Best Medium Roast Coffee

A Perfect Balance of Acidity and Flavor

Have you ever asked yourself: What's the difference between medium roast, light roast, and dark roast? Just like whole bean and instant coffee are very different, you should know the roast level isn't just a label on the packaging; different roasts have various meanings and flavor profiles. Medium roast is a type of roast that tends to be that perfect middle ground. It has a nice balance of acidity and flavor which makes it an excellent choice for coffee lovers. So grab your cup of joe and learn where the taste comes from.

The Perfect Coffee Beans

Coffee blends are made up of beans from all around the world. When it comes to roasting, the secret to achieving the best medium roast is using Arabica beans from the following locations around the world. Arabica origin:

  • Colombia
  • The Island of Sumatra
  • Kenya
  • Various countries located in Central America
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The Roasting Process

Coffee beans aren't naturally a brown color. They go through a series of physical and chemical changes during the roasting process, and it takes a significant amount of work to get the perfect roast level.

Regardless of the roast levels, all beans start with a green color and none of the classic java aroma you're accustomed to when opening up a fresh bag of whole beans or ground coffee. Before roasting, beans smell earthy and grassy and feel soft to the touch.

So, how do you get these beans to become the best medium roast?

  • The roasting process begins by bringing the green coffee beans to very high temperatures until they are between 410°F and 428°F internally. Light roast beans are roasted to 350 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Oils start to appear on the roasted beans the longer they have roasted and the higher the temperature. Medium roasted beans, similar to light roast, do not have an oily surface. In contrast, dark roast coffee beans will have an oily surface.
  • While roasting, the beans crack once they hit a specific temperature, causing them to grow larger. Medium roasts are roasted until just after the first crack happens, then quickly cooled to stop the process.

Flavor Profile and Qualities of Medium Roast Coffee

Every coffee roast has a unique flavor profile, notes, and aroma. Medium roasts tend to have sweeter, chocolate tones, while the light roast has a much sweeter, tangy taste with a strong scent. Some of the most popular flavors that can be found in your favorite cup of joe are:

  • Nutty
  • Cocoa
  • Notes of Caramel

One of the biggest fallacies is that dark roasts contain more caffeine than lighter roasts. In fact, it's the opposite; light roasts have more caffeine while medium roasts sit in the middle. Aside from the caffeine content, medium roast blends are the perfect middle ground in acidity level and body for new and long-time java drinkers alike.

  • Medium acidity
  • Medium to full body
  • Medium caffeine levels
  • Less grainy mouthfeel than lighter roasts

Pairing Options for Medium Roasts

Because medium roast blends lack the bitterness experienced in dark roasts, medium roasts are perfect to pair with lunch and dinner foods. Most popular pairings include hearty foods such as sandwiches, wraps, grilled cheese, and pasta with a meat sauce. In addition, some breakfast foods like eggs, sausage, and bacon make an excellent pairing for robust medium blends. For contrast pairings, try tangy or spiced foods to balance out the blend's acid levels. If done right, cheeses also make a great pairing for medium roasts.

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Brewing Methods

As an avid coffee drinker, you might be brewing the same way with the same method every day - and that's okay! However, to get the most natural tastes out of your cup of coffee, you might want to follow these methods and tips:

  • Pour Over Brewing Method: Use finer grounds like table salt for smaller pour-over cones/brewers and sea-salt-sized grounds for larger brewers like Chemex. Pour-over brewing methods make it easier to experiment to get the subtle tastes out of each brew.
  • French Press Brewing Method: Brewing with a French Press starts by letting grounds soak in hot water for 4-5 minutes. When done correctly, this causes a stronger, bolder cup of coffee. Break out your coffee grinder and try it out!
  • Automatic Drip Brewing Method: This is your standard, easy-to-use coffee maker. You'll want to use medium-fine grounds when brewing your morning joe in one of these. Also, watch the amount of water you're using so you aren't missing out on the delicious java notes.

Experiment with Medium Roast Recipes

If you're looking to escape your routine of a simple medium roast, mix things up with these easy recipes to try at home. Level up your favorite medium roast blend today!

Caruso's Coffee Smoothie

Make Your Own Froth (No Fancy Equipment Needed!)

How to Brew your own Cold Brew

Medium Roast Isn't For You?

No problem. Learn more about our best light and dark roasts, along with flavor profiles, products, caffeine levels, and recipes. Hopefully, this will help you find your favorite roast.

The Best Light Roast Coffee

The Best Dark Roast Coffee

Ready to find the best medium roast coffee?

Get your balanced, perfect cup of coffee from Caruso's. You can find your new go-to cup of joe with our robust range of coffee blends. By using beans from all over the world and roasting them until we get the right amount of flavor from each crack, Caruso's makes the best medium roasts.