Recently I had a conversation with someone about caffeine and coffee who recently tried a medium roast and needed to mix a darker roast because they wanted more caffeine. That sparked me to wonder if most people think darker roasted coffee has more caffeine, and she did. Let’s straighten things out so we all are aware.
When it comes to taste, most people prefer a darker roasted coffee because it brings out the caramel notes and has less acidity vs. medium roasted coffee, which is more balanced, and lightly roasted coffee, which shows more fruity and floral flavors. That said, people associate darker roasted beans with more caffeine, yet for the most part, the caffeine levels remain the same throughout the roasting process, and there is no significant difference in caffeine based on roasting level. It may be because darker roasted coffee has a bigger and bolder flavor presence than the lighter blends, yet if you need your caffeine fix, focus on the flavors you want to taste or the type of bean instead of the caffeine content.