Best Light Roast Coffee: 9 Brands for the Perfect Brew (2024)
Are you looking for a mellow yet impactful way to start your day? Then the light roast brew is likely for you.
Light roast blends are coffee beans that have been roasted in low temperatures for long periods and often have acidic and fruity notes in their flavor.
Whether you want to switch up your daily coffee routine or just love trying different types of brew, these are our picks for the best light roast coffees you have to try.
Our Top Pick: Lifeboost Optimist Light Roast
Exclusive: Lifeboost currently offers Emergent Brew readers free shipping and 50% off 3 12-oz. bags of their premium coffee. Use this link to get the special offer.
Lifeboost’s Optimist Light Roast blend is one of the smoothest, most flavorful coffee experiences you’ll ever have. Made with 100% Arabica bean, the natural flavors and acidity are given a chance to shine through without being too overpowering.
A problem many light roast coffee blends have is being too acidic in addition to having an unpleasant aftertaste. While light roasts are known for their acidity, they can become overbearing when left unchecked, which is why we prefer Lifeboost’s brew.
See, Optimist Light Roast is made with low-acidic beans that pack a slight punch but overall go down smooth, which is why we adore it so much.
Admittedly, Lifeboost’s brand is a bit on the pricey side, but it’s well worth it, especially if you’re selective with your coffee. Also, since the beans are low acidity, people with sensitive guts or who suffer from acid reflux can also enjoy this splendid brew.
Overall, Lifeboost’s Optimist Light Roast lives up to its name and numerous positive reviews as it makes its way to the top of our list as the best light roast coffee. It doesn’t get much better than this, though the other options below are pretty good as well.
Pros
- Pleasant aftertaste
- Goes down smooth
- Low acidity
- Great taste
- Responsive company if you have any issues
- Non-GMO
Cons
- A little expensive
- Not the strongest coffee
Other Picks for the Best Light Roast Coffee
While Lifeboost Optimist Light Roast is our favorite, there are many other incredible options out there to choose from. Here are the best light roast coffee brews the has to offer:
Hawaii Company Lion Gold Roast Coffee
Coffee isn’t just for the connoisseurs of the world; it’s for the everyday person on a budget. The thing is, you don’t have to shell out big bucks to get a good brew that has a delicious taste. Lion Gold Roast by the Hawaii Company is a humble yet highly flavorful mix of light roast coffee beans you’re sure to enjoy.
This specific blend is engineered for those early mornings when you need something that isn’t heavy but packs a punch. It has a mellow, soft taste that goes down with ease and ends off each sip with a light, citrusy aftertaste.
Caffeine addicts and general coffee enjoyers can rejoice, as this casual yet inviting flavor is both accessible and affordable, so there’s no reason not to enjoy a hot cup of Lion Gold Roast coffee.
Pros
- Not very bitter, light tasting
- Inexpensive
- Four different size options
- Caffeine provides a noticeable kick to start your day
Cons
- Marketed as a light roast but tastes more like a medium roast
- It doesn’t have the signature acidity of traditional light roasts
Volcanica Haitan Blue Coffee
Emergent Brew Exclusive: Use the coupon code SAVE5 to get 5% off your next Volcanica order. Use this link to get the special offer.
Hailing from the lush Caribbean lands of Haiti, you know you can expect something good. Volcanica’s Haitian Blue coffee is a tropical brew that is cultivated at high altitudes and patio-dried.
As for the texture, it’s polished and goes down effortlessly. The flavor is also quite lovely, as there are hints of almond butter, tropical fruits, and cream. It has a natural taste, and you can determine the freshness after just one sip.
It doesn’t get much better than this. Frankly, Volcanica’s blends are somewhat of a sleeper brand on the coffee scene, and we’d honestly like to see them get more love. After all, while their coffee blends are slightly more expensive, they make up for it with great taste and exotic flavors. Definitely one of the best light roast coffees on this list.
Pros
- A creamy, buttery texture that goes down easily
- Tropical notes bring out the zestiness of the coffee
- Kosher-certified
Cons
- Relatively pricey
- Limited customer reviews
Koa Coffee Kona Panama Geisha Blend
Koa’s intriguing brew is a blend of half Kona Coffee and half Panama Geisha coffee. It’s a delicious mix that gives off slightly sweet floral notes and a hint of citrusy acidity. It has a lovely flowery fragrance that pairs well with the rich and complex flavor palette.
The coffee beans themselves are entirely handpicked and offer a medium degree of acidity. While the coffee has an extremely high price point, it’s probably one of the best Hawaiian coffee blends on the market. It won’t make its way to your everyday caffeine routine, but it is a nice treat to indulge in on special occasions.
If you’re looking for a wide array of floral, fruity, sweet, acidic, citrusy, and earthy flavors, the Kona Panama Geisha Blend is definitely worth a try.
Pros
- It has a many-sided flavor palette
- Sourced from fertile volcanic soils
- Full of delicious tropical notes
- Smells amazing
Cons
- Really expensive
- Limited supply
- Only available for a short period of time
Bulletproof Breakfast Blend
If you’re looking to start your day with a ton of flavor, then we recommend the Bulletproof Breakfast Blend to you. It’s a nice mix of chocolate, orange, and berry flavors that provides a subtle acidity as well as a satisfying aroma.
Similar to Lion Gold Roast, Bulletproof’s bright breakfast blend is affordable and perfect for mornings when you’re feeling tired and groggy. There are k-cup variations available on their main site as this brand is made for quick and convenient coffee.
