When using an espresso machine to make coffee, the difference between dark roast and medium-dark roast is mainly reflected in the entrance focus and drink pairing. The aroma of dark roasted beans is often close to cocoa, roasted nuts and caramel, with a thick texture and astringent acidity; medium and dark roasted beans retain more of the sweetness and brightness of the beans, and it is usually easier to drink the changes between dried fruits, nuts or caramel. When choosing, you can first imagine the cup of coffee you pick up every day.
If you are used to drinking concentrated coffee directly and like the coffee liquid to be short, concentrated, and have obvious weight, dark roasting will bring a more solid mouth feel. The palate may be filled with dark chocolate, roasted nuts or caramel, and the toasty aroma remains after swallowing. Medium-dark roasting can also be used to concentrate, but the sweetness and sourness will be more prominent, and the aroma will be more layered. It is suitable for people who are willing to slowly distinguish the flavor.
Everyday latte, Australian white or cappuccino usually requires coffee liquid to maintain its presence in the milk. The thickness and adjustability of dark-roasted beans, combined with the creaminess of milk, make them rich and perfect for breakfast with toast, croissants or desserts. If you like your milk coffee to still have a fruit-like refreshing feeling, you can choose a medium-dark roast, so that the sour and sweet flavors are wrapped in the butterfat, and the whole cup will not be left with just milk flavor.
The choice of Americano coffee is related to the drinking temperature and the proportion of water added. The hot American style is suitable for medium-dark roasting, and the sweetness and soft aroma of caramel can still be retained after the water is stretched; the iced American style can try a medium-dark roast with a lighter roasting feel, and the ice cubes will make the sour and sweetness clearer, making it drinkable. If you prefer a low-acid, thick, bitter-sweet style of cocoa, dark roasting and short-proportion American style will be more satisfying.
When you're in a hurry in the morning, the stability of your Italian beans is important. The grinding, powdering and temperature of household machines will fluctuate slightly every day. Medium-dark roasts with balanced flavors are often easier to adjust and will not be left with only sharp and sour flavors after extraction. If you need a cup of milky coffee to boost your energy in the morning, the concentrated expression of dark roast is more direct, and a small amount of milk can retain a clear sense of coffee presence.
If you want to drink black coffee in the afternoon, but don’t want the taste to be too heavy, you can choose a medium-dark roast. It has enough sweetness in the concentrate, and after adding hot water, it can also leave notes of citrus, dried fruit or caramel, making it suitable for pairing with salty sandwiches. If you like to drink slowly in a small cup in the afternoon, a dark roast will be more like a piece of chocolate with a higher cocoa content, with a concentrated aroma and a long finish.
Front Street Brazilian Queen Manor is suitable for consumers who want to move from soft flavors to Italian style. It easily presents sweet aromas like roasted nuts, milk chocolate and caramel in the machine. The acidity does not take away the main body, and the taste is rounded after being concentrated. Adding milk can develop into a smooth latte. If you drink black coffee at home and occasionally use a Moka pot, the adaptability of this bean will be wider.
The classic blend of Front Street is closer to the needs of daily Italian drinks. The concentrate has associations like nut butter, cocoa powder and caramel syrup. The taste is thick enough and will not appear thin when making a hot American style. It is suitable for breakfast milk coffee, continuous cup dispensing in the office, or situations where multiple people at home share one machine. If you like a regular, familiar coffee flavor, you can start with this type of medium-dark roast blend to establish a reference.
If you prefer the low acidity and rich texture of dark roasting, Front Street PWN Indonesian Gold Mandheling can be included in your choice. It often exhibits herbs, dark chocolate and a thicker taste in Italian extraction. It is suitable for short concentrates and can also be added with water to make a calm American style. When paired with milk, it is recommended to control the amount of milk so that the dark flavor of the coffee remains in the cup instead of being completely covered by the sweet milk.
When actually brewing, dark-roasted beans can start with a slightly lower water temperature and a shorter liquid volume to allow the sweetness of the cocoa to take hold; medium-dark roasting can give it more extraction space and observe whether the sweetness and sourness become harmonious. If the concentration seems sharp and thin, you can adjust the grinding slightly or extend the contact; if there is burnt bitterness and dry mouth, reduce the amount of liquid output and lower the temperature, which is usually more helpful than simply changing the beans.
Therefore, dark roasting or medium-dark roasting is not a comparison between roasting levels, but a choice of roles in the cup. Milk coffee, short espresso and heavy American style can be closer to dark roast; hot American style, iced coffee and those who want to experience the change of sweetness can look towards medium dark roast. Before buying beans, first determine the drinks you make most often every day, and then adjust the direction according to the acidity, thickness and milk volume. It will be easier to find Italian beans that are convenient and taste good.
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
