There are plenty of us out there, who love to chill out with family and friends, over a great cup of coffee. As more people switch to making a barista style coffee at home, do we really know enough about coffee to know what we like?

Now we can argue that we don't need to know a lot, just enough about what you've had before and enjoyed, even a recommendation from someone we know is plenty. Yet if we are basing a large amount of what we know on the daily visit to your local franchise for a latte, how much choice do we really have?

There are certainly many different ways to serve a coffee but how much variety on blend, roast or origin is there. The answer unfortunately is not a lot. Don't get me wrong there are definitely those cafes out there, that are well worth checking out and asking questions, as they often pride themselves on knowing their stuff and allow for more variety however, most of the time you will be given a generic blend, medium roast coffee that we know tastes good.

So shall we see what you can get from some of the other options available as we look at different roasts;

Light roasted coffees, are light brown in colour, with a light body and no surface oil on the beans. These usually have a toasted grain taste and a more pronounced acidity, however, retain the origin flavours and caffeine levels to a greater extent than darker roasts.

When we look at the roasting process, a bean will pop or crack as it expands. This will take place a couple of times as internal temperatures increase. Light roasts are often just before or as the first crack takes place.

Light roasts can also be referred to as a 'cinnamon roast' or 'New England Roast' depending on the temperature the bean achieves. 

Medium roasted coffees are medium brown in colour with more body than light roasts. Similar to lighter roasts, they have no surface oil on the bean yet. Often the more popular choice of roast being used in franchise, medium roasts loose the grainy taste of the light roasts, allowing for a more balanced flavour, aroma, and acidity. The caffeine level is however decreased.

A medium roast is achieved by continuing the roast through to the end of the first crack and can be referred to as an 'American', 'City' or 'Breakfast' Roast. We have many medium roasted blends but our most popular and award winning blend is the Moka Italia or try our Breakfast blend.

Dark roasted coffees are dark brown in colour, similar to chocolate or sometimes almost black. They have a glossy sheen of oil, noticeable on the surface of the bean. The coffees origin flavours tend to be overrun by the flavours of the roasting process. The coffee will generally have a bitter, smoky or even burnt taste and the levels of caffeine is substantially decreased.

Dark roasts often carry through the second crack, which is the point the bean starts to loose its structure and are preferred at many varying degrees of strength. Depending on this some are referred to as 'Full City', 'Vienna', 'French' and 'Italian' roasts. Take a look at one of our dark roasts, Espresso Bar Dark which is definitely one worth trying!

Espresso Roast coffees are slightly different. Roasted at a slightly higher temperature and for a little longer, to increase the body and decrease the acidity to make the perfect espresso. A few of our blends are roasted this way, as they are designed to be enjoyed best through an espresso machine. However, we advise you experiment as the flavours can change quite considerably when brewed in different ways.

Now we could go into the nitty gritty of temperatures and strengths etc, but really we just wanted you to have an idea of what to expect from each roast and why they differ. There are many other variances and names out there so have a look, subscribe for our home box, ask questions and discover what your own preference is!