"Something nutty and not acidic, please."
Sound familiar? Many people think of acidity in coffee as unpleasant, especially if they remember a sharp, biting sip that made them wince.
But that unpleasant sourness may not have been acidity at all. Today, let's separate two things that are easy to confuse: the natural acidity of the bean and the sourness of a poorly brewed cup.
Sourness: What Under-Extracted Coffee Leaves Behind
The taste that made us wince may not be the beans' fault. The real culprit could be under-extraction, when the coffee hasn't been brewed long or thoroughly enough.
When you brew coffee, its compounds don't dissolve all at once. They come out in order: acids first, then sweetness, and finally the bitter compounds and heavier body.
So what happens if extraction stops too early? The acidity is left on its own, while the sweetness that should balance it stays locked inside the grounds.
The result is a thin, flat cup with a vinegary sourness and little else in flavor or aroma.
The "acidity" you tasted at a café may simply have been sourness from under-extraction, a shortcut sometimes taken to serve drinks faster.
Acidity: The Bean's Natural Brightness
Coffee beans carry a natural brightness from the start, back when they were still inside the coffee cherry.
Citric acid, which brings to mind the zesty brightness of lemon, and malic acid, which evokes the sweet crispness of an apple, are among the acids behind a bean's acidity.
That's why you'll see words like "orange" and "jasmine" on a bag of Ethiopian beans. No flavorings are added. Those flavors are naturally in the beans.
In a good cup, that brightness blends with juicy sweetness.
Where Acidity Shines: Ethiopia and Kenya
If you want to experience great acidity, try beans from Ethiopia and Kenya.
In both countries, coffee grows in cool highlands between 1,500 and 2,200 meters above sea level. With low temperatures and big swings between day and night, the cherries ripen slowly and fill up with bright sweetness.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe offers layered notes of orange and florals, while Kenyan coffee is known for vivid, juicy tartness, like grapefruit or blackcurrant.
If you're new to acidic coffees, start with a medium roast rather than a very light one. As the coffee cools, you'll notice the fruity brightness becoming more distinct. It's great iced, too, almost like sipping a lemonade.
Give acidic coffee a try, and a whole new world of coffee opens up. Next time you spot tasting notes like "orange" or "berry" at a café, give it a shot.
Want to find your first acidic coffee that suits your taste? Check out CoffeeByMe's bean recommendations.