Medium roast
Roasted between first and second crack. Balances origin character with roast-developed sweetness and body.
In short
A medium roast is carried on for a while after first crack and stopped before the second. The beans are a mid brown, usually dry on the surface, and noticeably less dense than a light roast.
It is the middle of a trade-off. Enough browning has happened to build sweetness and body, and not so much that roasted flavour has replaced the coffee's own. For most people and most brewing methods it is the easiest roast to get a good cup from.
The stretch between the two cracks
CoffeeHQ explanation
After first crack the bean is porous and reactions inside it proceed quickly. Acids continue to break down, so perceived acidity falls. Browning and caramelisation continue, so sweetness and body rise and flavours move from fruit and flowers towards caramel, nuts and chocolate. Roasters call this period development.
A medium roast is one that has had a meaningful amount of that development without reaching second crack, the point at which the bean's structure begins to break down further and oils move to the surface. Within that window there is a lot of room, which is why medium roasts differ so much from one roaster to another.
What changes as the roast moves through medium
Tendency, not a guarantee
| Variable | Typical range | What moving it does |
|---|---|---|
| Acidity | Falls steadily | Still present, but rounder than in a light roast. |
| Sweetness | Rises, then begins to fall as sugars are consumed | |
| Body | Rises | |
| Origin character | Fades gradually as roast flavours develop | |
| Bitterness | Rises slowly | |
| Porosity | Rises | The bean becomes more open. In one study extraction was highest from lighter roasts and fell for darker ones, so a more porous bean is not simply an easier one to extract. |
Directions of change, described in words on purpose. How far each has moved at a given colour depends on the coffee and on how the roast was conducted.
Why it is the forgiving choice
CoffeeHQ explanation
A medium roast is commonly found the easiest to brew: it needs no extreme measures, and it is not quick to turn bitter. Standard recipes, ordinary grinders and water straight from a kettle all tend to work. It also suits the widest range of methods: filter, French press, AeroPress, moka pot and espresso can all make a good cup from the same bag.
That versatility is the idea behind coffees sold as suitable for both filter and espresso. They are generally medium roasts, placed where neither method is at a disadvantage.
A word that covers a lot of ground
Widely documented
There is no standard that defines medium. One roaster's medium is lighter than another's light, and supermarket strength numbers on a scale of one to five describe a house style and little else. Traditional names for this part of the range include American, city and full city, used inconsistently.
Better guides are the colour of the beans, whether the surface is dry or shows a slight sheen, and the roaster's own tasting notes. Notes of caramel, nuts and milk chocolate usually indicate a medium roast; berries and florals suggest something lighter, and smoke or dark chocolate something darker.
Adjusting a medium roast
CoffeeHQ explanation
- Flat and dull, with little aroma
Usually because: More often age than roast: the coffee is stale.
Change first: Check the roast date before changing the recipe.
- A little sour
Usually because: Often a little too little taken from the coffee, or a brew on the strong side.
Change first: Grind one step finer.
- A little bitter
Usually because: A little more taken from the coffee than tastes good, a strong brew, or water hotter than this roast needs.
Change first: Grind one step coarser.
What to do next
- Light roast — What you gain and lose by stopping earlier.
- Dark roast — What happens when the roast continues to second crack.
- Roasting basics — An overview of how roasting turns green coffee into something you can brew.
- How to choose coffee — Reading a bag, including the roast information on it.
- Become a coffee expert — A structured programme from the plant and its processing to roasting, water and tasting.
- Colour
- Medium brown, dry to slightly sheened surface.
Possible flavour influence
- commonly balances acidity, sweetness and body
Well established