| Aliases | Roaster Watch | Surface | Flavor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Cinnamon Roast, Half City, New England | After about seven minutes the beans "pop" and double in size, and light roasting is achieved. American mass-market roasters typically stop here. | Dry | Light-bodied and somewhat sour, grassy, and snappy |
| Medium | Full City, American, Regular, Breakfast, Brown | At nine to eleven minutes the beans reach this roast, which U.S. specialty sellers tend to prefer. | Dry | A bit sweeter than light roast; full body balanced by acid snap, aroma, and complexity |
| Dark | High, Viennese, Italian Espresso, Continental | After 12 to 13 minutes the beans begin hissing and popping again, and oils rise to the surface. Roasters from the U.S. Northwest generally remove the beans at this point. | Slightly shiny | Somewhat spicy; complexity is traded for rich chocolaty body, aroma is exchanged for sweetness |
| Darkest | French | After 14 minutes or so the beans grow quiet and begin to smoke. Having carmelized, the bean sugars begin to carbonize. | Very oily | Smokey; tastes primarily of roasting, not of the inherent flavor of the bean |
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Roasting
Roasting Overview | Roast Process | Professional Roasting
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