Best Medium Roast Coffee For Every Brewing Method

The best medium roast coffee for every brewing method can be found in this buyer's guide. This guide contains the best coffee beans for pour overs, drip coffee, French press, cold brew, espresso, AeroPress, Moka pot, and Turkish coffee. Medium roasted coffees vary by origin, roast level, flavor profile, price, and format (beans, ground, instant, or pods). No single coffee suits all palates, brewing methods, drink types, or budgets, though some are better than others.

The best medium roast coffees offer balanced acidity, medium body, and subtle sweetness. They often feature flavor profiles like fruity or floral notes, but the choice depends on personal preference. When choosing a medium roast, consider your brewing method, as this will influence the ideal characteristics.

Medium roast beans develop a medium-brown color without an oily surface and are roasted until just before the second crack. Achieving the best medium roast requires high-quality beans and careful control during the roasting process to highlight the bean's natural flavors and balanced profile. Below, you'll find a list outlining the best medium roast coffee grounds and whole beans for various brewing methods.

1. Colombian Medium Roast Coffee: Colombian medium roast coffee beans, grown in Colombia and roasted to a medium level, feature balanced sweetness and acidity. These beans deliver a complex flavor profile with rich, nuanced layers, striking a balance between pleasant acidity and a sweet, plush mouthfeel.
2. Brazilian Medium Roast Coffee: Brazilian medium roast coffee beans deliver a combination of nutty and chocolate flavors due to their unique origin characteristics and roasting process. These medium roasts are recognized for their crisply sweet, nut-toned profile, appealing to many coffee enthusiasts.
3. Guatemalan Medium Roast Coffee: Guatemalan medium roast coffee features floral and sweet flavors due to volcanic soil and high-altitude growth. Its bright acidity and delicate flavors excel with pour-over brewing.
4. Peruvian Medium Roast Coffee: Peruvian medium roast coffee highlights the unique flavors of beans grown in Peru's high altitudes. The medium roast creates a balanced, rich, chocolatey taste with hints of lemon and date. It has a smooth, velvety mouthfeel and a medium body.
5. Papua New Guinea Medium Roast Coffee: Papua New Guinea medium roast coffee highlights volcanic soil, high-altitude growth, and varied varietals. It provides balanced flavors with natural sweetness and acidity, ideal for an adventurous coffee experience.
6. Breakfast Blend Medium Roast Coffee: Breakfast Blend medium roast coffee combines beans from different species and origins, roasted to a medium level for balanced flavor. This blend offers the best morning option for medium roast, featuring mild bitterness and higher caffeine for an energizing start.

1. Colombian Medium Roast Coffee

Colombian medium roast coffee beans are coffee beans grown in Colombia and roasted to a medium level. Medium roasting Colombian coffee enhances its balanced profile, bringing out rich flavors without overpowering bitterness. When roasted to a medium level, Colombian beans yield vibrant tasting notes of cocoa nib, milk chocolate, and flowers, with subtle hints of citrus. The acidity is medium, providing a bright but not overpowering tang. This results in a smooth mouthfeel, with a medium body that feels velvety, and a mild, lingering aftertaste.

Colombian beans rank among the best medium roast Arabica coffees due to high altitudes, volcanic soils, and innovative processing. These factors create a complex cup with a pleasant acidity and sweet mouthfeel that customers love. Colombian medium roasts offer a rich and layered experience, whether brewed using automatic coffee makers, clever drippers, or manual pour overs like Chemex, Hario V60, or Melitta. At Colipse, we highly recommend our Colombia Tolima. This exceptional coffee is among the best-tasting medium roasts, offering a deeper flavor profile with notes of dark chocolate, mango, honey, and peach. Freshly roasted, it's available for $24.50 per 12oz bag.

2. Brazilian Medium Roast Coffee

Brazilian medium roast coffee beans refers to coffee beans grown in Brazil that have been roasted to a medium level. Brazilian beans are ideal for medium roasts due to their combination of low acidity and a rich flavor profile. Their aroma and cup present a crisply sweet-savory blend with notes of cashew, dark cocoa, fruit berries, and brown sugar. When roasted to a medium level, Brazilian beans provide a balanced taste without sharpness, with a smooth mouthfeel, medium body, and lingering aftertaste.

Brazilian beans are a good choice for those seeking low-acid coffee. The lower altitudes, mild climate, and consistent rainfall in Brazil contribute to these reduced acidity levels. Medium roast Brazilian coffee is delicious when enjoyed black using a drip coffee maker, cold brew, or with milk as a latte, cappuccino, or flat white. The single origin Brazil Santos is Colipse's top Brazilian medium roast coffee, featuring dark chocolate, brown sugar, and caramel flavors, along with hints of roasted almonds and citrus. Roasted to order, this coffee suits various brewing methods and is now on sale for $22.99 per 12 oz bag.

