What Is Medium Roast Coffee? Taste, How It Compares to Light and Dark Roast, and How to Choose and Brew It

Written by Davin Cafe team | Last updated: September 2026

Medium roast coffee is coffee roasted past the point where the beans first crack, known as first crack, but stopped before they crack a second time. Its flavour sits between light and dark roast, typically with notes of chocolate, caramel and roasted nuts, clear sweetness and a medium body. It has less acidity than light roast and less bitterness than dark roast, works well both black and with milk, and is the best starting point for anyone getting into coffee more seriously.

If light roast has ever tasted too sour to you, or dark roast so bitter there was nothing else left, medium roast is usually what you are looking for. This guide explains what medium roast coffee tastes like, how it differs from other roast levels, which drinks suit it, and what to look for if you are buying beans to brew at home.

The short version

• Taste: Chocolate, caramel, roasted nuts and rounded sweetness, with light fruit in some beans
• Acidity and bitterness: Less acidic than light roast, less bitter than dark roast
• Body: Medium, smooth and easy to drink
• Best for: Americano, latte, flat white, drip, and beginners learning to drink black coffee
• Buying tips: Check the roast date and tasting notes, and buy whole beans if you can grind at home

What Is Medium Roast Coffee?

During roasting, beans change from green to yellow, light brown and progressively darker, with two key moments roasters use to define roast levels:

• First crack The beans start popping, a sound like popcorn. Light roasts usually finish around here
• Second crack A quieter crackle as oils start to appear on the surface. Dark roasts usually reach or pass this point

Medium roast coffee beans finish between these two points. They are medium brown with a dry, matte surface. Sugars in the bean develop into caramel and chocolate sweetness while some of the origin’s character is still there to taste.

For a closer look at the other end of the spectrum, read What Is Light Roast Coffee? Is It Sour?

What Does Medium Roast Coffee Taste Like?

Medium roast coffee taste is mainly rounded and sweet, with differences depending on origin and processing. Common notes include:

• Milk chocolate and cocoa The flavour most people recognise immediately
• Caramel, brown sugar and honey Sweetness developed during roasting
• Roasted nuts such as almond and hazelnut Often found in Brazilian beans
• Light ripe fruit such as cherry or red orange Often found in beans from Central America or Colombia

Is Medium Roast Coffee Sour or Bitter?

It has a little of both, but neither stands out. Acidity is balanced by sweetness, and bitterness is far lighter than in dark roast. If your cup tastes sharply sour or harshly bitter, the cause is usually the brew rather than the beans, which you can fix using the tips in the brewing section below.

Does Medium Roast Have More Caffeine Than Dark Roast?

By weight, caffeine is almost the same across roast levels. The “strong” feeling comes from bitterness and body, not caffeine. If you want more caffeine, use more coffee rather than changing roast level.

Best Drinks for Medium Roast Coffee

Its balance makes medium roast coffee the most versatile roast level:

• Latte, flat white and cappuccino Chocolate and caramel notes pair well with milk, with enough coffee flavour to avoid being lost
• Americano Easy to drink and not too bitter, ideal for people new to black coffee
• Drip and pour-over More sweetness and body than light roast
• Cold brew Sweet, chocolatey and low in acidity
• Moka pot Strong and concentrated without the burnt bitterness of dark roast

How to Brew Medium Roast Coffee

These are starting points for how to brew medium roast coffee at home. Brew once, then adjust one thing at a time.

Drip / pour-over

1. 15 g of coffee to 240 g of water (about 1:16)
2. Medium grind, roughly like coarse sand, slightly coarser than for light roast
3. Water at 90-94°C Medium roast extracts more easily than light roast, so very hot water is not needed
4. Bloom for 30 seconds, then pour the remaining water in 2-3 stages, for a total time of about 2:30-3:00

Espresso (home machine)

• 18 g of ground coffee to about 36-40 g of liquid, extracted in around 25-30 seconds

How to adjust

• Sharp, sour, thin, short finish: grind finer or extend extraction
• Bitter, drying, astringent: grind coarser or lower the water temperature
• Milk drinks taste too weak: use more coffee or less milk

How to Choose Medium Roast Coffee Beans

If you are buying beans to brew yourself, check the bag for these points:

• Roast date Choose bags with a clear roast date. Coffee usually tastes best from about 1 to 6 weeks after roasting. An expiry date alone tells you much less about freshness
• Tasting notes If you like chocolate and nuts, pick bags that list those notes. For a touch of fruit, look for berry or citrus notes
• Blend or single origin Blends are usually designed to be balanced and work well with milk. Single origins show the character of a place more clearly
• Whole bean or ground Whole beans hold their aroma much longer. If you do not have a grinder, ask for a grind that matches your brewer and buy smaller amounts
• Storage Keep beans in an airtight container away from light, heat and moisture. Avoid storing them in the fridge and opening them often, as condensation forms on the beans

Who Is Medium Roast Coffee For?

• Beginners who want to start drinking black or specialty coffee
• Milk coffee lovers who want clear coffee flavour without bitterness
• People who find light roast too sour and dark roast too bitter
• Daily coffee drinkers who want a cup they will not tire of

Try Medium Roast Coffee at Davin Cafe

The easiest way to find the medium roast you like is to ask a barista. At Davin Cafe, tell the barista what you enjoy, such as chocolatey sweetness or a hint of fruit, and whether you drink it black or with milk. They will recommend a bean and drink to match. If you want to compare it with a light roast on the same visit, just ask.

The cafe also runs events with roasters from time to time, such as Flavor Exchange: DAVIN CAFE x TOBO’ Coffee Roaster. To learn more about the cafe’s approach to coffee, read DAVIN CAFE: A Specialty Coffee Shop in Bangkok, and if you plan to stay a while with your laptop, see A Spacious Cafe in Ramintra for Working and Relaxing.

Conclusion, Medium Roast Coffee Is the Balance You Can Drink Every Day

Medium roast coffee delivers sweetness, body and some origin character in one cup. It is not as sharp as light roast or as bitter as dark roast, suits almost every drink, and is a great starting point for anyone who wants to understand coffee better. Choose beans by roast date and tasting notes, then use the recipes in this guide as your starting point.

Want to taste before you buy beans? Visit Davin Cafe beside the Ram Inthra Expressway, open daily from 8:30 AM to midnight. Get directions on Google Maps or ask about beans and drinks through Davin Cafe’s LINE Official.

Frequently Asked Questions About Medium Roast Coffee