Medium roast coffee is the workhorse of the industry, offering a traditional, well-rounded flavor profile with the perfect mix of viscosity and acidity. Compared to lighter or darker alternatives, this roast can be enjoyed by almost everyone, with aromas that are balanced on the fruity-to-smoky spectrum. If you’re under the impression that medium roast coffee is a dull choice, we’re here to tell you that you couldn’t be more wrong.
So, let’s take a look at what medium roast coffee tastes like and why you should consider picking up a bag of these delicious beans.
What Do Medium Roast Coffee Beans Taste Like?
As you roast a bean darker, the more flavors you lose through the cooking process. This creates a milder, less acidic cup of coffee. Medium roasts take on some flavors from the roasting process, reducing sweet and floral flavors found in a light roast, but doesn’t taste quite as charred as a dark roast. Some common tasting notes of medium roast include fruit, tang, chocolate, nuts and spices.
What is medium roast coffee?
Medium roast is the most popular type of coffee in the U.S., thanks to the smooth and traditional tasting experience it offers. To achieve a medium roast, coffee manufacturers cook the bean through the “first crack”, or the noise the bean makes when it reaches light roast level. Cooking continues until the “second crack” is heard. Once the beans are heated to the appropriate temperature, they’re removed and ready to be ground and brewed.
In general, medium roast beans are heated to an internal temperature of 400°F to 430°F. This gives enough heat for some of the sugars to start to carmelize, but not so much that there’s a powerful smokiness. Comparatively, light roast is typically heated no higher than 400°F, while dark roast can reach temperatures of 500°F or higher.
Medium Roast Coffee Benefits
While light roast offers bright, complex tastes and dark roast is subdued with less acidity, medium roast provides a balance of natural flavors from the bean as well as flavors developed from the roasting process. If you’ve ever experimented with roasting, then you know that the longer you cook the bean, the more the bean’s natural flavor will dissipate.
Those who prefer a beverage that’s easy to drink, reliable and works across almost every type of brewing method, a medium roast coffee combines the best qualities from light and dark roasts into one cup.
Another reason to choose medium roast coffee is that it provides health benefits every time you take a drink. This roast category carries a large amount of chlorogenic acid (CGA), an antioxidant that’s known to assist with cell damage and prevent certain cancers. In addition, with a caffeine level that’s equal to other roast colors, you get added benefits like extra energy, improved cognition and reduced inflammation.
Is medium roast coffee bitter?
Medium roast coffee beans are defined by their lack of excess – they don’t skew too far on the flavor spectrum one way or the other. So, the simple answer is no, medium roast coffee is not overly bitter. You can potentially expect an aftertaste that borders on bittersweet, but that will depend on how long the bean was roasted.
Try A Classic Cup Of Medium Roast Coffee
Now that you’re familiar with how medium roast coffee tastes and why it’s such a popular choice for people across the world, you can put a bag of beans on your shopping list. The days of boring coffee are over – take a sip of a high-quality medium coffee, and you may be surprised at how much you enjoy it. With the perfect mix of acidity and smokiness, and not overpowering in any one way, this might just be a new favorite for you.
Ready to try perfectly balanced medium roast coffee beans?
Are you searching for a new style of medium roast coffee that’s bold, balanced and offers the perfect caffeine level? Then reach for a bag of Inflight Fuel. With our medium roast beans, sourced from the Dominican Republic, you’ll get a sipping experience that’s as soothing as it is flavorful. With a bag of Inflight Medium Roast Coffee, you’ll be ready for your next adventure, no matter where life takes you.
