Introduction
With endless options for dark-roasted coffee, how does one find that truly delightful and rich dark roast while avoiding overly burnt and bitter coffee? Luckily, you found us! We are here to discuss all this dark roast coffee, including misconceptions and things to avoid when shopping for darkly roasted coffee beans.
First, we would love to introduce ourselves. We are Coffee Bros., a specialty coffee roaster based in NYC that was founded in 2019. We pride ourselves on what we deem as the four pillars of running a coffee company: sustainability, quality, consistency, and freshness. You can read more about our company and mission here.
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As coffee roasters, we constantly sample coffee for our business and try everything on the market. We sample and cup thousands of coffees a year, based on what is sent to us from our partners and through the quality control of our coffee. We also love to see what else is on the market and explore the fantastic things other coffee companies are up to.
Today, we’ll showcase all things dark roast and highlight our top 10 favorite dark-roasted coffees on the market!
Table of Contents
Dark Roast Coffee FAQ
- What is dark-roasted coffee?
- What should dark-roasted coffee taste like?
- Why is one coffee roaster's dark roast much different than another?
- What is the best brewing method for dark coffee beans?
- What is the difference between caffeine levels in light and dark roast coffee?
- Why doesn't dark, oily coffee work for super-automatic espresso machines?
The 10 Best Dark-Roasted Coffee Beans
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Recommended Reading: The Best Specialty Coffee Roasters in the United States
Your Dark Roast Coffee Questions Answered
Dark-roasted coffee beans are often misunderstood and disapproved of by specialty coffee consumers and professionals. When they hear someone mention a “dark roast,” many envision the Starbucks level of dark roast beyond the roast levels of most on the market.
Luckily, we wrote an article on understanding coffee roast levels and directly compared Starbucks and other brands to more modern levels of dark roasts. This is genuinely eye-opening and a great way to learn about dark roasts.
Though roast levels are not the only misconception when it comes to dark roasts, some common questions and themes pop up:
What is dark-roasted coffee?
Dark-roasted coffee is defined by its dark appearance and how "developed" it is. Coffee goes through several stages during roasting, from drying to Maillard, caramelization, and carbonization. Dark-roasted coffee pushes beyond the third stage of development and into carbonization, picking up those classic dark-roasted notes; deep chocolate, smoky, and roasty.
Not all dark roasts are equal, and here at Coffee Bros., we look to maintain a coffee's “terroir” or origin characteristics and maintain our dark roast coffee developments to the point where we can retain some of those elements. Compared to brands like Starbucks or Peet’s, their dark-roasted coffee beans push well beyond the retention of origin characteristics, and any taste in their cup is purely the result of the coffee roasting process itself.
What should dark-roasted coffee taste like?
This is sometimes easier to answer by stating what we believe dark roast should not be. While we understand the deep, dark, roasty, and somewhat bitter dark roasts on the market, think of Starbucks and giant lattes. These dark levels are needed to help cut through the massive amounts of milk they use in their drinks and not to showcase the coffee itself. They even created a “Cortado” drink in early 2025, which is 2x+ bigger than the classic Cortado recipe (see our espresso drink calculator); more oversized coffee drinks are not always better for coffee.
Dark roast coffee should retain some elements of terroir; we call this a “specialty dark roast. " While you will ultimately lose some origin characteristics, a proper dark roast should be well developed and not pushed to a point where the quality of the coffee gets completely lost to the roasting process.
Dark-roasted coffees have bold depths of flavors, and taste profiles range from roasted nuts to cocoa, cooked fruit, caramelized sugars, and more. Dark-roasted coffee should have a bold and heavy body and do its best to avoid unwanted bitterness.
Why is one coffee roaster dark roast much different than another?
Each coffee roaster defines its depth and roast levels based on how it wants to represent its roasting style to the world. One coffee roaster may describe a light roast as a dark roast, but another would describe it as a dark roast. We are not kidding here; we have examples where Starbucks light-roasted coffees are darker than other coffee brands' darkest coffees!
Other brands tie their roasting depth to already agreed-upon visual markers from tools like Agtron or leverage the roast levels defined by organizations like the Specialty Coffee Association.
What is the best brewing method for dark coffee beans?
