Acidity in coffee - causes, differences and our tips

The acidity in coffee is a divisive issue, or rather the tastes of coffee lovers. Some love it, others are happy to do without it. However, acidity is an important component of coffee and very important for the balance in taste. A balance that we at Desta's Coffee fine-tune in order to surprise our customers with the best coffee experience.

Taste is fundamentally based on a learned pattern. What we like and what we don't like goes hand in hand with previous experience. According to the proverb “What the farmer doesn't know, he doesn't eat”, the majority of people are not adventurous by nature. When it comes to coffee, however, many people are taught better when they travel and get to know new tastes. It is not uncommon for people to realize that coffee has many different tastes. And this is mainly due to one factor: the acidity.

Coffee has to taste good - for everyone

Anyone who is more familiar with specialty coffee has certainly already drunk coffee with a higher acid content. Some have stuck with it, others don't like it. Sour coffee can be described as “hipster coffee”, but it is actually nothing more than a niche product that the majority of coffee lovers would not prefer. For Destas Coffee, acidity is an element in coffee that should round off the flavor bouquet, but not drown it out. Because our coffee should taste good to everyone.

Roasting for the right acidity

At Destas' Coffee, we aim to offer a coffee that is balanced and tastes good to everyone. Accordingly, we are committed to ensuring that the coffee beans picked with great care from our own organic farm are also processed to the highest quality. Our Arabica coffee grows on humus-rich soils in the Ethiopian highlands of Kaffa, the origin of coffee. We roast carefully using a proven long-term process. Because longer roasting times and higher final temperatures minimize the organic acids in our coffee - which benefits the flavour bouquet. This processing method not only makes the coffee more digestible, it also simply tastes finer. Our Arabicas are correspondingly balanced and guarantee maximum coffee enjoyment.

What types of acidity are there?

There are good and bad acids in coffee. The good acidity spectrum gives the coffee complexity and tension and lends it a kind of freshness. This is often associated with the subtle taste of various fruits. Poor acidity quickly becomes “aggressive” in taste, dries out the palate or can even be perceived as slightly pungent. Especially if the coffee has very little or no sweetness, the majority of consumers are quickly irritated. Green coffee has a spectrum of almost 40 different acids. The longer and the darker the coffee is roasted, the more the perceptible acids break down. The aroma therefore changes. Basically, we distinguish between five types of acidity in coffee, which are also perceptible to the layman in the flavor bouquet:

Citric acidity

Citric acidity has the highest concentration in coffee. In terms of taste, it is reminiscent of the citrus fruit range (lemons, oranges, limes).

Malic acid

In addition to apples and pears, malic acid is also found in rhubarb. Its presence in coffee is similar to that of citric acid, although it can be perceived in a more differentiated way and has a somewhat more “palatable” taste.

Phosphoric acid

With phosphoric acid, we have arrived at the mineral acids. It tastes rather bitter and has a regular place in Kenyan coffees. This is due to the nutrient-rich soil and the fertilization of the coffee plants there.

Acetic acid

Acetic acid is probably the most unpleasant perceptible acid. If a coffee comes from uncontrolled fermentation, the acetic acid develops unstoppably. If the process is controlled, the acetic acid can become selectively fruity and thus develop a balanced overall impression.

Lactic acid

Lactic acid changes the taste of the coffee into a sour, heavy and rather bitter flavor. Targeted fermentation increases the proportion of lactic acid in the coffee, which influences the texture of the coffee in its softness.

Get the most out of your coffee

Whether you like yout coffee in whole beans, ground or in capsules - in our store you will find everything you need for the perfect coffee experience. Start your journey to better coffee now!