One of the top features we look for when determining a coffee’s worth is how smoothly it goes down. Well, you can down this one like juice; it’s just that smooth. The milk chocolate and sweet flavors ease out the faint bitterness, and while you know you’re drinking coffee, it’s almost like you’re not.
All in all: the best light roast coffee, especially if you’re on a keto diet, which is what bulletproof coffee specializes in.
Pros
- Affordable
- Sustainably produced
- It has a flavor combination that synergizes well
- Smooth
Cons
- A bit heavy for a light roast
- Other notes overpower the coffee flavor
Emergent Brew Exclusive: BulletProof gives Emergent Brew readers 15% off any order (valid storewide). Just enter the coupon code EMERGENT15 at checkout. Here's the link to get the special offer.
Lifeboost Africa Light
Exclusive: Lifeboost currently offers Emergent Brew readers free shipping and 50% off 3 12-oz. bags of their premium coffee. Use this link to get the special offer.
If Lifeboost excels at anything, it’s making a pretty darn good cup of coffee. The light roast version of their African blend is quite the experience, and we highly recommend trying it if you enjoyed our top pick.
Derived from regional tastes across Africa, this docile blend has delicious notes of raw sugar, vanilla, black tea, and fruits. It’s rustic in taste, and while it doesn’t go down as smoothly as other light roasts, it’s surprisingly mellow. The acidity is just right, and the flavors work in tandem to create a unique, unified blend.
When you brew up some of Lifeboost’s Africa Light blend, you can expect your house to become enamored in the sweet, toasty scents of African coffee as you prepare to take that satisfying first sip from your mug.
Pros
- Acidity levels are perfect
- Unique yet rich flavor
- Various packaging options
Cons
- Pricey
- It doesn’t go down the smoothest
- Responsive company
1st in Coffee Rwanda Beans
Another fantastic option for African coffee is 1st in Coffee’s Rwanda light roast. When you grind up these beans and brew them into a mug of mud, you get vibrant tones of lemon and grapefruit, which are evened out by the subtle sweetness that comes along in tandem.
Rwanda beans are cultivated in volcanic soil and humid temperatures, which impart an earthy, natural feel to the coffee. This brand also produces its coffee sustainably and uses environmentally friendly harvesting methods, so you don’t have to worry about where your daily caffeine comes from.
Overall, these beans are pretty high-quality and bold in flavor. Additionally, the coffee is completely organic, affordable, and goes down quite smoothly. If you’re into African coffee this is one of the best light roast coffees we’ve tried so far.
Pros
- Organic and sustainably produced
- Toxin-free
- Deliciously distinctive
Cons
- Slightly more bitter than similar blends
- Only comes as beans (no pre-grounded options)
Volcanica Los Angeles Light Roast Espresso
Emergent Brew Exclusive: Use the coupon code SAVE5 to get 5% off your next Volcanica order. Use this link to get the special offer.
Volcanica’s fragrant city blend combines beans from Brazil, Colombia, and Ethiopia to create a citrusy, sweet flavor that goes down the throat with ease. This Los Angeles Brew has notes of lemon and berry and leaves a gentle nutty aftertaste. If you like espresso, it’s the best light roast coffee to enjoy at any time of the day and provides a kick of caffeine to your busy routine.
If you know anything about espresso, it’s that most blends are dark roasted. This is because the Italian brewing style focuses on compressing flavors over longer periods to remove the heavy acidity.
Volanica’s Los Angeles Espresso has been engineered to be a light roast coffee with low-acidity levels. This way, espresso lovers can enjoy the coffee style in both dark and light-roasted variations. It still has that slight acidity and smooth flavor of a light roast but retains the nuance and sweetness of a dark.
Overall, if you’ve got an espresso machine, you’ll strongly want to consider implementing this during your afternoon coffee schedule.
Pros
- Packs a punch
- It goes down smoothly, especially for espresso
- Kosher Certified
Cons
- Requires an espresso machine for efficient brewing
- It needs milk or sugar to balance it out
Koa Waialua Estate Whole Bean Coffee
Technically, this one is sold as a medium roast, but upon closer inspection, it’s more attuned to a light roast. Given the fact that the company only markets medium and dark roasts, it’s unsurprising that this blend fell into a higher roast category.
Still, since this one was so good, we couldn’t leave it out, despite the classification issue.
The flavor notes of Waialua Estate Whole Bean coffee are lightly chocolate and full of floral aftertaste. It’s an incredibly fragrant blend and has a mildly tropical touch. Like most other light roasts, it’s mellow, goes down smoothly, and has a slight acidic bite.
In our opinion, it’s one of the best Hawaiian coffees you can get, and it’s well worth its higher-than-average price point.
Pros
- Full-bodied and well-rounded flavor
- Sweet and has low-acidity levels
- Unique cultivation setting
Cons
- Once again, it’s more on the expensive side
- It is a light roast, despite being marketed as medium
- Stock isn’t always available
In Conclusion
While our top pick for the best light roast coffee might be Lifeboost’s Optimist Blend, there are still many different flavors and regional brews to try on this list.
Which blend you choose to try first depends on your personal tastes and coffee preferences, but we will say that every single entry on this list is undeniably unique and unforgettable in its own way.
Ready to read more coffee-related guides and recommendations? Check out our our other blog posts, where you’ll learn everything you need to know about brewing, drinking, and buying coffee.