Let’s start by saying that any coffee can be brewed anyway if you enjoy it!
That said, we highly recommend following simple techniques to improve the cup quality of your dark roasted coffee, regardless of brewing methods like filter brew, French press, AeroPress, or espresso.
For darker coffee beans, look to brew at around 188 – 194 (87 – 90 Celsius) degrees Fahrenheit. We have brewed dark roasts as low as 85 degrees Celsius and find that many of our customers either don’t have adequate temperature control or often see less-than-stellar results when brewing darker coffees.
If your coffee is overly bitter, try grinding your darker coffees to a coarser grind than other roast types. This will help fend off any bitterness and smooth out the result.
What is the difference between caffeine levels in light and dark roast coffee?
The misconception that darker or lighter roasted coffees contain more caffeine is based on inadequate coffee measurement and hearsay.
Do you know anyone who measures coffee in “scoops? " Well, this inadequate measurement device creates large discrepancies in total coffee weight between light and dark-roasted coffee. Due to the vast difference in the weight of the coffee beans between light and dark roast, one “scoop” of light-roasted coffee beans will weigh significantly more than a “scoop” of dark-roasted coffee.
The more developed or higher-temperature coffee is roasted during the roasting process, the more water weight it loses. Have you ever bought a 12-ounce bag of light roast and said to yourself, "No way is this 12 ounces!" Well, those light-roasted coffee beans are denser than dark-roasted coffee, and due to their heavier weight, you need a lot less when brewing.
If we compare light-roasted coffee vs dark-roasted coffee using the ancient “scoop” method, light-roasted coffee will always have more caffeine than dark-roasted coffee due to its weight differences.
Others may think that the harshness or bitterness associated with a dark roast is a function of strength and caffeine levels. Again, that is not true, and the taste of coffee has little or nothing to do with how much caffeine it contains.
That said, when comparing different coffee varietals, Arabica coffee has less caffeine than Robusta, and the Robusta varietal is often used in darker-roasted coffees.
Why doesn’t dark, oily coffee work for super-automatic espresso machines?
Dark, oily coffee can wreak havoc on the internal system of super-automatic machines due to its oily exterior, which can build up over time, impacting future brews. When using an oily dark roast, the oils will create a film within the brewing chamber that is challenging to remove with the machine’s standard cleaning process. These oils, over time, can become rancid, impacting subsequent brews in your machine.
Further, the same will occur in the grinder and on or around the conical burrs within the system. If you are not comfortable cleaning the grinder of your super-automatic machines, these oils will also build up over time in the grinder.
Most super-automatic machine manufacturers explicitly tell their customers not to use dark, oily coffee in their machines for the above reasons.
So now what? Well, look for dark-roasted coffee from brands like Coffee Bros., which roasts a little bit lighter and retains origin characteristics but still promotes those big, bold flavors you are looking for.
Best overall dark roast
We are Coffee Bros. Coffee of NYC, an expertly crafted, small-batch coffee company. We are a proud business of two brothers who focus on sourcing 86-90+pt coffees and are committed to coffee excellence and sustainability.
We have pledged to produce high-quality coffee and help improve the livelihoods of those along the coffee supply chain. We commit yearly donations to support organizations that help with this mission and work with producers with the same mindset. Some organizations and producers we work with include World Coffee Research, Cup of Excellence, Grounds for Health, One Tree Planted, Agricafe, Daye Bensa, and Gems of Araku, to name a few.
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What makes Coffee Bros. dark roasted coffees so unique:
The Coffee Bros. brand is known for its extremely high-quality single-origin coffees and blends of 86 – 90pt coffees, often unheard of in the industry for blended coffee beans. We also roast all of our medium and dark-roasted coffees a little bit lighter, which helps retain “terrior” or the origin characteristics of the coffee. When you order a dark roasted coffee from us, you know both care and attention went into sourcing the green coffee and the roasting process.
