Let's talk about acidity in coffee. It's a topic that you start hearing quite often when you enter the world of Specialty Coffee, and to a certain extent, a bit strangely because its normal to have negative perspective on acidic things. In coffee, acidity is very important, just as it is in wine and other liquids we consume. It's an attribute that adds a lot to this beverage because it's that funny element that makes our mouths water, gives life to coffee, and helps us determine how complex the cup of coffee is.
To understand acidity, let's first talk about the different attributes of coffee. A cup of coffee is evaluated by taking into account sweetness, acidity, bitterness, body, and aftertaste. And for it to be good coffee, there must be a balance between these five attributes. The key is balance; nothing can stand out above any other. Some people have asked me, but how can coffee be sweet and acidic if, for me, it's always been bitter? That question is quite true, because we've been accustomed to drinking dark-roasted coffees, which dull the sweetness and brings out the bitterness.
That's why we recommend medium roasts, which preserves the coffee's sweetness, acidity, bitterness, body and aftertaste. We'll also be able to evaluate the coffee’s acidity more easily on this roasting conditions. Coffees, depending on their denomination of origin, will have particular acidity characteristics. In the Caribbean and Asia, the acidity is slightly lower and more mellow; in Central and South America, depending on the region, you'll find more fruity and citric acidity and in East African coffees, you'll find more floral and bright acidity.
There are several types of acidity in coffee, and they are the followings:
Citric: This is the most common. It's reminiscent of fruits like lemon, lime, oranges, and grapefruit.
Malic: Malic acidity is found in apples, particularly green apples, white grapes, and kiwis. It tends to be slightly astringent, but not entirely.
Tartaric: This type of acidity makes you salivate a lot, and you'll find notes of berries such as cherries and strawberries. You can also associate it with sour sweets.
Acetic: This is the wine-like acidity that reminds you of wine or vinegar, but it's important that it doesn't remind you of something highly fermented, because in this case it will be considerate as a defect.
Undoubtedly, acidity plays a very important role in coffee, and knowing how to identify it is very beneficial in order to know how you like your coffee. We invite you to train your palate by eating different fruits and being aware of the characteristics of acidity so that when you taste your coffee, you'll start to enjoy it a little more. You know, one more excuse to drink more coffee.
