Cinnamon - A very light roast, this roast will produce a strong (sometimes sour) acidity, little aroma, an often-grainy taste and thin body. The surface will be dry and color will be very light.

Light - As the coffee achieves a more complete but still relatively light roast, the acidity, notes will be powerful and the varietal characteristics will be pronounced.
The body will be developed, but not as fully as it will become. The surface of the bean remains dry. This roast level is fairly comparable to New England.

Medium - At this moderately light to medium brown roast, the acidity will be bright but less overpowering; the varietal characteristics will still be pronounced;
and the body will be fuller.

City (Medium High) - At this slightly darker, medium brown roast, acidity remains strong through perhaps richer; varietal characteristics muted, but still clear;
and the body still fuller. This roast (the traditional roasting norm for most of the American west) is comparable to American.

Full City - At Full City (Often labeled Viennese Roast), acidity is slightly more muted and body slightly heavier. The surface of the bean may remain dry or oils
may begin to appear in tiny droplets and patches.

High - At this moderately darker roast, the body will be full and some bittersweet notes (characteristic of darker roast) will become rich and resonant.
The acidity and varietal characteristics will have faded into the general impression of richness. The surface of the bean will always have some display of oil.
This roast is comparable to Espresso.

Dark - When coffee is brought to a definitely dark roast, the bittersweet taste completely dominates. The body begins to thin; and all remaining varietal charac
teristics and acidity will have been transmuted. The dark roast flavor may range from rounded and mellow to borderline bitter. The surface of the bean will be
bright with oil. This roast is comparable to Italian.

Heavy - With very dark brown roasts, the body continues to thin as more and more of the oils are evaporated by the roast. The bitter side of the bittersweet
equation becomes more dominant, and a slightly charred taste may appear. The bean is shiny with oil and is very similar to a Dark French Roast.

The Agtron (SCAA) Roast Color Classification System classifies roast levels based on precise machine reading of color. The eight reference points in this
classification system have no names, only numbers, and are matched with eight color disks. You would compare samples of roasted coffees to the colored disks to ascertain its approximate number on the Agtron scale. These colored disks run from #95 (the lightest roast) at intervals of ten down to #25 (the darkest roast).

You can find out more information about this system by visiting the Specialty Coffee Association of America's website at www.scaa.org.