Try our:
Price: $16.50
Size: 10oz
Coffee Type: Whole Bean or Ground Coffee
Origin: Guatemala, Brazil
Established in 1993 by Jeff Taylor and Fred Polzin in Topeka, Kansas, PT’s Coffee embarked on a quest for exceptional coffee. Starting with two retail outlets, the company expanded into green coffee sourcing, roasting, and direct trade partnerships, positioning it as a specialty coffee leader. They measure success based on their standards and prioritize quality across the coffee journey. Around 80% of their coffee comes from their Direct Trade program, focusing on socially responsible and environmentally conscious partnerships. Their extensive range of single-origin coffees and blends is roasted to order and has earned accolades, including Roaster of the Year and top Coffee Review scores. Operating in retail, wholesale, and online, PT’s Coffee is dedicated to exploration and excellence, inviting others to join their coffee journey.
What makes PT’s Coffee Dark Roast so unique:
If you only offer one dark roast coffee, then it better be great! This is precisely what PT’s Coffee offers. Their Ad Astra coffee is the only coffee beans they roast dark, and they hit all their taste notes just right: a heavy body and smooth acidity, with notes of dark chocolate, cola, and brown sugar.
In 2003, Jonathan Rubinstein founded the Joe Coffee brand with a clear vision: serve high-quality coffee to the community with warmth and hospitality. Over two decades, Joe Coffee has grown from a Greenwich Village corner cafe into a network of 20+ locations across New York City. With their roastery in Long Island City, they lead the specialty coffee movement in the city. Their commitment to exceptional coffee extends beyond quality to positive impact. They build lasting relationships with producers who share their values of quality, ethics, collaboration, and integrity. Their small-batch roasting highlights each coffee bean's unique traits, ensuring a meticulous quality control process. Joe Coffee is dedicated to sourcing 80% of its coffees from Rainforest Alliance-certified producers, contributing to a sustainable and equitable supply chain.
What makes Joe Coffee’s Dark Roast so unique:
Great Heights by Joe Coffee is a bold, robust coffee inspired by the towering heights in every borough and the indomitable spirit of every New Yorker. As one of our most developed roasts, it delivers a rich, full-bodied flavor with deeply satisfying notes of chocolate and a subtle hint of nuttiness.
Created initially as a cold brew for their cafés, Great Heights is equally delightful when brewed hot, making it a perfect choice for any dark roast aficionado.
What their customers are saying:
“This coffee is amazing, and the taste is just perfect. I enjoy a cup every morning and continue to order all of my coffee from JOE!”
Price: $17.50
Size: 11oz
Coffee Type: Whole Bean or Ground Coffee
Origin: Brazil and Uganda
Drink Coffee Do Stuff embodies a specialty coffee venture founded on the principle that exceptional coffee cultivates an extraordinary lifestyle. This mantra originated in the Swiss Alps back in 2012, during the professional snowboarding days of founder Nick Visconti, and endures today at our headquarters in Lake Tahoe. Since specialty coffees thrive in altitudes akin to our roastery's location, we exclusively source them from mountainous regions and roast them amidst the mountains. Our distinctive coffee roasting approach prioritizes accentuating sweetness and showcasing the unique characteristics of each origin. Roasting at a high altitude of 6,000ft in Lake Tahoe affords us distinct advantages in consistently achieving this goal, resulting in sweeter and less bitter coffees.
What makes Drink Coffee Do Stuff Dark Roast so unique:
Bark At the Moon is a dark roast for the adventurous spirit. It boasts deep notes of dark chocolate, sweet tobacco, and a caramel-like finish. Crafted from 70% Brazil Primavera and 30% Uganda (which you don’t often see in blends), it is quite a unique experience.
What their customers are saying:
“No acidic after taste and only sweet smooth coffee from drink coffee do stuff. Definitely recommend this to anyone”
Price: $21.00
Size: 12oz
Coffee Type: Whole Bean Coffee
Origin: with organic Robusta from India
Blue Bottle perceives coffee from a unique perspective, a viewpoint they adopted two decades ago when they embarked on their modest mission. They played a pivotal role in reshaping how specialty coffee is presented today. Embracing the full spectrum of natural flavors, their vision was to introduce the world to the delightful intricacies of coffee. Blue Bottle's journey commenced with an unwavering commitment to demonstrating that coffee, treated with precision, care, and rigorous standards, could embody brilliance and delectability. They've spared no effort in unlocking coffee's true potential throughout the journey from seed to cup. Innovating at every juncture, they've fostered collaborations with like-minded growers, evolved farming and processing techniques, and revolutionized roasting methods to enhance flavor without intruding on the coffee's essence.
