June 06, 2024
by Natasha Nesic
Medium roast coffee is, let me tell you, anything but 'medium.' What we mean is that if you associate the word 'medium' with 'blah,' 'average,' or 'run-of-the-mill' to the point of boring yourself to tears, then this won't happen when we use that word in a coffee context.
You might have tried other roasts before. Perhaps, does light roast ring a bell from one of our previous articles? (If not, nab yourself a pound of Junin Anaerobic and come back for the rest of this article after!)
Medium roast means that the
green coffee beans which, if you haven't tried these by themselves already, then heavens!
Light beans like,
Castillo Washed, have been gently roasted until they reach past what is known as 'ÂÂfirst crack.' This is exactly what it sounds like: the beans reach the point of dryness and heat such that they actually do crack and emit a cute little popping sound as they go.
This serves as a marker and a warning- one more crack, and you're past medium and into dark roast territory, where the flavor gets profoundly more charred and deep, with spicy or dark berry flavors surfacing in the cup.
That's why a well-crafted not 'well-done'! Not even steaks are good for that medium roast presents the best of both worlds: the aliveness and bright flavors of light roast, but also a sense of maturity as it transitions towards the darker end of the coffee spectrum.
So what are the top five reasons why medium roast should be added to the cabal of your coffee cupboard?
1. Flavor
Forgive the spoilers above, but between that first and second crack on the bean, your medium roast coffee can pack a ton of flavor depending on its origin and source quality.
Right now, Lardera carries medium-light roast coffee from two very different origin sources:
Tipica Honey from the small, verdant Cirra de Naranjo region of Costa Rica, and
Monobamba Washed from the Monobamba region of Peru near its lush Amazon rainforest.
Since these regions have such variances in their terrain and climate, it manifests in the cup with the Tipica Honey being more citrusy to reflect its higher sun exposure, while the Monobamba is a flavor bomb of succulent shade-grown fruits like concord grape and black currant.
2. Function
Now that we're talking about flavor, let's delve into the antioxidant aspect.
There have been numerous studies on the differences in nutritional value between different roasts, which altogether serve as some really cool background knowledge when you're deciding on which one to brew for the day. For example, one study suggests that coffee roasting affects phenolic compounds, certain compounds responsible for reducing inflammation while another interesting study points towards how certain chemicals in the beans that influence smoothness and acidity are impacted by the roasting processes as well.
3. Flexibility
Let's say you like light roast already, and you're eager to get into trying darker roasts. Medium roast provides a perfect bridge into those experiences, and it's also a fantastic playground when you level up even further and start roasting your own coffee!
You can take the information you're learning here and apply it along with a handy equipment set of the Lardera
Coffee Scale and Timer to make sure that you have all your measurements accountable (because half the fun is documenting the experimentation process!) and the
Wilfa Uniform Grinder when your beans are ready for sipping.
4. Friendliness
What about when you're drinking coffee with others? Not everyone likes light roast, and not everyone likes dark roast, and some folks might not know what they like, so they need your guiding expert coffee hand to nudge them in the right direction.
(Hint: the right drinkware also helps immensely with this! If you already are stocked up on Lardera's Trapezoid Dripper for home pour-over, then you might want to take a trip over to Lardera's sister site, Adagio Teas, for their selection of the cutest darn mugs and drink sets you'll ever lay your eyes on. And they're perfect for gifts, since that season is coming up!)
5. Fun
What's not to love about the idea of expressing yourself through coffee? There are as many ways of crafting and enjoying this drink as there are endless pirate seafaring storylines streaming on Netflix.
And sip by ship, you'll find which ways speak to the dream that belongs to you and your coffee.
