I've spoken to a lot of people about coffee over the past year. It's kind of my job to do that, you know. From those conversations and my own research, I've learned about and extinguished a lot of myths about coffee.
Largely speaking, there is very little information about what coffee is supposed to taste like. I have my own opinions about food, and I am of the school that says "If it tastes good, it is good."
I take the same approach with coffee.
We think about coffee as food, so when we taste a new bean, variety, or roast profile, we consider other flavors that may work well with them. We also heavily consider the caffeine content of each coffee we produce. That's how we develop coffee blends, spice blends, and brewing recommendations for each of our customers and for our own house blends.
Why Dark Roast Coffee Has Less Caffeine Than Light Roast Coffee
I was surprised when I learned dark roasts have less caffeine. It turns out that the light roasts have more caffeine than dark roasts.
Here's the deal: caffeine is soluble in water. The longer coffee is roasted, the more water it loses. And since caffeine is soluble in water, that means there's less of it in dark roast coffee.
To put it simply, light roasts have a higher concentration of caffeine because they haven't lost as much weight as dark roasts during the roasting process.
If you're looking for a higher caffeine content, light roast is the way to go. But if you're after a more developed "cooked" flavor, dark roast might be more your style. It all comes down to personal preference!
What does light roast coffee taste like?
Light roast coffee is typically light brown in color with a dry surface. The beans are small and uniform in size. The coffee has a toasty aroma, with hints of grassiness or graininess. The flavor is bright and acidic, with floral or fruity notes. Light roasts have a thin body, and the finish is clean and snappy.
It's our opinion that light roasts are best ground to a finer burr and used as a pour-over, drip coffee, french press, and even espresso depending on the variety of the bean. The hot-brewing process draws more flavor from the delicate, earthy, underdeveloped profile of a light-roasted bean while preserving it's more desirable fruitiness and nuttyness.
You Do You.
Choose a coffee based on your own tastes. If you like the way it tastes, then it's good coffee! And if you're looking for a higher caffeine content, light roast is the way to go. But if you're after a more developed "cooked" flavor, dark roast might be more your style.
It all comes down to personal preference, and your preference is just as valid as anyone's.
Happy coffee drinking, and thank you for reading!
With grace and provision,
Chris Moreland
Tenpoint Coffee Monger