The roast spectrum

CRAFT

Roast spectrum

4 min

FIND YOUR FAVOURITE ROAST

Which roast profile do you prefer? Starbucks® Blonde Roast, Medium Roast or Dark Roast? These three make up the Starbucks® roast spectrum.

ROASTING AT STARBUCKS® All about roast

Coffee arrives at Starbucks® as a green bean that smells like fresh vegetables and sweet grains. Before it can be brewed, it must be roasted.

Many variables affect the flavour of coffee: where the coffee is grown, what type of coffee is grown, how the coffee is grown, how the fruit is removed from the bean, how coffee is blended and roasted, and how coffee is brewed.

 

It’s through the roasting process that a coffee’s unique aroma, acidity, body – and, of course, flavour – are cultivated. 

 

 

 

 

“Roasting is like a language – you can only memorise so much. In order to become fluent, you have to have experience.”
Brad Anderson Master Roaster Starbucks®

Find your roast.

STARBUCKS® BLONDE ROAST

 

First up, let’s look at Starbucks® Blonde Roast, at the lighter end of the Starbucks® roast spectrum. Lighter-bodied and mellow, these coffees awaken the senses gently and deliver an approachable and flavorful cup with slight hints of roast. 

As an example, Starbucks® Veranda Blend is a Starbucks® Blonde roast coffee – it’s on the light end of our spectrum – and showcases a mellow and soft taste with notes of soft cocoa and lightly toasted nuts. 

 

MEDIUM ROAST

 

Medium Roast is, as you might have guessed, in the middle of the Starbucks® roast spectrum. Smooth and balanced, these coffees are perfect for every coffee break. They have rich, approachable flavours.  

An example of a Medium Roast coffee? Starbucks® Pike Place® Roast, with hints of cocoa and toasted nuts. 

 

DARK ROAST

 

Lastly, let’s look at the darker end of the Starbucks® roast spectrum – the Dark Roast. Fuller-bodied and bold, these coffees feature robust flavours and the characteristic essence of an intense roast.  
 


Starbucks® Italian Roast is a Dark Roast coffee, with a deep flavour and notes of caramelized sugar. 

 

YOUR TASTE. YOUR ROAST.

 

Do you know your favourite roast? People have very different tastes, so our master roasters work hard behind the scenes to create unique coffees for every taste.  

 

Whether it’s Starbucks® Blonde Roast, Medium Roast, or Dark Roast, it’s worth exploring the Starbucks® roast spectrum to discover what best suits and excites your tastebuds.  

 

Even within a given roast, coffees can taste very different: each coffee will have its own character, determined by its roast, its origin, processing method and how it was brewed and served. So the best way to find what you love might very well be to taste them all. 

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