Choosing your next coffee starts with a simple question: what do you want to taste? A lively, fruit-forward cup and a deep, roasty cup can both be delicious. Roast level gives you a starting point, while the coffee's origin and tasting notes help narrow the choice.
What roast level tells you
Light roasts tend to preserve more of a coffee's origin character and often taste brighter. Medium roasts bring more roast character while retaining the coffee's individual flavors. Dark roasts emphasize deeper roasted flavors and can have more pronounced bitterness. Roast names vary between roasters, so read the tasting notes alongside the label.
Choose by the flavors you enjoy
- Fruit and floral notes: Start with Origin 02 — Ethiopia Sidama, a light roast with berry, stone-fruit and jasmine-like tasting notes.
- Chocolate and a softer fruit balance: Try Origin 01 — Colombia, a light-medium roast with cherry, chocolate and cane sugar notes.
- Nutty and comforting: Explore Origin 03 — Brazil Cerrado, a medium roast with roasted peanut, honey and milk chocolate notes.
- Deep cocoa and roasted sweetness: Choose ARVERRA BOLD, our dark roast with cocoa and caramelized toffee notes.
These are tasting descriptions, not a list of added ingredients. Check each product's ingredient information when making your selection.
Make the comparison your own
Try two coffees using the same brewer and recipe. Taste each black first, then with milk if that is how you usually drink it. Note which cup you would want again tomorrow; that is more useful than choosing a roast because it sounds stronger.
Prefer a pod brewer? Explore ARVERRA coffee pods: BRIGHT, CLASSIC and BOLD offer light, medium and dark roast options. For another route through the collection, browse our single-origin coffees.
Roast background: National Coffee Association's guide to coffee roasts.
