Most people who drink coffee are familiar with terms like dark, full-bodied, and even rich when looking for a way to describe the coffee that they are drinking. However, in the real world, it can be a bit confusing to know what these terms actually mean and why they are used in the world of coffee brewing.
When talking about the richness of a coffee, the description means that the coffee is full of flavour, body, and acidity. Is that the same as a dark roast? Nope! Darker roasts do have higher acidity and a fuller body, but lighter roasts can also be defined as rich, especially if they have higher acidity and are softer on the palette. When you taste the difference, you will know!
Coffee Richness and Caffeine
Well, as a rich roast has higher acidity, it doesn't have to have the high caffeine content of a dark roast. Arabica and Robusta beans are used to create both rich and dark coffee brews, but they are roasted in slightly different ways. For a richer blend, the beans are roasted at a lower temperature for longer, whereas to get a dark blend, the beans are roasted at a higher temperature for even longer!
So, you can get coffees that rate lower on the Total Dissolved Solids scale that have a richer taste.
