Our roasts

• Light Roast: Our Light Roast is a medium brown color that registers between 54-46 on our Agtron machine. Coffees roasted to this point usually have a dry surface. We don't roast any lighter because lighter roasts do not have the same degree of body fullness or balanced, richer acidity. Because the particular varietal characteristics stand out well at this level of roast, most of our straights (Colombia, Sumatra, Yirgacheffe) are roasted to this point and then cooled. We also use this stage of roast for our espresso blend (Portofino). We believe this preserves the balance and complexity required of a straight shot, yet pulls well for a great latte.
• Medium Roast: The next darkest phase, our Medium Roast, measures 45-36 on our Agtron machine. The color tone is reminiscent of old polished wood. Droplets of oil may begin to appear on the surface and a faint bittersweet quality develops in the cup. This is the degree of roast where a resonating roasty flavor begins to influence the coffee. This deeper roast creates a heavier body and muted acidity than our lighter roast. It is for these reasons that most of our blends consist of coffees roasted to this phase.
• Dark Roast: Our Dark Roast is 35-30 on our Agtron machine. This is a classic dark roast of coffee. Some call it French others call it Italian. Coffees roasted to this degree have spots of oil or a slick oily surface and will have muted acidity and varietal characteristics in exchange for a fuller, and mellow roasted flavor containing a bittersweet flavor and aroma.
• Lights Out!: Our Lights Out! Roast reads 29-25 on our Agtron machine. This looks like someone's treasure from the Antiques Road Show you can't help but think needs a good cleaning. It is almost, if not truly, blackish/brown in color. But like the antique, the value of this roast is derived in part by its finish: dark and oily. The temperatures required for this roast will thin the body of most coffees and create a burnt rather than bittersweet taste so we choose the coffees used for this degree of roast very carefully. The coffees we use hold on to a great deal of their inherent body and allow a pungent bittersweet charred-tone to develop.

In review: Light Roast 54-46 (full & balanced), Medium Roast 45-36 (a roasted flavor is present, acidity muted, body heavier), Dark Roast 35-30 (classic bittersweet aroma and flavor), Lights Out! 29-25 (intense & oily).

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