Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink
  3. Evergreens

The 8 best light roast coffees to energize your day

Try the crisp and acidic coffee blends

best light roast coffee pexels ifreestock 585753 006024
Toni Cuenca / Pexels

Light roast coffee is a go-to choice for the occasional coffee drinker or those who prefer a milder, more delicate roast. Unlike dark roast coffee, which is bold and rich, light roast coffee has an acidic, brighter taste that highlights the natural taste of the coffee bean.

Due to the milder taste of light roast coffee, these blends are typically brewed using traditional drip coffee makers or pour-over coffee makers. Unlike medium and dark roast coffees, light roast beans contain more moisture inside the bean as a result of their shorter roasting time.

Recommended Videos

While there are many brands of light roast coffees on the market, not all coffee blends are created equally. To help guide you, we’ve compiled a list of the best light roast coffee blends made from the most trustworthy and top-quality roasters.

Copper Moon Coffee Ethiopian Light Roast

Copper Moon Ethiopian blend
Copper Moon Coffee / Copper Moon Coffee

Copper Moon Coffee’s Ethiopian Light Roast is sourced from the Sidama Zone of Ethiopia, Africa, known as the birthplace of coffee. This best light roast coffee has light notes of grapefruit, nutty, graham and is made of 100% Arabica coffee beans. This blend is offered in a 12-ounce bag of ground coffee or a 2-lb bag of whole-bean coffee.

Specifications
Slightly nutty flavor profile
Single origin (harvested from a single source)

Buy at Amazon

Klatch Coffee Ethiopia Sidamo Dara Blend

Klatch Coffee Light Roast
Klatch Coffee

Klatch Coffee, a family-owned and run coffee company based in Southern California, is another go-to choice for light roast coffee lovers. The brand’s Ethiopia Sidamo Dara blend undergoes a slow fermentation for 24 to 48 hours in low ambient temperatures at high elevation, enhancing the coffee’s flavor. This best light roast coffee tastes smooth and balanced, with notes of jasmine, dried apricot, and citrus kumquat in every cup. Ethiopia Sidamo Dara blend is available in both whole bean and ground coffee bags.

Specifications
Washed through a slow fermentation process for 24 to 48 hours
Notes of dried apricot, jasmine, and citrus kumquat

Buy at Klatch Coffee

Chamberlain Coffee Early Bird Light Roast Coffee Blend

Chamberlain Coffee Early Bird
Chamberlain Coffee / Chamberlain Coffee

Crafted with love from California, Chamberlain Coffee’s Early Bird Blend is the perfect light roast coffee to start your morning. This crisp, bright, complex light roast coffee contains 100% Organic Arabica coffee beans sourced from Guatemala and Columbia. Featuring notes of green apple, sweet caramel, and creamy milk chocolate, it’s easy to see how this roast could become your new go-to for your morning brew. The Early Bird Blend is sold in 12 ounce bags (either whole bean or ground).

Specifications
100% Organic Arabica Coffee
Notes of caramel, milk chocolate, and citrus

Buy at Amazon Buy at Chamberlain Coffee

Bones Coffee Company Ethiopia Single-Origin Coffee

Ethiopia Blend
Bones Coffee Company / Bones Coffee Company

Bones Coffee Company’s Ethiopia Single-Origin coffee has the quality you can taste in every cup. Made from coffee beans grown at altitudes of 5,500 to 6,100 feet, each cup of this light roast coffee encapsulates the rich heritage of Ethiopian soil. The flavor of this roast features notes of berries, citrus, and slightly floral flavors. Beyond its delicious taste, you can also feel good about supporting this coffee, which is Rainforest Alliance™ Certified, a certification that supports ethical coffee farming practices.

Specifications
Available in whole bean or ground coffee bag (12 ounces)
Notes of citrus, floral, and berries

Buy at Amazon Buy at Walmart

Death Wish Coffee Organic Light Roast Blend

Death Wish Coffee light roast
Death Wish Coffee / Death Wish Coffee

Death Wish Coffee is well-known as a leader in Organic coffee products. The brand’s Organic light roast is the perfect way to energize your day, with hints of agave and golden raisins. This Certified Fair Trade and Organic light roast is a newer blend for the brand, which once specialized in only bold and dark coffee roasts. Each 16-ounce bag is made from a blend of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans.

