Some people like their coffee strong, bold, and dark. However, many like light, smooth coffee that gives off a floral and light taste. Some also care about the source of the beans, insisting on nothing but organic coffee.
This article shares the best light roast organic coffee that should make easy-to-sip, great cups of java for you throughout the day.
The best light roast, organic coffees are:
- Volcanica Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Organic Light Roast
- Allegro Coffee Organic Light Roast Breakfast Blend
- Candy Tiger Nicaragua Organic Light Roast Low Acid
- Intelligentsia Organic El Gallo Light Roast Blend
- Cameron’s Organic Sumatran Light Roast Blend
Just want a quick recommendation to pick up and go? Check out Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Organic Light Roast from Volcanica Coffee.
Best Light Roast Organic Coffee
Volcanica Yirgacheffe Organic Light Roast
Why We Like This: Ethiopian coffees are known for their bright floral and fruity tastes. You get this with the Volcanica Yirgacheffe. The light roasting helps to keep the taste from being overpowered and makes it easy coffee sip anytime in the day.
Volcanica is a family-owned coffee roaster business based in Suwanee, Georgia. They focus on delivering high-quality single-origin coffee from around the world, with over 150 types on their website.
We chose the Yirgacheffe Organic Light Roast for this list because it is a single-origin Ethiopian coffee. Ethiopian coffee is known for being fruity and floral, which should combine well with light roasting. The Yirgacheffe is also not too edgy in its taste, which may attract or repel drinkers.
Light roasting ensures these taste notes remain in the coffee when you drink it instead of being overpowered by heavier notes common in dark roasts. The tasting notes for this coffee include lemon, blueberry, and blackberry.
The Volcanica Yirgacheffe Organic Light Roast is also USDA Organic certified. By buying this, you are supporting farmers who produce coffee beans to one of the highest organic standards.
Allegro Coffee Organic Light Roast Breakfast Blend
Why We Like This: It is a lightly roasted blend. Blended coffee tends to have a more balanced flavor, taking the edges off single-origin beans. This makes Allegro coffee a great way to start your morning.
Allegro is a local coffee roaster and cafe operator based in Denver, Colorado. It began roasting in 1977 and became part of Whole Foods in 1997.
One of Allegro’s best-selling offerings is the organic, light-roast breakfast blend. The coffee is a blend of organic coffees from Africa and South America. These beans were then given a light roasting to help preserve their natural flavors.
The light roasting blending of beans also helps to keep the coffee easy to drink and soft on the delivery, unlike darker roasts. Take a sip, and you may notice flavors such as milk chocolate, caramel, and citrus.
The blend is also USDA Organic certified, meaning the coffee farms fulfill the requirements for the beans to be certified organic.
Candy Tiger Nicaragua Organic Light Roast Low Acid
Why We Like This: This coffee may be an easy way to start with Nicaraguan single-origin beans. Lightly roasted to be easy to drink, it also carries the tastes common with Nicaraguan coffee, such as chocolate, cream, caramel, and vanilla. It is also easy on the stomach, being low in acidity.
Candy Tiger is a coffee roastery founded in Portland, Oregon, focused on roasting and selling high-quality, organic, single-origin beans. All beans used in Candy Tiger’s coffee are 100% Arabica.
This particular organic, light roast coffee became the list because of its additional edge. Aside from being organic and lightly roasted, it is also a single-origin Nicaraguan coffee and is a low-acid coffee.
Nicaraguan coffee is known for its creamy, richer taste. It may be a good place to start exploring single-origin coffee. The light roasting also preserves the taste of this coffee, making it a more pleasant experience.
Its easy-to-sip characteristics should be further amplified by its low acidity. This means this coffee should not cause digestion issues or symptoms like heartburn or gastric.
Tasting notes for this coffee include roasted almond and chocolate. The Candy Tiger Nicaraguan is also certified organic by USDA, which guarantees the authenticity of Candy Tiger’s claim.
Intelligentsia Organic El Gallo Light Roast Blend
Why We Like This: The El Gallo should make you great cups of coffee on slower mornings. The blend and light roasting make the coffee easy to sip without delivering overly strong punches.
Intelligentsia started in Chicago, Illinois, in 1995. It is known for producing high-quality coffee, as well as sourcing its coffee directly from farmers, using a system known as Direct Trade. This system helps farmers pay better for their produce, helping them achieve a better income.
Intelligentsia’s Organix El Gallo light roast is a blend of 100% organic arabica beans. The origin of the beans may change throughout the year to incorporate the freshest beans from harvest season. These beans are lightly roasted.
