light roast
noun
plural light roasts
: a coffee roast (see roast entry 2 sense 3) that is characterized by light brown coffee beans with a dry texture, high acidity, little bitterness, and high caffeine content and that is produced by roasting coffee beans at temperatures typically between 350-410°F (180-210°C)
Because subtle aromas and flavors have not been cooked out of the beans, light roasts will show individual notes like caramel, nuts, fruit, and cinnamon. Light roast also has a little more caffeine than medium and dark roasts.—
Lisa Kolb Ruland
Lisa Kolb RulandWhile many people enjoy light roasts, some feel that the flavor profile is too extreme. If you're going to enjoy a light roast, you'll want to pay even more attention to make sure you get a high-quality bean.—San Francisco Chronicle
compare dark roast, medium roast
San Francisco ChronicleExamples of light roast in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Best light roast Nespresso VertuoLine pods Solelio is a fruity and velvety blend of beans from Africa and South America.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 1 Jan. 2026
But black-coffee obsessives sometimes gravitate toward very light roasts, which are a bit more polarizing and, not coincidentally, can be harder to find.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
All are light roasts, aromatic and delicate, made for drip or pour-over or the nerdiest of espressos.
—Pete Cottell, Wired News, 24 Nov. 2025
Bend, Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery 5.5% ABV Black Butte porter has lovely flavors of light roast coffee and cocoa but is not super filling.
—Em Sauter, Forbes.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Hanna achieves this brand of coziness (think cinnamon, milk chocolate, or light roast coffee) in a matte coat.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2025
The highest levels of acrylamide were found in medium roasts, followed by light roasts and dark roasts.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
Witherspoon delivered a light roast tribute at an upscale event.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2025
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Bestreviews, Mercury News, 1 Jan. 2026
But black-coffee obsessives sometimes gravitate toward very light roasts, which are a bit more polarizing and, not coincidentally, can be harder to find.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
All are light roasts, aromatic and delicate, made for drip or pour-over or the nerdiest of espressos.
—Pete Cottell, Wired News, 24 Nov. 2025
Bend, Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery 5.5% ABV Black Butte porter has lovely flavors of light roast coffee and cocoa but is not super filling.
—Em Sauter, Forbes.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Hanna achieves this brand of coziness (think cinnamon, milk chocolate, or light roast coffee) in a matte coat.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2025
The highest levels of acrylamide were found in medium roasts, followed by light roasts and dark roasts.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
Witherspoon delivered a light roast tribute at an upscale event.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Light roast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/light%20roast. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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