SL28ave Senior Member Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 740 Location: Rockville, MD Expertise: I live coffee
Grinder: Baratza Virtuoso Drip: Technivorm
Posted Sat May 10, 2008, 9:34am Subject: The myth of acidity in coffee
From Terroir's latest newsletter (which I recommend you sign up for), which can also be seen towards the bottom of, http://www.terroircoffee.com/news/
"The myth of acidity in coffee:
Light roasted coffees are often considered highly acidic. In actuality, when measuring Ph even the highest grown, brightest coffees turn out to be only mildly acidic, when compared to other popular beverages. According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s The Coffee Cuppers’ Handbook is slightly more acidic than tea but less acidic than, in increasing degree of acidity, carbonated water, beer, apple juice, and colas. While coffee hovers around 5 on the pH scale, carbonated water is around 4.5 and the colas are well below 3!
Acidity is a positive term in coffee as it is for wine. It is what illuminates coffees, highlights sweetness, gives it sparkle and life, lifting it above the ordinary. If a coffee is unripe then the acidity can seem harsh due to astringency in the cup."
SL28ave Senior Member Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 740 Location: Rockville, MD Expertise: I live coffee
Grinder: Baratza Virtuoso Drip: Technivorm
Posted Sat May 10, 2008, 4:07pm Subject: Re: The myth of acidity in coffee
Hey there, Mark.
I don't know as much as I'd like, but here's my opinion. For those who have come via personal experience to the conclusion that light roasts are too acidic, unless you have an unusual sensitivity, I recommend that you recognize the insularity of your view rather than making the generalization that your conclusion applies with every coffee always. Kenyan coffee is the most acidic coffee there is, but the new arriving crops at Terroir will be fresher this year than ever before (Yes!!!), and the new gobby fatty mouthfeel of these Kenyans might supersede any reservations some may have had about Kenyan acidity.
The quality of acidity as opposed to quantity of acidity is important, and whether acidity is balanced by other flavors is important; this improves as harvesting, processing, freshness, etc improves. Then, brewing is a crucial variable on Coffeegeek, because everyone's doing it differently, and often brewing light roasts way too strong by using too many grounds. I believe the acidity of a light roast that was drip-brewed can seem sweeter, crisper, more effervescent and more pleasant than if it was French Pressed.
Espresso seems more difficult though. Kenyan espresso is a trick and a half, but I believe is possible; the nicest loooong aftertaste I've ever had, in fact.
In the end it's a matter of personal taste, but keep an open mind, and there's no reason to be afraid. I agree with George that what little acidity is there can be shaped into a lovely sparkle, spine and enhancer. In fact, it's often completely inseparable from the best flavors.
MarkPrince Moderator Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 4,655 Location: Vancouver Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Frankenstein'ed LM Linea Grinder: Anfim Super Caimano Vac Pot: 1922 Silex Drip: Krups Moka Brew Roaster: Hottop
Posted Sun May 11, 2008, 12:04am Subject: Re: The myth of acidity in coffee
The two most "acidic" coffees on a regular basis for me are Kenyans and Guats (Hue Hues sometimes, but usually Antiguas).
For me, acidity is amplified in two ways
- air roasting - light QUICK roastings.
I've taken some Kenyas in the past into a very slow ramp up on a digital hottop, and really muted out the acidity level. subtantially while maintaining a "light roast". Conversely, I've taken some medium acidity coffees (a couple of Panamas come to mind) through air roasting and it was like the brightness was under a magnifying glass.
I think if roasters follow a conventional roasting profile, and roast light, acidity is going to be magnified somewhat. If they adjust the profile for the light roast though, it's possible to really control and almost mould and massage it.
I'm not a fan of overly bright coffees. But I totally get what you're saying about the different "qualities" of acidity. Heck, it's even visible in cocktails with specific acidic components. I think about the Sidecar, for eg. I've had dozens and dozens of bar-made sidecars, and I can tell the difference between a) "sweet and sour mix", b) concentrated lemon juice (RealLemon, for eg), and c) fresh squeezed. Not just in the overall taste quality, but just in the sparkly brightness that the fresh squeezed lemon juice has. I even like to think I can tell the difference between production farm lemons (Sunkist) and organic, well sourced natural lemons... in a sidecar (but I think I'm just BS'ing myself on that one).