The results are cups of light, easy-drinking coffee with a round mouthfeel. The coffee may also carry tastes such as milk chocolate, honey, or cola. This makes the blend an excellent breakfast blend for you to drink and start your day.
Cameron’s Organic Sumatran Light Roast Blend
Why We Like This: This blend removes the sharper edges of Sumatran coffee. This way, you get to sample Sumatran coffee without being overpowered by its signature herbal, mushroomy, earthy taste. Call it dipping your toes into Sumatran coffee.
Cameron’s is a small-town coffee roaster, roasting great and hearty coffee with a dash of small-town charm. It is based in Shakopee, Minnesota, and has been operating since 1993.
Cameron’s organic Sumatran light roast made it into the list because it is not a common blend on top of being organic and a light roast. It has 16% Sumatran coffee mixed in with African and South American coffee.
Sumatran coffee is known for its earthy, herbal, and natural green taste. Some drinkers love it, while some don’t. This means drinking 100% single-origin Sumatran coffee may be a gamble since you may either love the whole bag or not enjoy it.
Cameron’s organic blend saves you from this problem. The other coffee in the blend removes the Sumatran coffee’s sharper edges, allowing you to sample a hint-like dose of the flavor.
What Is Organic Coffee?
Organic coffee is naturally grown without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or chemicals. Drinkers often associate organic coffee with better taste and aroma. Many organic coffee farmers are also given certifications such as USDA Organic or Fairtrade.
Organic coffee is grown without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or other chemicals. Instead, organic farmers use natural ways to keep their crops and the ecosystem around them healthy.
This could mean using compost and other natural fertilizers, planting cover crops to improve the health of the soil, and controlling pests with natural predators and other biological controls. Organic coffee may also be grown in certain areas with their own microclimates, soils, and altitudes.
Organic farming practices help to protect biodiversity, protect soil and water resources, and reduce pollution. Within the world of coffee drinkers, organic coffee is seen as of higher quality. It may carry a better flavor and aroma than common coffee.
Since organic coffee is farmed to the highest standards, they receive many certifications, such as Fairtrade or USDA organic certificate. These certifications ensure you consume the best coffee and allow the farmers to make a great living from their coffee.
What Is Light Roast Coffee?
Light roast coffee is coffee beans subjected to shorter roasting under lower temperatures. As a result, the coffee tends to retain more natural flavors. Light roast coffee is often used to create blends or make cold brews since it tastes softer.
Light roast coffee is roasted for less time than medium or dark coffee. The beans are roasted at a cooler temperature, usually between 356°F and 401°F (180 – 205°C).
Lightly roasted beans are removed from the roaster just after the first crack when the beans expand and let water out. Because the beans are roasted for less time, they keep more of their original flavors.
Lightly roasted coffee beans are usually light brown with a dry surface and no oil. The beans usually have a light, bright flavor. As a result, light roast coffee is a good choice for people who like a more subtle, nuanced flavor.
Light-roasted coffees are popular with many drinkers as they are very flexible. They make good coffee for pour-over, French press, and cold brew methods, which bring out the unique flavors of the coffee beans.
Light roast coffee is also the base for many blended and iced coffees because the flavor is often thought to be more refreshing and less overpowering.
When you drink light roasts, you may notice unique tastes that may be creamy, floral, herbal, or earthy.
How Do I Tell If A Coffee Is Lightly Roasted And Organic?
The packaging of the coffee will usually indicate the roasting darkness, as well as if they are organic. You can also check for the USDA Organic seal to confirm if the coffee is organic.
When shopping for coffee, generally, you should be able to tell if coffee is lightly roasted and organic by looking at the packaging.
To identify lightly roasted coffee, the packaging should mention light roasting. If none, you can try to look for wordings such as ‘light,’ ‘soft,’ or ‘breakfast.’ These may not 100% confirm the coffee is lightly roasted, but you can at least have some reference.
For organic status, the best way is to look for the seal of approval from the USDA (United States Department Of Agriculture). This should mean the coffee is certified organic and free from pesticides or chemicals.
Final Verdict
Finding the perfect cup of coffee can be a journey, but it’s worth it when you finally find the one that satisfies your taste buds.
The best light roast coffee brands mentioned in this article offer a variety of flavors, from fruity and floral to nutty and chocolatey. Experiment with different brands and roasts to find your favorite, and remember to savor every sip.
For a truly exceptional experience, we recommend the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Organic Light Roast from Volcanica Coffee.
