You’ll see a lot of coffee brands offer “Italian” or “French” roast as a default. We intentionally don’t. Not because they’re “wrong” — but because they often trade away what makes coffee enjoyable: sweetness, balance, and clarity.
Not sure which roast fits your brew method? Read our guide on how to choose the right roast for your setup.
Quick Answer
Very dark roasts can taste smoky or ashy, hide origin character, and narrow your “sweet spot” while brewing. We focus on medium to medium-dark because it delivers sweetness, body, and consistency across brew methods.
Complent approach: Balance over extremes — coffee that’s easier to brew well at home.
What “Italian” and “French” Roast Usually Means
These names typically describe a very dark roast level. The longer a coffee is roasted, the more the roast flavor dominates: smoke, char, and bitterness become more noticeable, while origin notes fade.
Why Very Dark Roasts Can Be Harder to Enjoy
- Less sweetness: roast bitterness becomes more dominant.
- Less clarity: origin flavor gets covered by roast flavor.
- Narrower brew window: small changes in grind/time can quickly turn harsh.
- Often “bold” ≠ “better”: bold can simply mean more roasted.
What We Roast Instead (and Why It Works)
We focus on medium and medium-dark because it’s the sweet spot for most home brewing: balanced flavor, satisfying body, and a wider “dial-in” range.
- Medium: balanced, sweet, versatile across drip and AeroPress.
- Medium-dark: richer body and chocolate/caramel notes, great for French press and espresso-style brewing.
Want the simplest path to a great cup?
Start with medium or medium-dark — they’re forgiving and consistently sweet across most brew methods.
Explore our coffees →