Find your fix - coffee strength and flavour guide

The truth is the higher the number, the darker the roast. This means you’ll get a stronger flavour profile that’s usually more bitter, punchier and intense. Dark roast coffee is roasted past the second crack (the ‘crack’ is when the coffee makes an audible pop like popcorn, most roasts will reach the first crack). This allows for more natural oils to be released which creates a much punchier, more full-bodied flavour. Lighter roasts on the other hand usually offer drier, fruitier flavours. The numbers on the coffee strength scale tend to reflect the intensity of the flavour rather than the caffeine content, with the higher numbers more bitter and dark and the lower numbers lighter and fruitier.

Here’s a rough guide if you’re wondering what the coffee strength numbers mean. But bear in mind, different brands may scale their coffees differently. Light roast coffee Generally lighter and more citrusy in flavour, which is due to the fact that the beans aren’t roasted long enough for the oils to break through. Medium roast coffee Well-balanced and smooth, which makes it a popular choice - the beans possess a non-oily surface. Medium-dark roast coffee Full-bodied and well-rounded with a slightly oily surface. Dark roast coffee Rich and intense. The beans will be very shiny with lots of oil and dark in colour. Very dark roast coffee Almost bitter tasting and extremely intense. The coffee beans will be shiny and black and appear almost charred.

2. The size of the grind Interestingly, the smaller the grind, the more caffeine the blend contains. Incredibly fine ground coffee boasts the highest extraction and thus, the most caffeine content. Coffee usually comes ground as one of the following: Extra fine: powdery and light in texture, like confectioner’s sugar  Fine: soft and will stick together when pressed, looks like finely milled salt Medium fine: gritty texture, almost like sand Medium: crumbly, likened to peat moss Medium coarse: looks and feels like rocky sand Coarse: feels like particles of clay flaky sea salt in appearance Extra coarse: looks like ground peppercorns and feels like broken shells   3. How you brew your coffee Not only does the ratio of coffee to water impact the caffeine content, but so does the temperature you brew it at. In fact, the hotter the water, the more caffeine that gets extracted from the coffee. Also, instant coffee is known to contain less caffeine than brewed coffee. This is because of the difference brewing methods involved, which leave the grinds in contact with water for longer. When it comes to knowing coffee, understanding strength and flavour will make your world so much rewarding.