Coffee Roast Level & Flavour Chart

Light, Medium, or Dark — What Does Roast Level Actually Mean?

Roast level is the biggest variable in how your coffee tastes. This interactive chart maps how light, medium, and dark roasts differ in flavour, aroma, acidity, body, and caffeine — so you can pick the right coffee with confidence.

Coffee Roast Level Flavour Chart

Click a roast to see matching coffees in our shop — from bright and fruity to deep and smoky.

Light

175–205°C · City

FloralCitrusBerryTea-likeBright acidity

Chemex · Hario V60 · Kalita Wave · AeroPress · Siphon Pot

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Medium-Light

205–210°C · City+

CaramelStone fruitAlmondMilk chocBalanced

Chemex · V60 · Kalita Wave · AeroPress · French Press

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Medium

210–220°C · Full City

ToffeeHazelnutDark chocBrown sugarRounded

Espresso · Moka Pot · AeroPress · French Press · V60 · Siphon Pot

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Medium-Dark

220–230°C · Vienna

BittersweetRoasted nutsSmokyMolassesBold

Espresso · Moka Pot · French Press · Electric Percolator · Cowboy Coffee

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Dark

230–245°C · French

SmokyCharredLiquoriceEarthyLow acidity

Espresso · Moka Pot · French Press · Turkish Coffee · Cowboy Coffee · Percolator

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Roast Level	Temp Range	Flavour Profile	Acidity	Body	Best For
Light	175–205°C	Floral, citrus, berry, tea	High	Light	Single origins, pour over
Medium-Light	205–210°C	Caramel, stone fruit, almond	Med-High	Light-Med	Filter, AeroPress
Medium	210–220°C	Toffee, hazelnut, dark choc	Medium	Medium	Espresso, most methods
Medium-Dark	220–230°C	Bittersweet, smoky, molasses	Low-Med	Full	Espresso, cold brew
Dark	230–245°C	Smoky, charred, earthy	Low	Full-Heavy	Strong espresso, cold brew

Find your perfect roast — shop single origins at myroast™

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What Happens to Coffee as It Roasts

All specialty coffee goes through the same physical and chemical changes — but how far the roast is taken determines everything

Light Roast (200–210°C)

The bean retains most of its origin character. Sugars begin to caramelise but haven’t fully transformed. Expect floral, citrus, stone fruit, and berry notes with bright, complex acidity. Higher caffeine (caffeine is destroyed by heat). Best for: filter, pour over, AeroPress.

Medium Roast (210–220°C)

Balance point between origin character and roast character. Caramelisation is in full swing, producing chocolate, caramel, brown sugar, and stone fruit notes. Moderate acidity, medium body. Most versatile — works across all brew methods including espresso.

Dark Roast (220°C+)

Roast character dominates. Bean oils migrate to the surface. Expect dark chocolate, smoke, cedar, and dried fruit notes with low acidity and a heavy, syrupy body. Lower perceived caffeine despite popular belief. Best for: espresso, French press, Moka pot.

The Science Behind Roast

The Maillard Reaction & Caramelisation

The complex flavours in roasted coffee are created by two heat-driven chemical processes. The Maillard reaction begins at around 150°C — the same reaction that browns bread and sears meat — producing hundreds of new aromatic compounds from amino acids and sugars. Caramelisation follows from around 170°C onwards, converting the bean’s sucrose into caramel-like flavour compounds. The longer and hotter the roast, the further these reactions progress — and the less of the bean’s original character remains.

Origin vs. Roast: Who Wins?

In a light roast, origin wins. The terroir, variety, processing method, and altitude of the farm all express themselves clearly in the cup. In a dark roast, the roast wins. This is why dark-roasted commodity coffee from different origins often tastes similar — the origin character has been replaced by roast character. Specialty coffee is almost always roasted light to medium precisely to preserve the unique character that justifies its premium price.