What is the acidity of coffee and what types of acids are there in coffee? [What is the effect of acidity on the taste of coffee?]
In general, acidity is the amount of acid in any water-based solution. Acidity is measured using a PH meter. Most types of coffee are acidic and their pH is around 4.5 to 5.
Coffee acidity is one of the first things you feel when drinking coffee. This feeling can be a pleasant sharp taste, numbness on the tip of the tongue, or a feeling of dryness. Acidity indicates and describes the quality of coffee.
Premium coffees around the world that are grown at high altitudes and are known for their bright and alive acidity, include:
- Guatemalan coffee.
- Kenya coffee.
- Costa Rican coffee.
Coffee Acidity is always a topic of debate. Some people love it, while others are happy without it. However, acidity is an essential component of every coffee and is responsible for the balance of flavor. We explain why acidity is crucial and define what good and bad acids in coffee are.
Contents
What is the acidity of coffee?
Coffee acid is the same amount of acid or PH in coffee. Acidity is a term that refers to one of the main tastes of coffee and is related to the feeling it creates on the palate. Coffee without acidity is dead coffee. The acidity of coffee is often related to the planting area. The higher the height of seed cultivation and the higher the mineral content in the soil, the higher the acidity in coffee. This characteristic is felt in most of the Arabica coffees that grow in high altitudes.
Different flavors of acid, which include sour, sweet, citrus, chocolate, etc., affect these factors.
We will check 2 factors affecting the acidity or sourness of coffee below:
- The type of coffee: Arabica coffee has more acidity than Robusta coffee. You might wonder how acidic Robusta coffee is. When it comes to the acidity of Robusta beans, it can be said that it is lower compared to Arabica, making it the best choice for people with acidic stomachs.
- Degree of coffee roast: As you know, the less roasted coffee is, the more sour and acidic it tastes.
One of the important factors that affect the acidity of coffee is roasting. Both the duration and seeds’ roasting temperature are important in treating acidity.
What acids are there in coffee?
The acids in coffee can be divided into organic and chlorogenic.
Organic acids include the following acids:
- Citric: Citric acid creates a sour taste in coffee.
Phosphoric acid has a sweeter taste than other acids. This coffee acid can change the sour taste of citrus to a sweeter taste similar to grapefruit or mango. - Malik: It is the same acid found in green apples.
- Quinic: Chlorogenic acids are decomposed into quinic acids during the roasting process. Quinic acids do not taste well and cause bitterness, sour taste, astringency, and sourness of drinks.
- Acetic acid: In addition to the distinct vinegar taste, this acid also has a strong vinegar smell.
- Tartaric: Tartaric acid also produces a sour taste in high concentrations. However, at lower levels it can produce grape-like or wine notes in coffee because this acid is found in grapes.
Effects of Coffee Acid
Drinking coffee with high acid causes gastric reflux. Inflammation in the abdomen and an unpleasant feeling in the throat are common symptoms of acid reflux. The acidity of coffee affects problems such as gastric reflux, stomach ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome. Coffee cannot cause these diseases by itself, but it aggravates them.
Ways to reduce coffee acid
You can use milk or cream to reduce the amount of acid in coffee. But be careful that lightly roasted coffees are not compatible with adding milk due to high acidity.
Adding a small amount of salt to the coffee reduces the bitterness of the coffee and the acidity of the coffee. Before brewing coffee, add a little salt to the ground coffee.
By roasting the beans to a high degree, either dark or medium dark, the acidity of the coffee is reduced.
Preparing coffee with a cold brewing method reduces the amount of coffee acid.
The size of the coffee grinder is also effective in the amount of acidity. So a finer grind equals a more acidic coffee.
Use seeds that have less acidity. The market of low acidity seeds is expanding day by day.
Pay attention to the coffee habitat. Coffees grown at higher altitudes and lower temperatures ripen later and develop more complex flavors. When you brew these coffees, they have more acidity and aroma than coffees grown at lower altitudes and higher temperatures.
