profiles that are fuller, better balanced and more transparent.

That’s why we mostly roast our coffees to a medium-light profile – we believe it’s the best roast level if you want to experience the coffee’s full, natural potential. And if you love espresso – don’t worry, we’ve got your bold brew covered. Our espresso-dedicated coffee is roasted to a medium level, giving you smoothness, depth and intensity from the very first sip!

Not sure where to start? Browse our collection and choose your first bag of freshly roasted beans – just one click away from starting your flavourful speciality coffee journey.

Why choose coffee from an artisan roastery?

There are plenty of coffee options on the market these days, but if you care about exceptional taste, quality and transparency – the choice is simple: speciality coffee from an artisan roastery. Why? Because here, there’s true respect for the bean and the entire process – from farming to your cup.

Large-scale, industrial roasters treat coffee more like a mass-market product – often roasting it too dark, paying little attention to origin or the unique characteristics of each bean. As a result, most coffee ends up tasting the same: flat, overly bitter or even burnt. The dark coffee roast profile is often used to hide lower quality, not to highlight natural qualities.

At Coffee Broastery, we do things differently. We’re a small, independent coffee roastery driven by passion and love for craftsmanship. We source carefully selected beans from specific regions and farms we know and trust. Every coffee we offer goes through internal tasting and scoring for flavour, aroma and balance. Only then do we develop the ideal roasting profile – one that will allow the full clarity, depth and distinctive character of each bean to shine through in your cup.

Thanks to these practices, speciality coffee stands out from supermarket coffee just like a fine wine stands out from cheap boxed wine. You can taste it, explore it, savour it – or just enjoy the clean, balanced flavour every single day.

At Coffee Broastery, we believe that the best roast profile is one that’s intentional and thoughtful. Our roast levels (mostly medium-light 3/5, and for espresso – medium 4/5) are the result of numerous trials, tastings and cuppings. All to make sure every cup you brew offers exceptional flavour – with no compromise.

Ready for more? Explore our speciality coffee range, pick your favourite roast, and experience how much the right coffee roast profile can truly change your coffee experience. Start your journey with real coffee – today!