Grabbed a pour-over at that pop-up in downtown Denver, totally flipped my opinion on light roast.

3 comments

3 Comments

troyknight8d agoMost Upvoted

Three bucks more than a regular cup but it had this bright, almost citrusy finish that I didn't know light roasts could pull off... makes you wonder how many other things we've been writing off just because we got one bad version of them first.

marybutler8d ago

Wait, are you sure that citrussy finish is from the light roast itself or from how they brewed it? @troyknight, that bright flavor you notice is actually from the bean's natural acidity, which light roasts keep way better than dark roasts. It's not just about fresh beans or high water temp, even though those help. Most people don't realize that dark roasts can taste "strong" because they're just burnt and bitter, while a properly done light roast has way more complex flavor notes hiding in there.

young.michael8d ago

I read this interview with a roaster from Seattle who said most people hate light roasts because they've only had bad ones from big chains that under-extract them. He said it takes at least 3-4 minutes to get the right flavor out of a light roast, and most shops just rush it. The bright citrus notes you're talking about come from the beans actually being fresh and the water temp being around 200 degrees. I've been trying light roasts at home with a cheaper gooseneck kettle and a timer app, and it's wild how much different it tastes when you do it right. Makes me kinda mad about all the money I wasted on dark roasts thinking that was the only way to get strong coffee.