Why trust this guide?

We’re Jeremiah and Raja — The Coffee Twins. We roast all our own coffee in England. Specifically, two of our eight coffees are light roasts (Jojo Ethiopian Limu, and Parrot Brazilian Cerrado), so we know how light roasts behave, what they taste like, and which brewers bring out their best. Furthermore, this guide is the honest version of what we’d teach a customer who’d never tried one before.

Table of contents

1. What is a light roast coffee? (The technical definition)
2. How light roast coffee actually tastes
3. Light roast vs medium roast vs dark roast
4. Does light roast have more caffeine?
5. How to spot a light roast in the bag and the cup
6. The best brewing methods for light roast
7. Brewers to avoid with light roasts
8. Our light roasts: Jojo and Parrot
9. Should you try a light roast?
10. FAQ

What Is a Light Roast Coffee? (The Technical Definition)

A light roast is coffee that’s been roasted for the shortest time at the lowest temperatures of any roast level. Specifically, coffee beans are roasted in batches in commercial roasters, and the roast level is determined by when the roaster stops the process.

Here’s what happens during roasting:

• First crack: Around 196–205°C, the beans audibly crack as moisture vaporises and expands. Furthermore, this is when light roasts are typically pulled.
• Light roast finish: Just after first crack — beans are light brown, dry on the surface (no oil), with no visible darkening.
• Medium roast finish: A minute or two after first crack — beans are medium brown, dry.
• Dark roast finish: At or just before “second crack” (around 224°C) — beans are dark brown to nearly black, often visibly oily on the surface.

In short, the longer you roast, the darker the bean. Specifically, light roasts spend the least time at high temperatures. As a result, they preserve more of the bean’s original character.

How Light Roast Coffee Actually Tastes

This is where the magic happens. Specifically, light roasts taste fundamentally different from medium or dark roasts — and once you’ve tried one properly brewed, you’ll understand why.

The defining flavour characteristics

• Bright acidity: Lively, citrusy, sometimes winy. Furthermore, this is a feature, not a fault.
• Fruity or floral notes: Berries, stone fruit, jasmine, bergamot, citrus zest.
• Distinct origin character: Specifically, you can taste where the coffee was grown.
• Light body: Tea-like rather than syrupy.
• Clean finish: The coffee leaves your palate quickly, ready for the next sip.

What light roast does NOT taste like

• Not bitter — bitterness is mostly from dark roasting
• Not “strong” in the supermarket sense — strength here is complexity, not intensity
• Not chocolatey or roasty — those notes come from longer roasting
• Not heavy or full-bodied — light roasts are lighter on the tongue

Above all, the surprise for most UK drinkers trying a light roast for the first time is just how fruity coffee can naturally be. Specifically, our Jojo Ethiopian Limu has notes of stone fruit and red wine that genuinely don’t taste like “regular coffee” — and that’s the point.

Light Roast vs Medium Roast vs Dark Roast

Specifically, here’s how the three roast levels compare on the things that matter:

By the way, none of these is “better” than the others — they’re just different. Specifically, the right roast depends on what you want from the cup and how you brew it. Furthermore, dark roast suits espresso and milk drinks; light roast suits filter coffee and shows off origin character.

Does Light Roast Have More Caffeine?

Yes — slightly more, by weight. Specifically, the roasting process breaks down some caffeine molecules. As a result, dark roasts contain slightly less caffeine than light roasts of the same bean.

However, the difference is smaller than most people think:

• Same beans, light roast: ~85–100mg of caffeine per cup
• Same beans, dark roast: ~75–90mg of caffeine per cup

In other words, the difference is roughly 5–15mg per cup — small but real. Furthermore, the common assumption that “stronger-tasting coffee = more caffeine” is wrong. Specifically, dark roasts taste stronger because of flavour intensity, not caffeine content.

For more detail, see our UK guide to caffeine in coffee.