3. Guatemalan Medium Roast Coffee

Guatemalan medium roast coffee highlights the distinct qualities of beans cultivated in Guatemala's varied climates. Guatemalan coffee beans are typically roasted to a medium level to preserve their bright acidity and delicate flavors. This results in a rich, berry-driven cup with crisp chocolate notes and subtle earthy undertones. Medium roast Guatemalan coffee has medium acidity, a velvety mouthfeel, and a lingering sweet aftertaste, creating a well-rounded drinking experience.

Guatemalan beans are known for producing some of the best-tasting medium roasts, thanks to the rich, mineral-laden volcanic soil and high altitudes where the coffee is grown. Medium roast Guatemalan coffee provides a balanced, vibrant cup, avoiding excessive acidity or boldness. Manual pour-over methods are often recommended by specialty roasters to highlight the beans' nuanced flavors. Guatemala Huehuetenango is one of the best medium roast single origin coffee beans offered by Colipse. This coffee blends lemon, brown sugar, and floral notes with nougat, honey, and subtle stone fruit, ideal for those preferring a fruit-forward profile without sharp citrus acidity. It is roasted to order for optimal flavor and freshness and is for sale at $24.50 per 12 oz bag.

4. Peruvian Medium Roast Coffee

Peruvian medium roast coffee brings out the unique flavor notes of beans grown in Peru's high altitude climates. When roasted to a medium level, Peruvian beans develop balanced, rich, chocolatey flavors with sweet spice notes and hints of lemon and date. The acidity is round, providing a refreshing lift without overpowering the other flavors. This results in a smooth, rich mouthfeel, with a medium body that has a velvety, chocolaty finish.

Peru is the leading global producer of certified Fair Trade and organic arabica coffee, producing top-quality organic medium roast beans. Consumers choose Peruvian medium roast coffee for its eco-friendly cultivation and lack of synthetic additives, including pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, or GMOs. Peruvian medium roasts suit various brewing methods like pour-over, drip, and cold brew to bring out the best of coffee's delicate flavors and aromas. The single origin Peru Juan Marco is Colipse's best Peruvian medium roast coffee, featuring notes of lemon, herbal, smooth chocolate, and a hint of caramel. Roasted to order, this coffee suits various brewing methods and is now on sale for $24.50 per 12 oz bag.

5. Papua New Guinea Medium Roast Coffee

Papua New Guinea medium roast coffee beans come from the unique high-altitude growing regions of Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea produces high-quality medium roast coffee, grown in the highlands with a humid, tropical climate ideal for coffee cultivation. Traditional methods are used, and the beans often undergo wet or washed processing, creating a clean and clear flavor profile.

Roasting these beans to a medium level preserves their acidity and floral flavors while avoiding harsh or smoky profiles. They offer an exotic, sweetly fruit-driven flavor. A medium roast balances acidity and minimizes any sharp or bitter notes. Drip coffee brewing, Chemex, and V60 methods are ideal for preparing this coffee. Colipse's Papua New Guinea Morobe is an excellent medium roast coffee. The "City" roasted beans provide flavors of dried orange zest, cranberry, caramel, baking chocolate, and nutmeg. This low-acidity coffee, freshly roasted, costs $24.50 for a 12 oz bag.

6. Breakfast Blend Medium Roast Coffee

Breakfast Blend is a medium roast coffee blend with variations across roasters, each aiming for a consistent and flavorful offering. It's distinct from a "Breakfast Roast," which can range from medium-light to medium-dark depending on the roaster. Even among Breakfast Blends, flavor profiles vary. Some roasters opt for a lighter roast to highlight the coffee's natural flavors, while others prefer a darker roast for a bolder taste with notes of chocolate or caramel.

Breakfast Blend is a popular medium roast coffee, typically consisting of a mix of Arabica beans from different origins and varietals. This creates a balanced and approachable flavor profile, often with notes of chocolate, nuts, or fruit, making it a pleasant way to start the day. Many people prefer medium roasts in the morning because they are less intense than dark roasts and provide a good caffeine boost. Colipse's South American Breakfast Blend is a great choice for a medium roast coffee. At $22.50, the 12 oz bag offers 100% Arabica beans roasted to a medium level. The blend has a great aroma and flavors of almonds, citrus, berries, caramel, and spice.

What is the Best Medium Roast Decaf Coffee?

Finding the best medium roast decaf coffee depends on a few key factors, including the decaffeination process, roast date, and flavor profile. Look for beans that have been decaffeinated using the Swiss Water® Process or Sugarcane Process, as these methods tend to preserve more of the coffee's natural flavors.

For a balanced cup with chocolate and nutty notes, we recommend trying Half Caff Coffee. Our Decaf Cold Brew Blend is another excellent option. This top-quality, medium roast decaf coffee is grown in Peru and offers a complex flavor profile with notes of salted caramel, black pepper, and citrus. Priced at $24.95, it's perfect for those who want a bold decaf coffee experience.

