04 Feb Myth Busters: Does Darker mean stronger?

It’s a common belief that darker roast means stronger coffee, but it depends on what you mean by “stronger.”

If you’re talking about flavour, then yes – dark roasts often taste bolder and more intense. They tend to have a smoky, bitter, or even chocolatey flavor due to longer roasting, which burns off more of the bean’s natural sugars and acids. That roasted flavour can feel more “robust,” so many people interpret it as stronger.

But if you’re asking about caffeine content, the answer might surprise you: lighter roasts generally have slightly more caffeine by volume. That’s because the longer beans roast, the more mass (including caffeine) they lose. So scoop for scoop, a light roast can actually deliver a bigger caffeine punch. However, if you’re measuring by weight (like on a scale), the caffeine levels are pretty similar. what impacts the strength of the coffee more than anything is the type of bean used: generally Robusta beans contain almost double the caffeine than Arabica beans. So in the end, it’s less about one being objectively “stronger” and more about the beans you use, how you brew it and what kind of intensity and flavour you’re after.