Mark MorphewPractically everybody around the globe enjoys the morning coffee ritual. I’m sure even you can’t start the day without a nice warm cup of coffee.
The type of ground coffee you use in the morning can be any blend, but it’s breakfast blend coffee most people find themselves reaching for.
But have you ever stopped and wondered what makes one coffee a breakfast blend and another not – what’s so special about it?
If I’ve piqued your interest in your favorite morning coffee, keep on reading because I have answered many of the questions you’re probably asking yourself right now.
Why Is Coffee Called Breakfast Blend?
I’ll let you in on a little secret. There’s nothing that makes breakfast blend coffee any different from regular coffee.
The truth is that most morning coffee blends are just light to medium roasts with smooth, balanced flavors and bright acidity. That’s it. They’re not unique coffee beans or anything else elaborate. Just regular ole coffee.
But, it’s this flavor profile that the majority of people enjoy in the morning. Though probably the real reason why breakfast blends are so popular is to do with marketing more than anything else.
There isn’t an actual definition of “breakfast blend” in the coffee industry, and any roaster can use the term to describe any of their blended coffees.
Each variety of breakfast blend coffee can be slightly different and include different coffee bean types (known as coffee varietals to experts) and roasted to different levels.
Because there isn’t anything that makes this blended coffee any different from regular coffee, it can be brewed any time of the day, not just for breakfast.
Go on live dangerously and brew a cup in the late afternoon – I dare you!
Breakfast Blend Coffee Versus Regular Coffee
What is the difference between breakfast blend coffee and regular coffee? So as I’ve highlighted, breakfast coffees have nothing spectacular in the blend that sets them apart from regular coffee.
It’s ultimately up to the roaster to pick and choose what types of coffee profiles to add to their particular blend, and that’s why breakfast blends from different brands can taste completely different.
But one thing that tends to stay constant in this blend is the use of lighter roasts, but there is no industry standard for how light a roast is. So again, coffee brands can differ widely with their blends.
Depending on the particular blend, some roasters may include Robusta beans along with Arabica beans.
Robusta has a slightly higher caffeine content than Arabica, making them a perfect choice for early morning coffee.
If you’re like me, you’ll need all the help you can get to prise open your eyes and feel human again.
Also another factor that affects caffeine levels is the roast. Because most breakfast blends comprise of light roast coffee, the caffeine content will be slightly higher than, say, a dark roast.
Here’s why.
You may think that a more intense-tasting dark roast coffee will contain more caffeine, but that is a misconception.
The longer coffee beans are roasted, the more they begin to lose their caffeine content – it’s simply burnt away.
So a lighter roast, although it doesn’t taste as strong or bitter, will typically contain more caffeine.
What Does Breakfast Blend Coffee Taste Like?
Now we get to the important stuff – the taste.
Because there isn’t a one fits all recipe for breakfast blend coffee, and each bag can be wildly different from one roaster to another, the taste profile comes down to good old-fashioned market research to discover the flavors coffee drinkers want in a morning coffee.
Many big named brands will conduct this research themselves, while others rely on data already out there.
From the research, the general consensus is that most people prefer their morning coffee to be brightly acidic, balanced, smooth, and rich in flavor – but not too overpowering.
So now they know what to aim for in their breakfast blend, they can add specific coffee from various regions.
For example, most roasters producing a breakfast blend will source coffee from South America (mainly Colombian and Brazilian coffees) because they are known for their balance and consistency.
They might blend those beans with a light, more flavorful Indonesian coffee to slightly turn up the dial on the body and take the edge off the acidity.
The coffee blend will then be roasted between a light and medium roast, which helps preserve the acidity, brings out the balance and keeps most of the caffeine content locked inside the coffee.
Essentially, you can think of breakfast blend coffee as a pleasant, neutral coffee that will give you a good kick of caffeine without blowing out your palate.
What Roast Is Breakfast Blend Coffee
As I mentioned earlier, almost all breakfast blends will be a light to medium roast to help bring out the flavors.
But because there is no industry standard for breakfast blended coffee, how light or dark the coffee beans are roasted depends on the roaster and the brand.
Conclusion
So there you have it. Breakfast blend coffee isn’t just for breakfast. There’s nothing that makes this type of coffee any different from regular coffee.
The main distinction is the way it’s roasted and the selection of coffees added to each brand’s blend, which can vary from roaster to roaster.
I guess which morning coffee you prefer really comes down to personal preference. With no set standard, don’t be afraid to experiment with multiple breakfast blend varieties until you find one you enjoy – there’s bound to be a noticeable difference between them.
If you find one particular brand you prefer, take a closer look at the types of coffee included in the blend. You can then experiment with single-origin coffee by choosing the specific kind of coffee you enjoyed in the breakfast blend.
FAQs
? Does Breakfast Blend Coffee Have More Caffeine?
Most breakfast coffee blends contain lightly roasted beans. Light roast coffees tend to have slightly higher levels of caffeine than the exact same type of coffee roasted for slightly longer.
The longer coffee is roasted, the more caffeine is burnt away. So a dark roast will contain less caffeine than a lighter roast.
? What Is The Difference Between House Blend And Breakfast Blend Coffee?
House blends tend to be a medium roast coffee, whereas breakfast blends are lighter.
House blends are more profound and sweeter and often have caramel, maple, nutty, and cherry flavor notes. On the flipside, breakfast blends tend to be more floral and citrus in flavor.
You could say that House blend coffee is somewhere in the middle ground between a breakfast blend and a dark roast.
? Why Is Breakfast Blend Coffee A Light Roast?
Breakfast blends are light roasts because this roast level helps bring out the acidity and bright flavor locked inside the coffee bean. It’s these light, subtle flavor notes and smooth, balanced flavors that breakfast blend coffee is known for.
When he's not fiddling around with a new coffee gadget, you'll find him busy doing DIY projects around the home and taking his German Shepherd for a walk, who funnily enough is called Kona!
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