How to Choose the Best Medium Roast Coffee Beans for Every Brewing Method?

The most suitable way to choose the best medium roast coffee beans and grounds for every brewing method is to select coffee that complements the unique characteristics of the 8 common brewing methods. To achieve the optimal flavor profile for a certain coffee maker, it's crucial to select medium roast coffee from reputable roasters with the appropriate grind size, experiment with different coffee-to-water ratios, and adjust the recipe to taste.

For methods like cold brew and French press, a coarser grind of medium roast ground coffee is preferred; a medium grind is preferred for drip coffee makers and pour-overs, while a finer grind might be better for Moka pots, espresso, and AeroPress. When using medium roast whole bean coffee, it's important to grind the beans to the appropriate size for your chosen brewing method. Customers should consult a coffee brewing guide specific to their chosen method to determine the ideal grind size and water temperature.

Which are the Best Medium Roast Coffee Beans for Espresso?

The best medium roast coffee beans for espresso are those that fits on individual preferences, offer a balance of sweetness, acidity, and body, creating a smooth and flavorful shot. Coffee beans from regions like Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Guatemala, and Nicaragua can be excellent choices for achieving this balance. The best medium roast whole coffee beans and grounds for espresso are shown below.

Which are the Best Medium Roast Coffee Beans for Cold Brew?

The best medium roast coffee beans for cold brew are those that match personal preferences and offer a smooth, balanced flavor with notes of chocolate and nuts, along with low acidity and bitterness. Medium roast's smoother body ensures efficient flavor extraction in cold brewing, and beans from Guatemala, India, Colombia, and Papua New Guinea brings unique regional nuances with each cup. The best medium roast whole coffee beans and grounds for cold brew can be found below.

Which Are the Best Medium Roast Coffee for French Press?

The best medium roast coffees for French press are those that depend on personal preferences and offer a balance between vibrant acidity and a nuanced complexity. Many medium roast coffee beans and ground coffee are used to make French press, but different regions produce unique flavor profiles. The best medium roast whole coffee beans and grounds for French press are shown below.

Which are the Best Medium Roast Coffee for Pour Over?

The best medium roast coffees for pour over are those that suit customer personal taste preferences and highlight the unique flavors of the beans. There are many medium roast beans to make pour over coffee, but experimenting with different origins can lead to discovering unique flavor profiles. The best medium roast whole coffee beans and grounds for pour over can be found below.

Which are the Best Medium Roast Coffee Beans for Drip Coffee?

The best medium roast coffee beans for drip coffee offer a delightful balance of flavor and aroma, with bright acidity and nuanced tasting notes. Look for beans with characteristics like fruitiness, floral hints, or a touch of sweetness, which shine through in the drip brewing process. Regions like Ethiopia, Mexico, and Colombia are known for producing beans with these vibrant profiles. The best medium roast whole coffee beans and grounds for drip coffee can be found below.

Which are the Best Medium Roast Coffee Beans for Moka Pot?

The best medium roast coffee beans for your Moka pot strike a balance between body and flavor, offering rich notes of chocolate and nuts without excessive bitterness. Medium roasts are ideal for Moka pots because they extract well under pressure, producing a full-bodied brew. Look for beans from regions like Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, known for producing coffees with balanced acidity and sweetness. These origins often yield delightful flavor profiles ranging from chocolate and caramel to fruity notes with a hint of spice. The best medium roast whole coffee beans and grounds for Moka pot can be found below.

Where to Buy Medium Roast Coffee?

Medium roast coffee is widely available, both in stores and online. Grocery stores, specialty coffee shops, and online retailers all offer a variety of medium roast coffees. Some popular online retailers include Amazon, Colipse, and individual coffee roasters' websites. When choosing where to buy, consider factors such as the type of coffee bean, grind size, and whether you prefer whole bean or ground coffee. Colipse offers a wide range of medium roast coffee beans in whole bean and coffee grounds, perfect for various brewing methods like espresso, French press, cold brew, drip, and pour over.

What is the Price Range for Medium Roast Coffee Beans?

Medium roast coffee prices vary widely based on brand, bean origin, and quality. Grocery store options typically range from $8 to $15 for a 12oz bag. Specialty coffee, bought online or from roasters, starts around $15 and can exceed $30 for 12oz. At Colipse, a 12oz bag of medium roast coffee starts at $19.95.

What are the Different Types of Medium Roast Coffee Beans?

Medium roast coffee beans include types like City Roast, Breakfast Roast, and Full City Roast. Roasting shapes the final taste, color, and brewing method of coffee. The differences between types of medium roast coffees are seen in flavor, aroma, and body. Bean type, origin, and processing also shape unique characteristics. For example, Latin American beans offer chocolate and caramel notes, while East African beans may present floral and citrus hints.