French Roast

Intensely smoky and charred with thin body. Burnt sugar, ash, and bitter dark chocolate. Nearly zero acidity. All origin character is gone, replaced entirely by carbonization flavors.

French press, drip brew with cream/sugar, café au lait. The intensity requires tempering with dairy or sweetener for most palates. Traditional in French café culture.

French roast pushes to the far end of second crack, at 240-245°C. The beans are very dark brown to nearly black with a heavy oil sheen. At this temperature, significant organic material has carbonized, and the bean has lost 18-20% of its original weight (vs. 12-15% for medium). The cup is intensely smoky with a thin, almost watery body paradoxically combined with a bitter, coating finish. French roast was the European standard for centuries and remains popular in traditional French cafés where strong, dark coffee is mixed with hot milk. The name reflects French coffee culture, not a specific technique.