Americans are, not surprisingly, one of the top coffee consumers in the whole world. We drink an astonishing amount of coffee every single day.
But unlike other coffee-loving countries like Spain, Italy, or Finland, Americans have developed a unique palate when it comes to coffee: the Medium Roast.
Here we will tell you everything about what medium roast is so that you can make the most informed decision before buying medium roast coffee.
America and the Medium Roast
Coffee boomed in Europe where it was quickly incorporated into the culture - most famously in countries like France and Italy.
Italy in particular created coffee as we know it. Historically, they would roast the beans for a long time to draw out certain flavours - despite the bitterness it created. These were dark roasts, also known as Italian roasts.
When coffee made its way to America, it took some time for us to get used to it. And we adapted it to our taste: we drank it watered down (the Americano) and we favoured milder blends.
Most of the coffee consumed in America is medium roast, while most of the coffee consumed in other parts of the world is usually dark roast.
Why? Well, because the coffee (dark, concentrated espresso) was imported along with the European culture into different parts of the world.
The Coffee Machine
America in the 20th century was the king of technology. We invented a machine for just about anything! And while we may not have invented the espresso machine, we certainly did a good job with the good old drip coffee maker.
By the 60s, almost all coffee consumed in America was brewed with these easy-to-use, inexpensive machines. It made coffee like the Americano: a higher water ratio than usual.
Because of how this coffee machine works, bitterness is often accentuated. Therefore Americans made the shift from traditional choices, like dark roasts, to medium roasts.
What can you expect from a medium roast?
One of the main purposes of roasting coffee beans is to caramelize the natural sugars in them.
Caramelization gives way to new, more complex flavours. In light roasts, the sweetness of coffee feels fruit-like, natural. In dark roasts it feels burnt, opaque.
Medium roasts are usually full of caramel-like flavour; it is the best roast for sweetness because it is the perfect sweet spot in terms of caramelization.
Bitterness is also rather mild with medium roasts. This can be desirable for some, while for others bitterness is an important part of the experience - however, most people seem to prefer their coffee with minimal bitterness.
In general, medium roasts can easily be had without cream or sugar, as they don't have overpowering flavours or pungent bitterness, unlike dark roasts which need cream and sugar to be palatable in many cases.
Our CBD Medium Roast
With that in mind (the deliciousness and superiority of medium roasts, that is), we bring you a medium roast that has been elevated with CBD!
Scorpion Bay
Our medium roast crown jewel, Scorpion Bay is the perfect example of caramelly goodness in coffee. It has a rich, deep caramel flavour that is completed with hints of spices like cardamom.
Truly an everyman coffee, we have carefully and painstakingly crafted this blend for it to be able to mold to many different types of coffee drinkers. If you like having your coffee black and plain, Scorpion Bay will provide a balanced, bittersweet flavour that’s great for starting out your day.
On the other hand, if you like to use milk and sugar on your coffee, this medium roast has just the perfect flavour profile for it. In fact: try this with oat milk and sweeten with cocoa sugar - our roaster swears this is the way to enjoy this coffee. And after trying it just once, we agree.
Ready to buy medium roast coffee? Try our CBD Infused Scorpion Bay.
About the Author This article was written by Jordan O'Hara, Founder of Windansea Coffee. You can learn more about him here. |