Medium-Dark vs Dark Roast: Which Hugo Coffee Is for You?

If you are deciding between a medium-dark and a dark roast, start with the cup you like to drink. Hugo makes two whole-bean coffees: Tummy Time, our medium-dark roast, and 4:40 AM, our dark roast. Both come in 340 g bags. Their listed tasting notes give you a more useful starting point than roast colour alone.

Tummy Time: medium-dark, with a sweet finish

Tummy Time is described on its product page as medium-bodied with balanced acidity, dark-chocolate notes, and a sweet, floral finish. If that combination sounds like your everyday cup, start here. It is the roast Hugo's mum reaches for between all the other moments in a busy morning.

The word “medium-dark” names its roast level. It does not tell you exactly how you will brew it or which tasting note you will notice first. Your grind, dose, water and brewer all affect the cup you make at home.

4:40 AM: dark, full-bodied and low in acidity

4:40 AM is Hugo's full-bodied dark roast. Its product description calls out low acidity, a rich aroma and a lingering finish. If you are looking for a fuller cup with those characteristics, this is the one to try first. It is Dad's cup for mornings that begin before the sun comes up.

“Low acidity” here describes the sensory profile on this product page. It is not a medical claim or a measured promise about how coffee will affect your stomach.

Compare the two cups

Tummy Time leans toward a balanced, medium-bodied cup with chocolate, sweetness and a floral finish. 4:40 AM leans toward a fuller body, lower perceived acidity and a rich aroma. These are Hugo's descriptions of these particular coffees; another medium-dark or dark roast may taste different.

Neither roast level alone tells you that one bag has more caffeine, that one cup will always taste stronger, or that one brewing method is required. The amount of coffee you use and how you brew it matter. If you want a repeatable filter starting point, our simple coffee ratio chart begins at 14 g of ground coffee for 250 mL of water.

Choose your next good morning

Try Tummy Time if the chocolate notes and sweeter finish sound inviting. Try 4:40 AM if you want the fuller, lower-acidity profile described above. You can buy either roast as a one-time bag for $25 CAD or subscribe at $22.50 CAD per 340 g bag, delivered every two weeks or monthly. Both are whole beans, so bring a grinder.

Compare both Hugo roasts in the shop, or choose a delivery schedule. Let your own cup make the final call.