Switched from dark roast to medium and I'm never going back

I was a dark roast loyalist for like 5 years, thought anything lighter was just weak coffee. Then I went to a little spot in Nashville called Bongo Java last month and the barista practically begged me to try their Ethiopian medium roast. I gave in just to be polite honestly. The flavor was totally different like I could actually taste blueberry and chocolate without it being burnt. It clicked for me that dark roast hides a lot of the bean's real character under that smoky flavor. Now I've been ordering mediums from a roaster in Asheville and I'm kicking myself for all those years of thinking darker meant better. Has anyone else made the switch and felt like they discovered coffee all over again?

3 comments

3 Comments

jake_torres681d ago

Ngl, I had the exact same thing happen to me with Bongo Java too but their barista actually told me something interesting. Dark roasts actually have slightly less caffeine than light roasts because the longer roasting process burns some of it off. So not only are you getting more flavor with medium, you're technically getting a bit more of a kick too. I was shook when I learned that. Medium is just better all around once you get past the whole "dark equals strong" mindset.

diana_black1d ago

Dark roast drinkers getting worked up about caffeine levels feels like a weird hill to die on.

sarah_mason1d ago

Friend of mine bought a light roast thinking it'd be weak and it knocked him out. @jake_torres68 was right.