What makes Blue Bottle Dark Roast so unique:
Blue Bottle's "17ft Ceiling" espresso is a bold reinterpretation of the classic Italian ristretto. The blend features premium organic Indian Robusta beans, contributing near-zero acidity and a full-bodied backbone. Alongside these robust beans, a naturally processed Ethiopian coffee introduces a fruity sweetness that balances the inherent bitterness.
Named after the lofty design elements of Blue Bottle's former Mint Plaza Cafe, "17ft Ceiling" pays homage to traditional architecture while embracing a modern twist on espresso craftsmanship.
What their customers are saying:
“17ft Ceiling m m m m, smells like coffee, tastes like coffee . . . it's great.”
Price: $15.50
Size: 12oz
Coffee Type: Whole Bean or Ground Coffee
Origin: Honduras, Guatemala
Founded by two professional cyclists in 1996, Atomic's journey started with a simple question: "How hard can it be to run a cafe?" This query led them to establish the first Atomic Cafe in Beverly. Their path evolved when they began roasting coffee in the early 2000s, sparked by frustration with coffee suppliers. They transformed this venture into Atomic Coffee Roasters, aiming to enhance coffee experiences beyond their cafes. Over the years, Atomic expanded its offerings, team, and facilities, remaining dedicated to specialty-grade, ethically sourced coffee. Their blends offer consistent delight, while single-origin coffees rotate for freshness. With a commitment to community, relationships, and quality, Atomic's mission is to spread positive energy through coffee.
What makes Atomic Coffee Dark Roast so unique:
Atomic Coffee Roasters' Black Velvet is a masterfully crafted dark roast highlighting the deep, sugar-browning flavors developed through the Maillard reaction. Sourced from Honduras and Guatemala, this blend of Bourbon and Catimor varietals is fully washed and grown at elevations between 1,000 and 1,600 meters, ensuring a balanced and refined profile.
What sets Black Velvet apart as a standout dark roast is its remarkably smooth body, complemented by rich notes of burnt sugar, graham crackers, and malted milk balls. Despite its boldness, it retains a subtle sweetness that makes each sip as inviting as robust.
What their customers are saying:
“Tried a lot of different coffees for my morning espresso and this is by far my favorite. Great crema, lots of good flavors, and is always fresh. Tried another roaster's coffee just to mix things up and regretted it, lol. 10/10 would recommend it for the morning latte!”
Price: $18.00
Size: 12oz
Coffee Type: Whole Bean or Ground Coffee
Origin: Honduras, Nicaragua, Timor
Founded in 2010 in Floyd, VA, Red Rooster began with the goal of roasting exceptional coffee. Its reputation quickly expanded across the East Coast. With over 40 employees today, Red Rooster is committed to quality and positive social impact.
Their responsibly sourced coffee beans include Organic and Fair-Trade options, prioritizing worker treatment and environmental care. By purchasing directly from farmers, they support local economies.
Sustainability is central to their practices. They utilize biodegradable bags, local printing, composting, recycling, and compostable to-go products. Co-owner Haden actively promotes sustainability.
The Red Rooster brand is a family business that contributes to its local community through local hiring, living wages, healthcare, charitable donations, and fundraisers. It even established an on-site daycare for employees' children. Red Rooster aims to be an economic and social cornerstone in its rural community.
What makes Red Rooster Dark Roast so unique:
Red Rooster’s 4&20 Organic French Roast offers a bold yet refined take on the traditional French roast. It delivers a deep, chocolate-forward profile without the over-roasted bitterness often associated with darker coffees. This expertly crafted blend brings together high-quality, organic, fair-trade beans from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Timor, sourced through cooperatives dedicated to sustainable farming.
What sets 4&20 apart is its balanced complexity. Bright notes of navel orange and an underlying warmth of pipe tobacco lift a rich foundation of hot fudge sweetness. The washed processing method preserves clarity in the cup, allowing the dark roast’s depth to shine while maintaining a smooth, full-bodied experience.
