Dark roast coffee is more than just a strong, bitter drink. It offers a bold, balanced flavor with notes of dark chocolate, spices, and toasted nuts that can satisfy your cravings for a classic cup of joe. But, finding the perfect dark roast requires knowing what to look for and avoiding the burnt flavors of super dark roasts.
Dark roast coffee beans are roasted longer than lighter ones, but that doesn’t mean they lack flavor. The beans range from deliciously dark to super dark (or burnt!). A good cup of dark roast has a rich, balanced taste with a mild bitterness, heavy body, and flavors reminiscent of dark chocolate, spices, maple, and toasted nuts. Dark roasts don’t preserve their unique origin flavors as much as lighter roasts, but they are less acidic, making them an easy-to-drink choice (if you use good beans!).
If you love a rich, dark, thick cup of coffee but want to leave the burnt taste behind, look no further than a specialty dark roast. But what is a specialty dark roast? It’s a high-quality bean given the special roasting treatment that brings out its chocolatey, sweet, and nutty flavors without burning them. Specialty dark roasts are possible thanks to modern roasting technology and better farming practices.
On the other hand, super dark roasts like French, Italian, and Vienna varieties are over-roasted, taste like ash, and can be a sneaky way for roasters to hide the flavor of poor-quality beans. So, when shopping for dark roast coffee, choose specialty dark roasts and steer clear of super dark roasts.
Avoid super dark roasts like French, Italian, and Vienna varieties that taste like ash.
1. Specialty dark roast offers a bold, balanced flavor with notes of dark chocolate, spices, and toasted nuts. 2. Avoid super dark roasts like French, Italian, and Vienna varieties that taste like ash. 3. Look for high-quality beans that have been given the specialty roasting treatment.
What’s your favorite dark roast coffee? Have you tried any of our top picks? Let us know in the comments!
Questions & Answers
What are some dark roast coffees worth trying?
Some top-rated dark roast coffees include Death Wish Coffee, Koffee Kult Dark Roast, Stone Street Coffee Dark Roast, Volcanica Coffee’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, and Puroast Organic Dark Roast.
What makes dark roast coffee stronger?
Dark roast coffee is perceived as stronger due to its fuller body, more robust flavor, and lower caffeine content compared to lighter roasts, despite the misconception that it contains more caffeine.
Information sourced from industry reports and news outlets.