How to Spot a Light Roast in the Bag and the Cup

In the bag

• Colour: Light tan to medium brown — never dark brown or black
• Surface: Completely dry. Specifically, no visible oil on the beans
• Roast scale on the bag: 1/5 to 2.5/5 (or “light” / “blonde” / “cinnamon” roast)
• Tasting notes: Fruity, floral, citrusy, winy, tea-like — not chocolatey or roasty

In the cup

• Colour: Lighter brown than typical coffee
• Aroma: Floral, fruity, complex — not “coffee-shop coffee” smell
• First sip: Bright, lively, distinctly flavoured
• Finish: Clean — the coffee leaves your palate quickly

The Best Brewing Methods for Light Roast

Light roasts shine in specific brewers. Specifically, the methods that work best are paper-filter pour-overs and cold brewing. As a result, the brewing method preserves the origin character without dampening it.

V60 / pour-over (the gold standard)

Paper-filter pour-over brewing is the world’s preferred method for showing off light roasts. Specifically, the paper filter clarifies the coffee, removing oils and fines. As a result, the bright origin character comes through cleanly.

Recipe for our Jojo on a V60:

• 15g Jojo, ground medium-fine
• 250g water at 92–94°C
• Bloom with 30g water for 30 seconds
• Pour to 250g total, aiming to finish by 3:00

Chemex

Similar to V60 but with thicker filter paper. Furthermore, it produces an even cleaner cup. As a result, Chemex is brilliant for very bright, fruity light roasts.

AeroPress

Versatile and forgiving. Specifically, AeroPress recipes can be tailored to bring out the best in any light roast.

Cold brew

Cold brewing extracts gently over 12–18 hours. As a result, the slow extraction preserves the delicate fruity notes that hot brewing can sometimes flatten.

Filter machines

Standard drip coffee machines work fine with light roasts, provided they brew at a high enough temperature (above 90°C). Furthermore, single-cup pour-over machines like the Moccamaster are especially good.

Brewers to Avoid with Light Roasts

Specifically, some brewers don’t suit light roasts. As a result, you’ll get a sour, hollow, or thin cup if you use the wrong method.

Espresso machines

Light roasts can absolutely work in espresso, but they’re tricky. Specifically, light roasts need very fine grinding and careful dialling-in to extract properly. Furthermore, on a home espresso machine, light roasts often taste sour without expert technique. As a result, we’d save the light roasts for filter brewing on most home setups.

Moka pots

Moka pots’ pressure extraction emphasises body and roast character. Specifically, light roasts get lost in moka pots — the bright notes that make them special are masked. Therefore, save the light roasts for V60 and use dark roasts like our Ant in the moka pot.

Cafetière (French press)

The metal filter passes through oils and fines. Specifically, this works against the clean, bright character of light roasts. As a result, cafetière brewing tends to muddy light roasts. By contrast, it’s perfect for medium-to-dark coffees like our Komodo.

Bean-to-cup machines

Most bean-to-cup machines (Sage Oracle, De’Longhi, etc.) struggle with light roasts. Specifically, the grinder settings and pre-infusion are calibrated for medium-to-dark blends. Therefore, use a medium-roast blend like our Bobo in bean-to-cup machines.

Our Light Roasts: Jojo and Parrot

Two of our eight coffees are light roasts. Specifically, each one showcases what light roasting can do with a different origin.

Jojo (Ethiopian Limu single origin)

Jojo is our flagship light roast — and the coffee that most clearly shows what light roasting unlocks. Specifically, Ethiopian Limu beans are naturally fruity and complex. Furthermore, the light roast preserves the stone fruit, red wine, and sweet floral notes that make Ethiopian coffee internationally famous.

In the cup, Jojo tastes like a different drink to most UK supermarket coffee — closer to a delicate red wine than to “instant coffee.” As a result, it’s the coffee we recommend to anyone curious about what speciality coffee can really taste like.

Best brewer for Jojo: V60 or Chemex.

Parrot (Brazilian Cerrado single origin)

Parrot is our gentler light roast — Brazilian rather than Ethiopian, with nutty and chocolatey character instead of fruity brightness. Specifically, Brazilian coffee is naturally low-acidity and rounded, so light roasting brings out sweetness without the wild flavour intensity of Jojo.

As a result, Parrot is the perfect “first light roast” for someone curious to try but not quite ready for the fruit-bomb Ethiopian experience.

Best brewer for Parrot: V60, AeroPress, or cold brew.

Should You Try a Light Roast?

Honestly, yes — at least once. Specifically, here’s why:

Light roast is what speciality coffee actually is. Furthermore, when coffee experts talk about “tasting notes” and “origin character,” they’re almost always talking about light to medium-light roasts. As a result, if you’ve never had a proper light roast, you’ve never tasted what speciality coffee is really about.

