Tim Hortons Dark Roast vs. Original Blend
Bottom-line mindset
Pick your coffee like you pick your playlist: mood + use-case.
Choose Dark Roast for a deeper, lower-acidity cup with cocoa/bitter-sweet notes that holds up to milk and sugar.
Choose Original Blend for a classic, balanced cup with brighter aroma, gentle toastiness, and cleaner finish—especially black.
Flavor & aroma (what you actually taste)
Original Blend (medium roast profile)
Flavour: light toast, mild caramel, soft nut and cereal notes.
Aroma: classic café smell; a little brighter and more aromatic up front.
Finish: cleaner, quicker; less lingering bitterness.
Best for: everyday drinkers, black coffee, people who add just a splash of milk.
Dark Roast
Flavour: darker cocoa, roasted nuts, light smoke; bitterness rises if left on heat too long.
Aroma: heavier, “roastery” scent; lower fruit/brightness, more roast character.
Finish: longer and richer; pairs naturally with cream or sweetener.
Best for: lattes/iced coffees, sweet cream cold foam, or when you want a bolder cup.
Acidity & body
Acidity: Dark Roast drinks lower-acidity because roast development mutes the tangy/fruit acids. Original sits brighter but still gentle.
Body (mouthfeel): Dark Roast feels fuller/smoother; Original feels lighter/cleaner.
Translation: If coffee sometimes “bites back” on your stomach, Dark Roast is usually friendlier. If you prefer crisp and snappy, Original wins.
Caffeine reality check
Roast level slightly alters density. Per scoop, Dark Roast beans are less dense, so you often brew a tiny bit less caffeine than Original if you measure by volume.
Per gram of coffee, both are similar. If you weigh your grounds, caffeine differences are small; what changes most is flavour and perceived strength.
Practical tip: If you measure with a spoon and want equal kick, use a scant extra teaspoon of Dark Roast to match Original’s caffeine vibe.
Milk, cream, and sweetener performance
Dark Roast: Stays bold under cream, milk, sugar, flavoured syrup, and in iced builds—great for double-doubles and sweet cream.
Original Blend: Best black or with light milk. Heavy dairy can flatten its nuance; it’s still good, just subtler.
Brew methods (café vs. at home)
At the café
Hot drip: Original = balanced daily driver. Dark = richer cup that tastes “stronger,” even if caffeine is similar.
Iced coffee/iced latte: Dark Roast keeps flavour when diluted or chilled.
Refills/thermal holding: Original stays cleaner longer; Dark can edge bitter if kept too hot for too long—drink fresh.
At home (ground or whole-bean equivalent)
Ratios: Start 1:15 to 1:17 (coffee:water by weight). Dark leans richer at 1:15–1:16; Original shines clean at 1:16–1:17.
Water temp: 90–96 °C (just off boil). Too hot = more bitterness in Dark; too cool = flat, papery Original.
Grind: Medium for drip; medium-coarse for pour-over; coarse for French press.
Brew time: 3–4½ minutes for pour-over; 4 minutes for French press; auto-drip as per machine.
Iced & cold options
Iced coffee (hot brew over ice): Use Dark Roast or brew Original slightly stronger (1:14–1:15) to survive ice melt.
Cold brew (if you make it at home): Dark Roast = chocolatey and low-acid; Original = brighter and tea-like. Steep 12–16 hours in the fridge at 1:8, then dilute to taste.
Food pairings (because you’re in line anyway)
Original Blend: Old-fashioned plain, blueberry, or honey cruller; breakfast sandwiches on an English muffin; lighter pastries.
Dark Roast: Chocolate dip, Boston cream, maple or apple fritter; homestyle biscuit sandwiches; anything sweet or buttery.
If coffee tastes “off,” diagnose fast
Bitter/astringent: Water too hot, grind too fine, or brew sat on heat too long—especially with Dark Roast.
Sour/thin: Water too cool, grind too coarse, or under-extracted—often shows up in Original.
Papery: Paper filter not rinsed; run a quick hot rinse before brewing.
Watery iced: Brew stronger or chill coffee before ice; Dark Roast handles dilution better.
Health & calories
Black coffee: ~0–5 calories per cup for both roasts.
Add-ins drive calories: cream, sugar, flavour shots. Dark Roast simply tastes stronger, so some people add less syrup to feel satisfied.
Canada-first notes (useful nuance)
Consistency: Original Blend is the taste most Canadians associate with “Tims.” If you want that nostalgic profile, choose Original.
Winter mornings: Dark Roast cuts through milk and travel-mug heat loss better, so it can feel more satisfying in cold commutes.
Reusable cups: Bring a clean personal cup for a small discount; both roasts qualify.
Choose by scenario (quick picks)
Black coffee, everyday: Original Blend
Double-double / sweet cream / flavoured syrup: Dark Roast
Iced coffee / iced latte: Dark Roast (or stronger Original)
Sensitive stomach / lower perceived acidity: Dark Roast
Long study sessions (cleaner taste over time): Original Blend
With a chocolate doughnut: Dark Roast
With a blueberry muffin: Original Blend
At-home dial-ins (copy-and-brew)
Bright & clean Original (pour-over)
22 g coffee, medium-coarse grind → 360 g water at 93 °C → 3:15–3:45 total.
Taste: toasted cereal, light caramel, crisp finish.
Bold but smooth Dark (drip or pour-over)
24 g coffee, medium grind → 360 g water at 92 °C → ~3:30–4:00.
Taste: cocoa, roasted nut, gentle smoke; minimal bite.
Iced Dark Roast (no watery cup)
30 g coffee → 360 g water at 94 °C; bloom and brew.
Chill or brew over 150 g ice in the server. Add milk/syrup to taste.
Troubleshooting FAQ
Does Dark Roast have more caffeine?
Not meaningfully. Measured by weight, they’re similar. Measured by volume, Original can edge higher because those grounds are denser.
Why does Dark Roast taste “stronger”?
Roast compounds (caramelized sugars, Maillard products) increase perceived intensity and bitterness, even if caffeine is similar.
Which is less acidic on my stomach?
Dark Roast typically feels less acidic; fewer bright acids come through.
Which is better with oat/almond milk?
Dark Roast—its heavier roast note cuts through plant milks more reliably.
Why does my Dark Roast get bitter at home?
Likely too hot water, too fine grind, or over-extraction. Drop water to ~92–93 °C and coarsen the grind a notch.
The verdict
Pick Original Blend if you want the classic Tim Hortons taste: balanced, aromatic, and easy to drink black.
Pick Dark Roast if you want a fuller, lower-acidity cup that stands up to milk, sugar, and ice.
Caffeine differences are minor; flavour and mouthfeel are the real separators.
TL;DR (finally)
Original Blend: brighter aroma, cleaner finish, great black; pairs with lighter pastries.
Dark Roast: deeper cocoa/roast, lower perceived acidity, better with milk/syrup/ice.
Caffeine is similar by weight; Dark only feels stronger.
For iced or milky drinks, go Dark. For everyday black coffee, go Original.
Brew at 90–96 °C, ratio 1:15–1:17, and adjust grind to taste.