Portrait derives its name from a desire to reshape the perception of specialty coffee. Initially discovered by Africans, coffee became a globally consumed beverage, yet the origins of its discovery were often forgotten. Their coffee journey was driven by this history, turning a necessity into a homage to ancestors. They view each cup as an invitation to imbibe purpose and meaning.
As coffee enthusiasts in Atlanta's West End, a neighborhood steeped in black entrepreneurial and cultural history, they aim to foster economic opportunities and representation. Portrait Coffee aspires to be a catalyst for new growth and diverse entrepreneurship in this revitalizing community, inviting everyone to be part of rewriting the narrative.
What makes Portrait Dark Roast so unique:
Portrait Coffee’s Darker the Cherry is a bold, beautifully balanced dark roast crafted for those who appreciate a rich, deeply roasted cup without sacrificing sweetness. Sourced from Cerrado Mineiro, Brazil, this single-origin coffee is naturally processed, allowing its inherent sugars to shine through the darker roast profile.
What makes Darker the Cherry stand out is its ability to maintain depth and complexity while embracing a robust, full-bodied character. Roasted to perfection, this coffee delivers classic dark roast elements—toasted nuts and rich dark chocolate—while retaining a natural sweetness that prevents it from becoming overly bitter or smoky.
What their customers are saying:
“I’m not one for a fruit flavored coffee, but this was a wonderful dark bold with a light fruit finish. If you prefer a dark intense flavor with a twist, this is it.”
Black & White Coffee Roasters' dedication lies in connecting people with captivating and accessible coffees. They aim to transcend mere quality coffee roasting, aspiring to challenge themselves and customers to redefine the boundaries of specialty coffee and its flavors. Founded in 2017 by two US Barista Champions, Kyle and Lem, Black and White Coffee Roasters emerged from their competitive coffee experiences with a mission to make those exceptional coffees widely accessible. Their core values - Service, Community, and Excellence - guide them. They embrace hospitality in every interaction, value their nurtured community, and pursue excellence through meticulous craftsmanship and continuous improvement. This journey is underpinned by their commitment to kindness, generosity, and the pursuit of excellence.
What makes Black & White Dark Roast so unique:
Black & White Roasters’ The Traditional is a dark roast crafted to balance deep, roasty flavors with the integrity of its Colombian origin. Unlike typical dark roasts that sacrifice complexity for boldness, this coffee retains its rich dark chocolate, deep cherry, and sweet marzipan notes while embracing the depth of careful roasting. Ethically sourced and attentively developed, it offers a refined take on a familiar roast style without veering into bitterness. For those who typically reach for a dark roast, The Traditional is a perfect introduction to specialty coffee.
Airship's journey began as a response to the need for coffee growers with whom they collaborated. Mark initially pursued a master's degree in horticulture and dreamed of starting a blueberry farm in Arkansas; he ventured to Central America to support sustainable agriculture projects within coffee-growing communities in Honduras and Guatemala.
During this experience, Mark developed a deep passion for coffee, immersing himself in its entire journey, from cultivation and post-harvest processing to roasting and cupping. His coffee education took root in a cupping lab in Guatemala City, where he learned the intricacies of the country's top cuppers. This exposed him to the diverse flavors of coffee and the subtle nuances influenced by factors like terroir, elevation, and growing regions in Guatemala.
In 2010, alongside his role as an agriculture extension agent at the University of Arkansas, Mark launched Airship's wholesale roasting business, experiencing rapid growth. As the coffee scene evolved with the third-wave cafe trend, they recognized the importance of a customer-facing brand to share their unique story. In 2018, they opened a coffee bar at the roastery, offering exceptional coffee and a welcoming and community-oriented atmosphere, further expanding with an open-air cafe in the Coler Mountain Bike Preserve. Airship's mission is to foster an authentic community space where people can relax and connect.
What makes Airship Dark Roast so unique:
Airship Coffee Roasters’ Black Bear is a carefully crafted dark roast that delivers rich complexity without sacrificing sweetness. Sourced from Guatemala and Colombia, this two-part blend is roasted precisely to maintain its velvety body and natural depth rather than extending the roast time for darkness. The result is a bold yet balanced cup featuring smoked plums, dark chocolate, and roasted walnuts, with a smooth finish that lingers. Black Bear is a standout choice for those who appreciate a dark roast with character and richness.
