Freshly Roasted Specialty single origin coffee
Medium-dark roast coffee
At Horsham Coffee Roaster, our medium-dark roast is the ultimate choice for those who crave a classic, bold coffee experience without the burnt or ashy finish often found in commercial dark roasts. We take our roasting process just a step further than our medium profile, taming the acidity further. This results in a heavy, syrupy body with notes of chocolate and dried fruits. These coffees are specifically crafted to cut through milk perfectly, making them the ideal backbone for milk based espresso drinks. They are also fantastic for anyone who prefers a full bodied filter coffee.
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Dark Chocolate | Nuts | Sweet Caramel
Nova Espresso Blend Natural, Washed & Pulped Natural
Regular price From £9.00Regular priceUnit price per
Choosing Coffee Beans
Medium-dark roast coffee
Is a medium-dark roast coffee suitable for espresso?
A medium-dark roast is often considered the "gold standard" for traditional espresso because it is much easier to "dial in" (extract) than lighter roasts. The slightly longer roasting time makes the coffee more soluble, ensuring you get a thick, honey-like crema and a syrupy mouthfeel every time. It provides that classic, punchy espresso flavor that cuts through milk effortlessly.
How does a medium-dark roast differ from a medium roast?
While a medium roast focuses on a balance of acidity and sweetness, a medium-dark roast leans slightly more towards the "roast" character. The acidity is significantly muted, replaced by a heavier body and a lingering, bittersweet finish. You’ll notice flavours moving away from milk chocolate and toward darker, more intense cocoa but with some retained dried fruit character.
Is this roast profile suitable for filter coffee?
Absolutely. While many prefer medium-dark roasts for espresso, they make a fantastic, "diner-style" filter coffee or a punchy V60. If you enjoy a brew that is low in acidity and high in richness, a medium-dark roast in a Cafetière is particularly rewarding, as the immersion method highlights the coffee’s natural oils and heavy texture. The trend is speciality coffee over the years has very much moved towards light roast coffee for filter brewing. However many people do still prefer a coffee with more body, sweetness and chocolate notes. If this is your preference our medium-dark roast coffees are perfect for you.
Will a medium-dark roast taste bitter?
Our goal is "bold, not burnt." Traditional "French" or "Italian" roasts often taste like carbon because the beans have been scorched. By using convection heating in our Loring roaster, we develop the beans thoroughly to tame the acidity and to develop dark chocolate and dried fruits notes—the pleasant kind you find in high-quality cocoa—while avoiding the acrid, smoky taste of over-roasted coffee.
What flavors should I expect from a medium-dark roast?
While our medium roasts lean toward milk chocolate and a medium body and acidity, a medium-dark roast pushes those sugars further into caramelisation. You can expect deeper, more intense notes of dark chocolate, molasses, and dried fruit notes. The acidity is significantly reduced, resulting in a heavy, syrupy mouthfeel and a lingering, bittersweet finish that remains smooth rather than sharp.