Specifications
Fair Trade Certified and USDA-Organic
Flavor notes of golden raisins, agave, and plum

Buy at Amazon Buy at Walmart

Happy Coffee Extraordinary Light Roast Coffee Pods

Happy Light Roast Coffee
Happy Coffee / Happy Coffee

Responsibly grown and harvested in South America, Happy Coffee’s newest light roast is worth trying — especially for K-Cup drinkers. Made from 100% Arabica beans, each cup of this light roast coffee blend features a smooth, bright taste for a light, vibrant cup of coffee. In addition to packs of Happy Light Roast K-Cup pods, this blend is also available in whole bean and ground coffee forms.

Specifications
Available in K-Cups, ground coffee, or whole-bean coffee
Notes of toasted biscotti

Buy at Amazon Buy at Walmart

Life Boost Coffee Optimist Light Roast Coffee Blend

LifeBoost Optimist Blend
Life Boost Coffee / Life Boost Coffee

Life Boost’s Optimist Light Roast Blend is a bit of a splurge for a light roast coffee—yet worthwhile. This non-GMO, single-origin, USDA-organic, and shade-grown light roast coffee is amongst the healthiest coffee blends on the planet. Grown in the shady mountain rainforests of South America, this coffee is third-party tested for mycotoxins, heavy metals, pesticides, and 400 other toxins to ensure its exceptional quality.

Specifications
Toxin-tested to ensure top-quality
Single-origin, 100% Arabica beans

Buy at Amazon Buy at Lifeboost Coffee

Starbucks Blonde Roast Veranda Coffee Blend

Starbucks Veranda Blend
Starbucks / Starbucks

Starbucks fans can enjoy the popular Veranda light roast coffee blend at home, too. Available in 12-ounce bags, Starbucks’ Veranda Light Roast is a gourmet coffee blend that’s perfect for every day, complete with notes of toasted malt and baking chocolate. This at-home coffee adheres to the same quality standards used for coffee beans in Starbucks stores, made from 100% Arabica coffee beans.

Specifications
Available in grocery stores
Notes of toasted malt and baking chocolate

Buy at Walmart

Emily is a Features Writer at The Manual, where she specializes in food, beverage, and travel content. She focuses on weaving… Read Full Bio
Garrison Brothers is launching its second bottle-in-bond whiskey this month
Garrison Brothers Bottled in Bond

If you’re a fan of bold, high-proof whiskeys, you’ll love what the folks at Hye, Texas’ Garrison Brothers Distillery have in store for you. That’s because the first and oldest legal whiskey distillery in Texas is set to release its second bottled-in-bond whiskey: Garrison Brothers Bottled in Bond.

Garrison Brothers Bottled in Bond

Read more
Four Roses is releasing a chestnut wood finished bourbon that you need to try
Four Roses Experimental Series No. 003: Chestnut

Four Roses has been crafting award-winning bourbon since 1888. So, it’s safe to say they know a thing or two about releasing memorable whiskeys. Recently, the brand announced one of its most creative releases ever: Experimental Series No. 003: Chestnut.

Four Roses Experimental Series No. 003: Chestnut

Read more
Porsche and La Marzocco unveil limited-edition espresso machines inspired by 911
Porsche

Porsche and La Marzocco have joined forces for a second time to celebrate the worlds of sports cars, design, and coffee culture. The launch features espresso machines, coffee grinders, and home and lifestyle accessories all inspired by the legendary Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7. 

The exclusive Porsche x La Marzocco collection includes the limited-edition Linea Micra espresso machine, available in signature colors from the classic Porsche sports car, including Grand Prix White-Green and Tangerine-Black. Each of these exciting new colors is limited to only 911 pieces, honoring the car they’re inspired by. The collection also includes the Pico coffee grinder, espresso and cappuccino cups, hoodies, T-shirts, socks, caps, and more. The Porsche x La Marzocco collection will be sold through the Porsche Online Shop, select Porsche Design shops, and select Porsche Centers.

Read more