The Brew Blog

Ethiopian light roast is the benchmark for the entire category — why the genetics, altitude, and processing of Ethiopian coffee make it the reference point for light roast globally.

The five best coffee origins for light roast — Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, Panama Gesha, and Rwanda — and what makes each one distinct in the cup.

Gedeb coffee is Ethiopia's high-altitude frontier within the Yirgacheffe zone — jasmine, bergamot, blueberry, peach. Grown from 1,800 to 2,200 meters.

Limu coffee is Ethiopia's most overlooked washed specialty origin — forest-garden grown, wine-bodied, floral. The washed Ethiopian that isn't Yirgacheffe.

Harrar coffee is Ethiopia's ancient natural-process origin — wild blueberry, dark fruit, chocolate. Traceability is the hard part when you go to buy it.

Sidamo coffee spans Ethiopia's most varied specialty terroir — floral washed lots, wild fermented naturals, and the sub-regions that became famous origins.