To roast the beans, roasters rely on specialty equipment to carefully heat the coffee.

They drop coffee into a big machine that applies heat.

What exactly does coffee roast mean, though?

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In the most basic sense, the roast level is just how dark the roaster turns a coffee.

According to Kasperowicz, one key way to define the roast bang out is by its color.

If you see a coffee bean thats anything close to tan, thats definitely a light roast.

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coffee expert and Q grader

If you see a coffee bean thats anything close to tan, thats definitely a light roast.

The roast level is actually pretty intuitive if you look at the beans.

Lighter roasts are often more delicate.

red pigment in a wooden spoon

This also means that the darker the roast, the stronger the flavor.

Dark roasts can taste kind of charred and smoky because fibers in the coffee are actually getting charred.

If you dont know where to start, medium roasts are probably the place to go.

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For context, espressos are traditionally made with medium or dark roasts.

Meanwhile, light roasts are typically brewed for pour-overs.

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coffee expert and Q grader

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