Coffee is arguably the world’s favourite beverage - and Americans are amongst the top consumers of coffee in the world. In short, we just can’t get enough coffee.
But not all coffee is created equal - polls show that more and more Americans are preferring light roast coffee, choosing it for its milder, sweeter flavour. Here, we’ll tell you all about what a light roast is and tell you about two great light roast blends for you to buy light roast coffee that’s top-quality.
What is light roast?
Coffee is usually known to be bitter. This flavour is partly natural, because caffeine is bitter, but mostly it's to do with the roast level.
Medium/Dark roasts are cooked for longer, creating bitter flavours. Light roasts, however, are cooked for a much shorter time. They have a milder flavour, more fruity and sweeter than what you're used to.
A bit of history
To fully understand what a light roast is, we need to talk about roasts in general.
Coffee is only truly good after roasting it; the green seed has no real flavour. Funnily enough, the story of coffee begins with it being accidentally roasted.
A goat herder in Ethiopia observed his goats munching on a fruit he'd never seen before. The goats soon became energized, playful (which is, actually, quite rare for goats) and he made the connection.
He picked some berries and brought them home. When he tried them, the flavour was bitter and unbearable - a disappointment, he thought. He threw them into the fire.
Soon, the fire reached the seeds, the coffee beans, and as they roasted his home was filled with that wonderful roasted coffee shop aroma. And thus, coffee was discovered.
There are roughly three types of roasts: light, medium, and dark. Throughout most of history, dark and medium have been the two most prevalent ones - in Italy, dark roasts are considered the only way to have coffee, while Americans usually prefer medium to light roasts.
It all comes down to technology, and science. Back then, coffee was roasted in big ovens that offered no subtlety into the roast. It was either raw, or dark roasted.
However, over time, coffee roasters have become more and more advanced, and now it's easy to create light roasts. What was once near impossible can now be done as easily as any other roast!
Our two light roast blends
Keeping all that you’ve read up to this point in mind, we’re thrilled to present to you two light roasts that are sure to delight you flavour-wise. But there’s more; our coffee is CBD-infused, boosting all of the health benefits of coffee and creating a delicious, super healthy beverage.
Cape Fear
Cape Fear is a mainly Ethiopian blend, meaning that it has a deep, rich flavour profile. It is full of berry and fruit hints, and it is overall a very balanced brew with a bittersweet aftertaste.
Its main flavour notes are blueberries, dark chocolate, and citrus and the roast can be described as mellow.
Punta Roca
Salvadoran coffee is one of the fastest-growing in the coffee world, as it used to be rather underappreciated until very recently - people have begun to get to know this amazing coffee which, some say, rivals Colombian coffee in taste.
Salvadoran coffee, however, is rather different in taste. You will find a fresher, more fruity taste here. The main flavour notes of this blend are honey, vanilla, grape, and blackberry jam making for a rather unique flavour and experience.
About the Author This article was written by Jordan O'Hara, Founder of Windansea Coffee. You can learn more about him here. |