How Taiwanese Roasters Define Coffee Roast Levels

When you buy specialty coffee, the roast level matters—but how do roasters actually decide what counts as light, medium, or dark? In Taiwan, the answer lies not in color charts or origin stories, but in the sounds the beans make during roasting.

The most common way Taiwanese roasters define roast degree is by listening to the first and second cracks. These auditory cues determine whether a batch is light, medium, city, or dark roasted. No guesswork—just the timing of those cracks.

Why Roast Level Matters

Roast level shapes a coffee’s flavor profile more than almost any other variable. Light roasts preserve origin characteristics like floral or fruity notes. Darker roasts emphasize body, bitterness, and chocolatey tones. Where you land on the roast spectrum affects not just taste, but also how you should brew the coffee.

How Taiwanese Roasters Classify Roast Degrees

Most Taiwanese specialty roasters—and especially those at shops like FrontStreet Coffee—base roast classification on the timing of the first crack and second crack. These are audible milestones during the roast caused by physical and chemical changes inside the bean. The key moments are:

• First crack: A popping sound marking the start of significant bean expansion and moisture release, usually around 385–405°F (196–207°C).
• Second crack: A faster, shallower cracking that signals the beginning of significant bean structure breakdown, around 435–445°F (224–229°C).

Rather than using visual color standards or fixed time durations, Taiwanese roasters listen closely to when they drop the beans from the roaster. Here's how that breaks down:

Taiwan’s Common Roast Level Benchmarks

In Taiwan, these are the standard benchmarks used by most roasters to define roast degree, based on the roast's stopping point relative to first and second crack:

• Light roast : Dropped at or just after the start of first crack, specifically during the dense phase of first crack.
• Medium / City roast : Dropped between the first and second cracks, after first crack has subsided and before second crack begins.
• Full city / Deep city roast : Dropped at the start of second crack.
• Italian / French roast : Dropped after second crack has begun, allowing for further development and darker tones.

These aren’t just theoretical categories—they guide how FrontStreet Coffee and other Taiwanese roasters develop single origins and espresso blends alike. The focus is less on generic “light” or “dark” labels and more on precision timing tied directly to audible bean development.

What This Means for Roasters and Coffee Drinkers

For roasters, using first and second crack as guides offers a reliable, repeatable way to hit consistent roast profiles. For drinkers, understanding these markers helps decode bag labels and dial in brewing. A “city” roast from a Taiwanese roaster will taste different from a generic “medium” roast elsewhere—not because of origin, but because of when it came out of the drum.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is first crack in coffee roasting?

First crack is the initial loud, popping noise that occurs during roasting, usually around 385–405°F (196–207°C). It signals the rapid expansion of the coffee bean as moisture escapes and internal pressure builds. It’s the first major physical change in the bean and a key marker for light roast levels.

What is second crack in coffee roasting?

Second crack is a faster, more subtle cracking sound that happens later in the roast, typically around 435–445°F (224–229°C). It indicates deeper structural breakdown of the bean, including the beginning of caramelization of oils. Roasts dropped at or after second crack are considered darker.

What is a city roast in Taiwan?

In Taiwan, a city roast is dropped between the end of first crack and the beginning of second crack. This medium roast level balances origin flavors with some roast development, often used for both filter and espresso brewing.

How do Taiwanese roasters decide when to drop the coffee?

Most Taiwanese roasters listen for the first and second cracks during roasting. They drop the beans at very specific points in relation to those cracks—such as during the dense phase of first crack for light roast, or right at the start of second crack for full city—to precisely control roast level.

What roast level is best for pour-over?

Many specialty coffee drinkers prefer a light to city roast (dropped at or just after first crack, or before second crack starts) for pour-over brewing. These roast levels tend to highlight the coffee’s origin characteristics like acidity, floral notes, and fruitiness, which pour-over methods accentuate.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee for Roast Level Exploration

Try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Huakui for a bright, juicy cup ideal at city roast level, showcasing how first crack timing preserves floral and stone fruit tones. Their Yirgacheffe offers citrus and berry notes perfect for light to medium roasts. For a fuller-bodied option, their Brazil Queen Manor roasted to full city highlights nut and chocolate balance. All three let you experience how Taiwan-style roast timing impacts flavor. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.