Roast level
Light roast
A light roast is roasted briefly and stopped early. It keeps the bean's own fruit, flowers and bright acidity.
- Taste Bright and fruity, with tea like body and sweet acidity. Notes such as citrus, berries, stone fruit and flowers.
- Best for Pour over, AeroPress, drip bags and filter coffee, drunk black.
Written by the KAIVO team, Mumbai. Last updated 4 November 2026. Cite as: KAIVO, "Light roast", kaivo.in/pages/roast-light-roast
A light roast is taken from the roaster soon after the first crack, a popping sound the beans make as they heat. The bean is light brown, dry and has no oil on the surface. Less roasting means more of the coffee's own character is kept, such as fruit, flowers and sweet acidity, and less of the toasted, bitter taste of the roast itself. It is usually tasted without milk.
Brews well with Pour over (V60), AeroPress, Chemex, Drip bag
A KAIVO blend for this
The Leap
A KAIVO blend that suits this roast level.
Light roast, tasting of cherries, mandarin orange, lime.
See The LeapQuestions
Is light roast stronger in caffeine?
Slightly more per scoop by volume in some cases, but the difference is small. By weight, caffeine is about the same, because roasting does not change it by much.
Which KAIVO blends are light roasts?
KAIVO lists The Leap and The Wildcard as light roasts.