RayT Senior Member Joined: 11 May 2008 Posts: 8 Location: Glendale, AZ Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Sun May 11, 2008, 9:45pm Subject: Re: The myth of acidity in coffee
I wish I had saved the article now, but about a year or so back, someone had written that a majority of home roasters tended to roast much darker on average than what the typical "gourmet" coffee drinker would prefer.
They (sweet maria's, coffeereview? I forget) didn't get into the nuts and bolts of that, but I assumed since so many of us are doing this on the side, and are using less than full blown commercial methods, that we probably tend to roast out the tastes that we don't have time to massage.
Lately I've tried to get back to the basics, and started more experimenting again. Still with an air-roaster, but I can affect that a couple of different ways, and I'm going to build a gas-grill roaster in the next couple of weeks, so we'll see what I get.
harmolodic Senior Member Joined: 8 Aug 2006 Posts: 56 Location: DC Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon May 12, 2008, 8:59am Subject: Re: The myth of acidity in coffee
My observations as a relative novice may be interesting (and then again, they may not!).
I've been home roasting for 4 years or so, with increasingly better gear (now the Behmor) and while I think I can get a pretty good, even roast, I've never developed the "vocabulary" for discussing the flavors of coffee. I'm a huge fan of Guatemala and its coffees, so that's what I tend to roast the most.
I've come to favor Huehues and coffee from Coban, and gradually I'm correlating what experts say about them: the ones I like best often are "acidic." To me, they are both sweeter and earthier than ones not described a acidic...
So I guess I find the term acidic surprising, because from a lay perspective, there's nothing acidic about this sweet /bright/smoky thing I'm getting and liking so much.
The_Mighty_Bean Senior Member Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 458 Location: Bowie, MD Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: "Beauty" (the gentle and... Grinder: Gi-normous Rossi RR45; 100... Vac Pot: I just got lectured about... Drip: French press purist, have a... Roaster: Borrowed HearthWare...
Posted Mon May 12, 2008, 9:10am Subject: Re: The myth of acidity in coffee
harmolodic Said:
My observations as a relative novice may be interesting (and then again, they may not!).
I've been home roasting for 4 years or so, with increasingly better gear (now the Behmor) and while I think I can get a pretty good, even roast, I've never developed the "vocabulary" for discussing the flavors of coffee. I'm a huge fan of Guatemala and its coffees, so that's what I tend to roast the most.
I've come to favor Huehues and coffee from Coban, and gradually I'm correlating what experts say about them: the ones I like best often are "acidic." To me, they are both sweeter and earthier than ones not described a acidic...
So I guess I find the term acidic surprising, because from a lay perspective, there's nothing acidic about this sweet /bright/smoky thing I'm getting and liking so much.
Posted Mon May 12, 2008, 10:28am Subject: Re: The myth of acidity in coffee
I roast with a thermometer/variac controlled Poppery I exclusively for espresso brewing. My primary cup is a Capp, (so for straight espresso, YMMV: most prefer somewhat more muted for straight espresso). I love Guatemala Bourbons for origin character and balance. For my taste, I like to end my roasts before second crack in the City+ to Full City range, depending on the bean. I like a snappy acidity and clear origin character with a balance of roast flavors (without the bittersweet pungency that comes with second crack dark roasts) I have found the 'acid control knob' is the time stretch from first crack to end of roast. (and to some degree the final ramp approaching first crack) I have found this time segment of the roast quite sensitive to origin character and acid level in the roast: 30 seconds difference is quite noticable. The key to a balanced lighter roast is to be able to control your roaster to slow the final finish temps long enough to develop the roast without heading into second crack. I have found (for my taste and roaster....) that 3-4 minutes from begin of first crack to end of roast works well for most beans. Much longer tends towards flat and much shorter is under-developed and/or sour.
Actually, it pretty much does! so if I think of the tanginess of, say, fresh lime juice as "acidic," that's the brightness I'm looking for? And I'm just confusing myself by also thinking about the sweetness?
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