The Eight Stages of Coffee Roasting Explained

If you’ve ever wondered why your pour-over tastes bright and juicy while your local café’s espresso is bold and smoky, the answer lies in roast level. Every cup of coffee you drink starts with a green bean transformed by heat—but how long and how hot determines everything from aroma to acidity. Understanding these roast stages helps you choose beans that match your preferred brew style.

Professional coffee roasting is divided into eight defined stages, from Light (also called Cinnamon) to Italian (near carbonization). Each stage has a specific color range, typical temperature window, and distinct impact on flavor, body, and acidity.

What Are the Eight Coffee Roast Stages?

Coffee roasters categorize roast levels based on bean color, surface texture, internal development, and the point in the roasting process when the roast is stopped—often relative to the first and second crack phases of the Maillard reaction and exothermic bean expansion. These eight roast levels are widely used in specialty and commercial contexts to guide flavor outcomes and brewing styles.

Light to Medium Roasts: Bright and Acidic

The first four roast stages produce lighter-toned beans with higher acidity, more origin character, and lighter body. These are typically stopped before or just after the first crack.

• Light Roast (LIGHT): The lightest professional roast. Beans are a pale cinnamon color, often used for sample roasting. Flavor and aroma are underdeveloped, making this roast rarely used for drinking. Surface color: light cinnamon. Typical stop temp: around 205°C, at or just after the start of first crack.
• Cinnamon Roast (CINNAMON): Also called light or shallow roast. The bean shows a yellowish-brown or light brown color. Most of the grassy “green” aroma fades, acidity is high, and the roast is common in American-style brewing. Surface color: yellowish to light brown. Stop temp: 195–205°C, around first crack onset.
• Medium Roast (MEDIUM): A balanced mid-level roast also common in the U.S. Acidity remains present along with emerging bitterness. Flavor, aroma, and body are well-rounded, frequently used in blended coffees. Surface color: medium brown. Roast temp: approx. 205–215°C.
• High Roast (HIGH): A slightly darker medium roast, also called concentration or city-level intensity. Slightly stronger than medium roast, with hints of darker tea color and more pronounced bitterness. Common among Japanese and Central European palates. Surface color: light reddish-brown. Stop temp: slightly above 215°C. Often used for beans like Blue Mountain.

Medium-Dark to Dark Roasts: Balanced to Bold

These roasts develop deeper sweetness, lower acidity, and richer body. They are stopped between the first and second cracks, or after the start of the second crack.

• City Roast (CITY): The most standard, balanced roast level. Acidity and bitterness reach equilibrium. Popular for French-style coffee and widely used for Brazilian and Colombian beans. Surface color: reddish-brown. Roast range: 215–225°C.
• Full-City Roast (FULL-CITY): A slightly darker roast, also known as deep city or American dark roast. Bitterness begins to dominate over acidity, with a bolder profile suitable for many Latin American and North American espresso blends. Surface shows slight oil sheen. Stop temp: 225–230°C, just before second crack. Excellent for various iced coffee styles.
• French Roast (FRENCH): A dark roast also termed European or continental roast. Flavor is dominated by bitterness, with almost no perceived acidity. The surface appears dark brown to blackish with an oily sheen. Popular in France and across Europe, ideal for milk-based drinks like café au lait or Viennese coffee. Stop temp: 230–235°C, during or after early second crack. Surface becomes oily.
• Italian Roast (ITALIAN): The darkest commonly used roast in specialty settings, bordering carbonization. Has a distinct burnt or tarry tone, with virtually no acidity. Common in espresso blends and popular in Latin American countries for fast coffee and cappuccinos. Surface is shiny black, extremely oily. Stop temp: 235–240°C or higher.

Roast Color, Temperature, and Development Stages

Professional roasters track roast level not just by visual color but also by internal bean temperature and the timing of physical changes like first and second crack. Here's how roast stages map to appearance and temperature:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the lightest professional coffee roast called?

The lightest professional roast is called Light Roast, also known as Cinnamon Roast. It produces a pale cinnamon-colored bean, has underdeveloped flavor and aroma, and is generally used for sample evaluation rather than drinking. This roast stops very early, around 205°C or at the start of first crack.

At what temperature is a City Roast typically stopped?

A City Roast is typically stopped at around 215–225°C. This is considered the most balanced or “standard” roast level, where acidity and bitterness are evenly matched, and it’s widely used for Brazilian and Colombian coffee profiles.

What roast level is French Roast, and what does it taste like?

French Roast is a dark roast level, also known as European or continental roast. It is stopped between 230–235°C, usually just after the start of the second crack. The beans appear dark brown to blackish and develop a shiny, oily surface. Flavor is dominated by bitterness with almost no acidity, making it popular for milk-based drinks in Europe.

Which roast level preserves the most origin flavors?

Light to medium roast levels—such as Light Roast, Cinnamon Roast, and Medium Roast—preserve the most origin flavors, including floral, fruity, and acidic notes. These roasts are stopped early in the roasting process, allowing the unique characteristics of the coffee bean’s origin and processing method to shine through.

What’s the difference between Full-City and French Roast?

Full-City Roast (225–230°C) is a dark but balanced roast where bitterness starts to dominate acidity, often used for iced coffee and Latin American profiles. French Roast (230–235°C) is darker, with a shiny, oily surface, almost no acidity, and heavy bitterness, suited for espresso or milk drinks. French is roasted further into or past the second crack.

Why do some roasts look oily and others dry?

Beans appear oily when oils migrate to the surface during roasting. This happens more in darker roasts (like French and Italian) due to higher internal bean temperatures and prolonged heat exposure. Lighter roasts remain dry because internal oils haven’t yet reached the surface.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Light & City Roasts

FrontStreet Coffee offers several single-origin beans roasted to highlight bright, nuanced profiles ideal for exploring light to city-level roasts. The Yirgacheffe Gedeb Cooperative coffee features citrus, floral, and berry notes with a crisp jasmine aroma, perfect for pour-over. The Ethiopia Humbera (Geshu) is a juicy, tropical fruit-forward Geisha with honey and citrus layers, best enjoyed via filter. For something more vibrant and sweet, the Kenya Little Tomato delivers bold acidity with notes of berries and flowers. All are roasted light to medium to preserve origin complexity. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.