Is Blonde Espresso Stronger Than Other Roasts? Myths Debunked

Blonde espresso roast is becoming increasingly popular for a good reason, many coffee snobs claim it’s the best roast by a country mile because of its distinct and strong flavour.

But is Blonde espresso stronger than any other espresso roasts? What does it taste like?

Let’s learn more about Blonde espresso. 

What really is a Blonde espresso? 

There are many jokes about blondes, but none for Blonde espresso because it’s a great coffee roast. It’s lighter in colour than regular roasts and tends to be a peachier and brighter tone than typical coffee beans, hence the name.

Why is it lighter? SImply put, it’s roasted less time. Darker coffee types are roasted from ten to sixteen minutes, depending on the size of the batch. Anything below that time is considered a Blonde coffee roast.

What does Blonde Espresso really taste like? 

Its lightly roasted  process makes it more acidic than other roasts and I’d say a bit sour while others claim it has a subtle citrus kick. When I buy Blonde Espresso from a local roaster I tend to pair my French Press espresso with gingerbread or brownies because it balances this citrus flavour.

What’s your view on this? Have you tried Blonde Espresso? If so, how did you find it? 

What you should know about the Blonde roast

Let’s go over a couple of interesting facts about Blonde espresso. This section won’t make you a Blonde Espresso guru but there’s no harm learning a little bit more about  this unique coffee blend: 

• Although it’s a light roast it’s not the lightest, and in fact, the lightest roast is called Gold
• It used to be called ‘Cinnamon’ roast before being rebranded to ‘Blonde’
• It was rebranded around 2012 to Blonde roast because it sounded more catchy
• You’ll find it sold as ‘light roast’ at Starbucks 
• You’ll find Blonde roast at almost every big chain and you can find it online and at high street stores. 
• Iced Vanilla Latte and French vanilla coffee are some of the best drinks you can make with blonde beans. 

What makes Blonde Espresso a stronger coffee type?

Blonde Espresso is stronger than regular espresso because of the origin of the coffee beans. Espresso is often made from coffee beans coming from the Asian Pacific. But Blonde Espresso beans mainly come from Latin America and East Africa; the caffeine level is higher in those beans and that’s the chief reason Blonde roast is stronger than others.  

Is Blonde Espresso stronger than other coffee types?

Yes, Blonde Espresso is kind of stronger so I’ve created a table showing the strength of Blonde Espresso. As the table clearly shows Blonde Espresso marginally contains more caffeine than regular espresso, and this makes it a stronger drink.

If your body doesn’t break down caffeine easily, it’s better to drink Blonde Espresso in moderation and it’s useful to know how long it lasts

What about latte or cappuccino? Well since cappuccino and latte regularly have only one shot it means they contain the same amount of caffeine as Blonde roasts but perhaps the sweet flavour of milk makes them feel less intense. 

One of my favourite coffees is Freddo Espresso made with Blonde coffee beans – ideal in the summer.

But it’s high in caffeine with two espresso shots that are poured over a glass with crushed ice. It’s a real treat, but the truth is that kind of intake can give even the most hardened caffeine addict serious insomnia.

Portion	Blonde Espresso	Regular Espresso	Filter Coffee
1 shot	80 mg	72mg	7-24 mg
3 shots	240 mg	216mg	21-72mg
5 shots	400 mg	360mg	35-96mg

Find Blonde espresso at Starbucks

Blonde espresso can be used to make any beverage that can be created with ordinary espresso, so an iced vanilla latte can be transformed into an iced blonde vanilla latte. Also, brewed coffee in blonde roast is available.

The cost of blonde espresso beverages is the same as that of any other espresso beverage. Espresso can be switched with blonde espresso at no additional cost.

If you want caffeine but find espresso to be too strong or bitter, ask for blonde espresso the next time you’re at Starbucks.

Any espresso or brewed coffee beverage can be ordered with blonde espresso or blonde roast, however Starbucks offers a few specialties that are specially with lighter roast coffee:

• Blonde Roast Espresso: Perfect to kick-start your day with an intensely flavour espresso shot. 
• Iced Flat White with Almond Milk: Blonde intensity almond milk work so well together in creating a velvety flavour 
• Iced Flat White with Almond Milk & Honey: Super drink that will easily become your new favourite Starbucks drink.
• Vanilla Latte with Blonde espresso: The addictive signature Starbucks Latte made with Blonde coffee beans and vanilla syrup; one of the most popular drinks of their menu. If you’re not big on syrups you can customise your drink with a vanilla syrup substitute.