It might change how you think about coffee. Specifically, drinking a fruity Ethiopian for the first time genuinely makes most people say “this is coffee?” — in a good way.

It pairs brilliantly with food. By contrast to bitter dark roasts, light roasts cut through fatty breakfast foods, complement pastries, and work beautifully as an after-dinner alternative to dessert wine.

Who might NOT enjoy light roast

Specifically, light roast isn’t for everyone:

• If you drink your coffee with lots of milk: Light roasts get lost in milk. Therefore, stick to medium-to-dark blends like Bobo or Audley for lattes and flat whites.
• If you only have an espresso machine: Light roasts are difficult to extract on home espresso machines. As a result, you may find them sour.
• If you have a sensitive stomach: Light roasts contain more chlorogenic acid (broken down during longer roasting). Furthermore, this can trigger discomfort for some.
• If you prefer comforting, familiar coffee flavour: Specifically, light roasts can taste unusual to people used to supermarket coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a light roast coffee?

A light roast is coffee that’s been roasted for the shortest time at the lowest temperatures of any roast level. Specifically, the roasting is stopped just after the “first crack” at around 196–205°C. As a result, light roasts retain more of the bean’s natural origin character, including bright acidity, fruity or floral notes, and complex flavour.

What does light roast coffee taste like?

Light roast coffee tastes bright, fruity, floral, and clean — fundamentally different from medium or dark roasts. Specifically, you might taste notes of berries, stone fruit, citrus, jasmine, or red wine. Furthermore, light roasts have a lighter body (more tea-like than syrupy) and no chocolatey or roasty notes.

Does light roast have more caffeine than dark roast?

Slightly yes. Specifically, dark roasting breaks down some caffeine molecules. As a result, the same beans light-roasted contain roughly 5–15mg more caffeine per cup than dark-roasted. By the way, the difference is smaller than most people think.

Is light roast coffee stronger than dark roast?

It depends what you mean by “strong.” Light roast contains slightly more caffeine. By contrast, dark roast tastes more intense and bitter. Specifically, “strength” in flavour comes from dark roasting, while “strength” in caffeine comes from light roasting. Therefore, the words “strong” and “weak” are often misleading.

How do I brew a light roast coffee?

Use a paper-filter pour-over method — V60, Chemex, AeroPress, or a filter machine. Specifically, brew with water at 92–94°C, use a medium-fine grind, and aim for a 2:30–3:30 total brew time. Furthermore, avoid espresso machines, moka pots, and cafetières for light roasts on most home setups.

Why is light roast coffee popular in speciality coffee?

Because light roasting preserves the origin character of the beans. Specifically, speciality coffee is about tasting where the coffee was grown — the country, the region, the farm, the processing method. As a result, light roasting lets all those flavours come through, while dark roasting masks them under roasted-bean character.

Can I make a latte with light roast coffee?

You can, but the flavour will largely be lost. Specifically, light roasts have delicate fruit and floral notes that disappear in milk. Therefore, for milk drinks (lattes, flat whites, cappuccinos), use medium-to-dark blends like our Bobo or Audley.

Where can I buy light roast coffee in the UK?

The Coffee Twins — we roast all our coffee in England. Specifically, our two light roasts are Jojo (Ethiopian Limu, fruity and winy) and Parrot (Brazilian Cerrado, sweet and nutty). Both £9.50 / 250g. Furthermore, free UK shipping over £30. Use NEW10 for 10% off your first order.

Summary

A light roast coffee is a coffee bean roasted for the shortest time at the lowest temperatures — typically pulled just after the first crack at around 196–205°C. Specifically, light roasts retain more of the bean’s natural origin character: bright acidity, fruity or floral notes, complex flavour, and a clean finish.

For brewing, light roasts shine in paper-filter pour-over methods like the V60, Chemex, and AeroPress. By contrast, they’re less suited to espresso machines, moka pots, and cafetières at home.

From our range, Jojo (Ethiopian Limu — fruity and winy) is the showcase light roast. Furthermore, Parrot (Brazilian Cerrado — sweet and nutty) is the gentler introduction. Above all, both are £9.50 / 250g, roasted in England, dispatched within 24 hours.

Try Jojo — Our Ethiopian Light Roast →