Light vs. Dark Roast: The Caffeine Myth

Light vs. Dark Roast: The Caffeine Myth

Walk into any coffee shop, and you'll hear someone ask for the "strongest" coffee. Usually, they mean a Dark Roast. But if by "strong" they mean caffeine, they might be dead wrong.

The Truth About Roasting

When coffee beans are roasted, they lose water and expand. A dark roast bean is larger and lighter (in weight) than a light roast bean. But caffeine? Caffeine is surprisingly stable during roasting.

The Verdict

• By Scoop (Volume): Light roasts have more caffeine. Because the beans are smaller/denser, you fit more actual coffee mass into your scoop.
• By Weight (Scale): They are roughly equal. If you weigh 20g of light roast and 20g of dark roast, the caffeine content is virtually the same.

Which Should You Choose?

Light Roasts: Highlight the bean's origin flavor—fruity, floral, acidic. Complex and tea-like.

Dark Roasts: Highlight the roast flavor—chocolatey, nutty, smoky. Bold and traditional.

So pick based on flavor, not the caffeine buzz!