What makes Blonde espresso different from other roasts? 

Let’s check the differences between Blonde espresso and other roasts.

Different Colour 

The colour is different as you might have guessed. The blonde beans are very light in colour, the mediums are darker than blondes and the dark are darker than the other two. In case you didn’t know Starbucks signature coffees including espresso dark roast beans are used. 

Roasting Process 

As we mentioned in other articles the most common roasting types are three:

• Blonde 
• Medium 
• Dark

And it has to do with the temperature the coffee beans are roasted at. For example, blonde coffee is roasted at 340F to 395F and they are roasted before they crack. The medium roasting requires 400F to 425F while the dark is roasted at 430F to 450F. 

Flavour 

As we already mentioned, blonde tastes a bit lemony and it’s probably closer to what raw coffee beans taste like. Medium has a stronger taste but it’s not necessarily stronger coffee and the same applies to dark roasts that has a very distinct coffee taste with a lingering coffee taste.

Does Blonde Espresso roast contain more caffeine? 

Compared to other coffee varieties, Starbucks Blonde Roast has a considerably milder flavour, yet it still contains a lot of caffeine. Unexpectedly, brewed Blonde Roast contains much more caffeine than Starbucks’ other well-liked mixes.

Compared to 260 in a Starbucks dark roast and 310 in a Starbucks medium roast, the Blonde Roast has an amazing 360 milligrams.

Time to make espresso with Blonde roast

It’s time to sample a blonde espresso now that you know everything there is to know about it. Of course, you may visit your local Starbucks and order a single or double shot to experience the full espresso flavour.

A blonde latte or a flat white will be perfect for you if you like your coffee with milk. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Blonde coffee beans
• A grinder
• Moka pot/ French press
• Milk Frother (if you want to make latte or cappuccino)

How would it be if you wanted to make coffee at home?

You might be shocked to learn that you don’t require an espresso maker. Either a French press, reverse French Press or a Moka pot can be used to make and drink the coffee. The beans must still be purchased through their official website or the following time you visit the shop.

However, I prefer it when professional baristas create my espresso.

I’ve also seen blonde espresso come packaged as pods, which will please people who enjoy using a Keurig or a Nespresso machine. If you’ve got an opportunity to sip it, please let me know what you think of it since I haven’t tried blonde espresso from a pod before so I can’t comment on the quality of the brew.

Let’s wrap it up

If you regard yourself as a coffee aficionado or even a coffee snob you should give a go making coffee with blonde beans, especially if coffee doesn’t work for you. It’s great to have it in the evening after work or at the weekend; the aroma is fantastic. Go ahead and read the guide on how to make delicious blonde espresso at home.

FAQ 

Have questions about the topic we haven’t covered? Let’s have a look at the common questions that often turn up in blonde coffee discussions. 

Is Blonde Roast the Same as Cinnamon Roast?

Yes, in fact it used to be called Cinnamon Roast back in the day and it’s now called Blond Roast. 

How many calories does Blonde espresso have?

There are approximately 5 calories and no sugar in a typical shot of blonde espresso. A double shot, which essentially doubles the calorie amount, is frequently offered at coffee shops. When blonde espresso is used as the base for any of these well-known coffee beverages, like a latte or cappuccino, these numbers shift considerably.

Is Blonde Roast Only for Espresso?

Not really, you can make any common coffee you like with blonde roast. Many use it to make Latte whether iced or not. But I use it to make espresso. It tastes nice, it’s not strong – I can drink it all day long. 

Is Blond espresso healthier?

You can’t really tell that it’s healthier cause as mentioned previously it contains more caffeine, so if coffee keeps you awake at night it’s better not to buy it. 

Does Blonde espresso taste more bitter

In my opinion it has a sour yet sweet taste than medium roast and dark ones. So if you don’t like bitter coffee you can try other roasts. 

Is blonde espresso sweeter

It does a sweet kick, yes. It’s probably because it’s not roasted like the other types. I have it without sugar and it tastes fantastic. Vietnamese coffee is another sweet coffee you need to check out.