Medium Roast Coffee

Medium-roasted coffee is between light and dark-roasted levels and is known for its balanced color and flavor profile. It’s an excellent roast level to enjoy when you want a milder flavor profile with plenty of caffeine and a richly textured cup to sip.

For those looking to learn more about roast levels and find out which they would prefer most, continue reading this coffee roast profile from Mystic Monk Coffee. In it, we’ll share common characteristics of medium roast coffee, as well as the best brewing methods and recipes to try out.

Appearance and Color

Medium Roast beans are generally a milk chocolate-brown color with a consistently low sheen and a smooth surface. They are usually roasted at a temperature of around 400 to 430 degrees Fahrenheit, which is modest compared to dark roast beans. They also roast for a moderate amount of time, releasing only a small amount of their oils during the roasting process. This usually results in a slightly polished appearance.

Flavor Profile

Medium roast coffee often boasts an excellent blend of flavors, textures, and acidity. Because of its well-balanced flavor profile, it is widely popular among most, if not all, coffee drinkers, providing a simple cup that almost anyone can enjoy. Here are more details about medium roast coffee and its flavor profile.

Flavors:

Medium Roasts often carry notes of chocolate and toasted nuts and more subtle fruity flavors, including plum, blueberry, citrus, and apple. Roasting at this level brings our many unique flavors.

Acidity and Body:

This roast level also has mild acidity and a smooth, balanced texture in its sip. This balance makes it versatile for various brewing methods and beverage recipes.

Aroma:

Medium Roasts have a distinctly rich and invading aroma that has a pronounced sweetness and buttery nuttiness to them. Depending on the beans used, the aroma can range from chocolate to subtle hints of spice. Savoring the aroma is part of the enjoyment of this roast.

Brewing Methods

Because of its mildness, Medium Roast coffee can be brewed in many ways, but it is well-suited for pour-overs. This method ensures that you fully extract the roast's balanced flavors.

Using freshly roasted beans, grind your coffee to a medium-fine texture—almost like table salt. Place your ground medium-roast coffee into a filter, then boil some water. If you can, measure the temperature; it boils until it reaches around 195 to 202 degrees Fahrenheit.

Also, for every six ounces or ¾ cups of water, add one to two teaspoons, depending on how strong you want the coffee. Once the water has fully boiled, pour a small amount over the grounds in the filter and give them a few seconds to “bloom.” This releases more of the coffee's flavor as it's brewed.

Finally, slowly pour the rest of the water over the grounds until finished, and let the brewed coffee drip into the pour-over vessel. Once finished, you should have one or more cups of delicious medium-roast coffee!

Beverage Trends & Food Pairings

Medium roast beans are enjoyed in various ways, including plain black coffee, creamy lattes, iced coffee drinks, and more. Below, we share some of the latest coffee trends with medium roast beans, along with the best foods to pair with them.

Popular Beverages

The Medium Roast has always been popular, appealing to those who appreciate a balanced cup. Today, many enjoy a fluffy whipped coffee using medium-roast instant coffee or a balanced Caffe Americano for those who enjoy an espresso with less boldness and more flavor.

Pairing Recommendations

Medium roast coffee benefits from its balanced flavor profile by pairing great with almost any dish or pastry, but here are a few we would recommend for an upcoming snack or brunch at your home:

• Cheese & Spinach Quiche
• Cold Lamb, Turkey, or Roast Beef Sandwiches
• Biscuits & Gravy
• Almond or Chocolate Croissants
• Oatmeal & Fruit Parfaits
• Blueberry or Raspberry Muffins

Conclusion

Medium roast coffee is just that — a great middle-of-the-road between light and dark roasts, giving every cup a sweet, rich experience that is enjoyable for almost anyone.

It has a delicious flavor profile that is balanced in both acidity and body. Depending on where you get your beans from, it still has a wonderful complexity of flavors. It also fits almost any brewing method you choose, and any food pairing you’d like.

Find fresh, high-quality medium roasts from Mystic Monk Coffee, including our popular Paradiso Blend, which combines the exceptional flavors of Colombian, Guatemalan, and Brazilian beans.

Coffee is a blessing to be shared, so we at Mystic Monk Coffee work hard to source, roast, blend, and produce the very best coffee we can. Browse our selection of roasts and blends today.