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Coffee Roast Levels [From Unroasted to Dark]

By Matt Koons

Your journey to the perfect cup begins with a simple choice: how do you want your coffee roasted? The roast level you choose shapes everything—from the brightness in your morning pour-over to the subtle sweetness that lingers on your palate.

At Fathom Coffee, we've spent years perfecting our approach to roasting, and we've landed on a philosophy that preserves what makes each origin special. Chart your course through this guide to understand coffee roast levels and discover why we believe medium-light roasting unlocks coffee's true potential.

On Deck (Table of Contents)

Coffee Roast Levels Explained

Coffee roast levels range from light to dark, with each level producing distinct flavors and characteristics. Understanding these differences helps you navigate toward your perfect cup.

Light Roast

Light roasts preserve the bean's origin character—the unique flavors that come from where and how the coffee was grown. These beans are roasted just past the "first crack" (when beans expand and make a popping sound), resulting in a lighter brown color and no oil on the surface.

Tasting Notes: Bright acidity, floral notes, fruity complexity, tea-like body

Best for: Coffee enthusiasts who want to taste terroir—the unique expression of origin, altitude, and processing

Medium-Light Roast (City / City+) — Our Specialty

This is where Fathom Coffee lives. City+ roasting hits the sweet spot: developed enough to unlock sweetness and complexity, but light enough to preserve each origin's distinctive character.

At City+ roast, the beans have completed first crack and developed caramelized sugars without losing the bright notes that make specialty coffee special. The result? A balanced cup with origin clarity, natural sweetness, and clean finish.

Tasting Notes: Balanced acidity, caramel sweetness, chocolate notes, fruit undertones, clean finish

Best for: Anyone who wants the best of both worlds—developed sweetness with origin character intact

Fathom's approach: We roast all our single-origin coffees to City+ to highlight what makes each origin unique

Medium Roast

Medium roasts push slightly past City+, developing more body and reducing acidity. The origin flavors are still present but begin sharing the stage with roast-developed flavors like nuttiness and deeper chocolate notes.

Tasting Notes: Balanced, nutty, milk chocolate, moderate acidity

Best for: Those transitioning from commercial coffee to specialty, or who prefer less brightness

Medium-Dark to Dark Roasts

As beans roast longer, they develop oils on the surface and lose their origin characteristics. The flavors shift from "where it was grown" to "how it was roasted"—smoky, bitter, and bold.

Why we don't roast dark: At Fathom, we believe great coffee shouldn't taste like the roasting process—it should taste like its origin. Dark roasting masks the very qualities that make Ethiopian coffee fruity and floral, or Brazilian coffee sweet and chocolatey. When you source exceptional beans, you want to taste them.

Why We Roast City+ (And Why It Matters)

Here's what happens at each roast stage:

Roast Level What You Taste Origin Character Light Bright, acidic, complex 100% origin City+ (Fathom) Balanced, sweet, nuanced 90% origin, 10% development Medium Smooth, nutty, mild 70% origin, 30% development Dark Bold, bitter, smoky 10% origin, 90% roast

City+ roasting requires precision. Roast too light, and you get grassy, underdeveloped flavors. Roast too dark, and you lose what made the coffee worth sourcing in the first place. Our nano-roasting approach gives us the control to hit that perfect window for every batch.

Does Coffee Roast Level Affect Caffeine?

This is one of the most common coffee myths. Here's the truth:

By bean count: Light and dark roasts have nearly identical caffeine per bean. The roasting process doesn't significantly destroy caffeine.

By weight: Light roasts have slightly more caffeine because the beans are denser. Dark roast beans weigh less (they've lost more moisture), so you need more beans to reach the same weight—resulting in similar caffeine levels.

By volume: Light roasts win. Since dark beans are larger and lighter, a scoop of light roast contains more beans and therefore more caffeine.

A 2025 study from Berry College confirmed that caffeine extraction actually peaks in medium roasts due to the combination of retained caffeine and increased porosity.

Bottom line: Choose your roast based on flavor preference, not caffeine content. The difference is minimal.

How Coffee Roasting Works

Understanding the roasting process helps you appreciate why timing matters so much:

  1. Drying phase (0-4 minutes): Green beans lose moisture and turn from green to pale yellow
  2. Browning phase (4-8 minutes): Maillard reaction begins—amino acids and sugars create complex flavors and aromas
  3. First crack (8-10 minutes): Beans expand and crack audibly, releasing steam. Light roasts stop here.
  4. Development (10-12 minutes): City and City+ roasts develop here—sugars caramelize, acidity balances
  5. Second crack (12+ minutes): Oils emerge, origin character fades. Dark roasts push past this point.

At Fathom, we roast in small batches to control each phase precisely. This is why freshness matters—within days of roasting, you're tasting coffee at its peak development.

How to Find Your Ideal Coffee Roast

Start by considering what you enjoy:

If you love bright, fruity flavors: Look for light to medium-light roasts. Our Ethiopia Kercha showcases berry and citrus notes beautifully at City+ roast.

If you prefer smooth, sweet, chocolatey cups: Medium-light (City+) roasts deliver sweetness without bitterness. Try our Brazil Cerrado for milk chocolate and caramel notes.

If you're used to bold, dark coffee: Give City+ a chance. You might be surprised by how much more flavor emerges when origin character shines through. Many of our customers who "only drank dark roast" never went back after tasting properly roasted specialty coffee.

Best brewing methods for City+ roasts:

  • Chemex or V60: Highlights clarity and bright notes
  • Drip: Balanced, everyday enjoyment
  • Cold brew: Smooth, naturally sweet, low acid
  • Espresso: Concentrated sweetness with clean finish

Frequently Asked Questions

Which coffee roast is strongest?

If you mean caffeine, the differences between roasts are minimal—light roasts have a slight edge when measured by volume. If you mean flavor intensity, dark roasts taste bolder but actually have less flavor complexity than properly roasted light or medium-light coffees.

What roast level does Fathom Coffee use?

We roast all our coffees to City+ (medium-light). This roast level preserves origin character while developing natural sweetness—the best of both worlds.

Is light roast more acidic than dark roast?

Yes, light roasts retain more of the coffee's natural acids, which create brightness and complexity. If you're sensitive to acidity, try our Brazil Cerrado—it's naturally low-acid even at City+ roast.

Why doesn't Fathom offer dark roast coffee?

We source exceptional single-origin beans specifically for their unique tasting notes. Dark roasting would mask the very characteristics that make each origin special. Our goal is to help you taste where your coffee comes from, not just the roasting process.

What's the best roast for beginners?

City+ (medium-light) is perfect for beginners because it's approachable—sweet and balanced—while still showcasing what makes specialty coffee different from commercial brands.

Find Your Fix

Ready to taste what properly roasted coffee can offer? Our single-origin collection showcases coffees from around the world, each roasted to City+ to highlight its unique character.

Your journey to exceptional coffee starts here. Find your fix.

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