There’s a lot of misconception out there about different coffee blends, types, and roasts, even when it comes to well-known types of coffee like Colombian. We’re going to clear the air in this post by discussing if Colombian coffee is a dark roast, and what roasts are.
In addition, we’ll answer some other questions about roasts in general and how they relate to Colombian coffee. Here’s what you’ll learn from this article:
- If Colombian coffee is a dark or medium roast
- What the darkest roast of coffee is
- If Colombian or French roast is stronger – or if the question is even applicable
Let’s dive right in.
Is Colombian Coffee a Dark Roast?
Asking what type of roast Colombian coffee is comes from a common misconception about coffee in general: that the roast itself is a specific type of coffee. Let’s clear the air here by first explaining what a roast is.
Roasting coffee beans happens after they’ve been harvested. The beans can be roasted to a variety of levels with different flavors. Beans that are roasted for longer take on a darker color, get oilier, lose caffeine, and often acquire a bitter flavor.
Light roast beans, on the other hand, are beans that haven’t been roasted for long. They don’t feel oily, have more caffeine, and tend to have a fruitier, sweeter taste.
Colombian coffee is a type of bean grown in the country of Colombia. Because any type of bean can be roasted to any degree, Colombian can be a dark roast, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s usually a light or medium roast, because those roast levels complement its natural sweet taste.
Read Also: What is Colombian Coffee?
Is Colombian Coffee a Medium Roast?
Like with dark roast, Colombian coffee can be a medium roast, but that’s optional. You can roast it to any level you like.
However, medium roast is perhaps more fitting for Colombian coffee, because it doesn’t reduce its light, fruity notes as much as a dark roast would.
Which is the Darkest Roast of Coffee?
Coffee beans can be roasted in incremental degrees. Thus, a dark roast can be a lighter dark roast or a darker one. You can even get a char on your dark roast if you roast it long enough.
Generally speaking, French roast tends to be one of the darkest roasts available.
Read Also: Colombian Coffee Caffeine Level
Which Coffee is Stronger: Colombian or French Roast?
Remember, Colombian coffee can technically be roasted to the point where it becomes a French roast. They’re not necessarily mutually exclusive.
Keep in mind, however, that the more you roast a coffee bean, the more caffeine it loses. If you define “strong” coffee as that which is most highly caffeinated, you probably wouldn’t want a dark roast.
On the other hand, if you define “strong” as flavorful, then a dark roast may be what you’re looking for. Dark roast is characterized by strong bitter, smoky, and sometimes even chocolatey notes.
Wrap Up
Colombian coffee, like any other type of coffee bean, can be roasted to any degree you like. Most people recommend that you drink it as a light or medium roast, though, because these roasts best preserve the sweeter flavors in this decadent bean.
If you’d like to learn more about how Colombian coffee tastes, read our guide to Colombian coffee flavor profile and notes.
