LIGHT ROAST VS. DARK ROAST COFFEE

Light roast and dark roast coffee can be very different in taste, flavour, body and complexity, because different amounts of roasting produces distinct sets of amazing characteristics. Here’s the light roast vs. dark roast breakdown:

What is the meaning of light?

Light roasts tend to retain more of their origin flavours and unique elements, reflecting the natural qualities of the coffee. Simply put, the lighter the roast the more complex the flavour!
Light roast offers multilayered complexity, revealing traces of sweetness, fruit tanginess, or even a subtle floral aroma.

Light roasts are lighter in body because the coffee bean has not been roasted long enough to produce caramelized sugars or oil.

What’s up with the dark side?

At the dark roast stage, bright tones tend to disappear and the coffee’s origin flavours are typically overshadowed by the flavours of the roasting process. With the right dark roast, beans can develop sweet and rich taste profiles.

Dark roasts are often bold and rich, full of body and texture.

Dark roasted beans are oilier, which sometimes leads to a bittersweet or toasty taste, as well as decadent chocolaty flavour.

So – does a particular roast have more caffeine than another?

No. Caffeine content remains pretty much stable during each stage of the roasting process. Forget the shade of bean; to get more caffeine simply add more coffee -- Kicking Horse Coffee, to be specific -- and trust that both light roast and dark roast will equally make one Wake Up & Kick Ass.

Check out some of Kicking Horse Coffee’s bold, beautiful, bring-it-on beans, roasted to light, dark, and in-between perfection.