Medium roast

What it is and what sets it apart: Medium aims for sweetness and body without fully masking terroir. It sits between light acidity and dark bitterness, usually dropping after first crack ends and before second.

How it is done: Enough development for Maillard/caramel → drop before or at early second crack → cool. Hazelnut–chocolate colour; little or no oil.

Flavours and cup benefits: Caramel/chocolate sweetness with residual fruit or nut; medium body. Versatile for filter and espresso.

Technical notes: Wide range: commercial “medium” ≠ specialty medium. Mid Agtron. Full City is often the deeper end of medium.

Common mistakes: Do not assume medium is best for everything. Do not treat oily dark-medium as specialty default.