Though I'm not a barista, I do make a great cup of dark roast coffee. In the search for the best method for brewing dark roast coffee, we've tried a lot. We've brewed with Keurigs and Cusinarts, French Presses and Pour Overs. We even invested in a Miele countertop unit.



We've tried hundreds of different types and brands of beans, as well. Many we tolerated, some we tossed. A handful have made awesome cups of Joe.



This article is the result of much trial and error.



And just to ward off the coffee naysayers, coffee is good for you.



Of course, no matter how good for you it is, if it tastes bad, you're not going to want to drink it.



To help you avoid suffering through drinking subpar coffee, I've outlined the best way to make dark roast coffee, using a drip coffee maker.



I've also highlighted the best dark roast beans and the best equipment for making great coffee.







The Best Dark Roast Coffee Beans



This tutorial will help you make excellent dark roast coffee. If you're looking for the best light or medium roast beans, skip this section.



Medium roast coffee is acidic, and has floral or citrus flavors. To me, it tastes like someone tried to mix coffee and tea together. Yuck!



Dark roast coffee isn't acidic, or as acidic, and usually has notes of dark chocolate. It's rich and smooth. Some dark roasts have a smoky flavor.



When roasted just right, the coffee beans have a slight amount of oil on the surface.



Roasted too long, and the inside of your coffee bag will be wet with coffee oil. Don't bother brewing that stuff. It'll taste terrible.



On the other hand, some coffee makers label their beans as dark roast when they're actually medium roast.



I can tell from the moment I peel open the bag. Medium roast beans are completely dry. I hate throwing coffee away, and will always give it a try, but almost every time this has happened, we've thrown the coffee away after brewing the first pot.



The following are six of our favorite dark roast coffee beans.



I need to mention one more, which isn't shown since it's only a seasonal blend: Starbucks Christmas blend. It's also one of our favorites. If you've never tried it, buy a bag when you can. You won't be disappointed!



The Best Dark Roast Coffee



Tap on the bag of coffee to learn more.















































To make sure your beans stay fresh from the moment you open the bag until you brew the last of your beans:




Buy and use beans as close to the date they were roasted as possible



Store your coffee beans in a vacuum-sealed container (I cover this more in the coffee equipment section)



Avoid exposing the beans to excessive heat or sunlight



Buy whole beans and grind them yourself




The Best Coffee Brewing Equipment



To brew the best dark roast coffee, you'll need 4 pieces of equipment:




Coffee Storage Container



Digital Scale



Coffee Grinder



Drip Coffee Maker




The Best Coffee Storage Container: The Airscape®



Don't take this for granted. If you store your coffee beans in the bag they come in, a Ziplock bag, or a cheap, plastic container, don't do that. They'll lose their flavor too fast.



Oxygen, humidity, and heat ruin your coffee beans.



Contrary to what you might have heard, do not store your coffee beans in a Ziplock bag in the freezer. They should remain at room temperature and exposed to as little air as possible.



That's where the Airscape® container comes in.



After pouring your beans in the canister, you press down on the inner cover. As you do, the cover presses air out of the container, creating a vacuum. It's super slick.



We love the Airscape so much that I recently had custom VIGOR Training Airscape Kilos made. Some of the VIGOR Training members got the canister as a 2-year VIGORversary loyalty gift.



Since black coffee is the only pre-workout drink I recommend, it was quite fitting.







If you'd like to, get a plain Airscape Kilo on Amazon.