Acidity in coffee: why it is not always a bad thing

“This coffee is acidic.”

It is a phrase you hear often. And most of the time, it is meant as something negative. But in the world of specialty coffee, acidity is not necessarily a defect. When it is well integrated, it can be one of the most beautiful parts of a cup.

The key is understanding what kind of acidity we are tasting.

A fresh, clean and pleasant acidity is not the same as an aggressive, green or unpleasant acidity. One can remind you of fruit, citrus or apple. The other can make coffee taste unbalanced or poorly extracted.

Acidity does not mean the coffee is bad

When we talk about acidity in coffee, we are not necessarily talking about something sour or unpleasant. We are talking about a lively, fresh and bright sensation that can bring balance to the cup.

In a good coffee, acidity can remind you of:

• orange
• mandarin
• green apple
• red berries
• grape
• sweet lemon
• tropical fruit

This sensation can make coffee more interesting, cleaner and more expressive.

Without acidity, many coffees would taste flat, heavy or dull.

Pleasant acidity vs unpleasant acidity

This is the important difference.

Pleasant acidity usually feels clean, juicy and balanced. It works together with the sweetness of the coffee and leaves a fresh sensation.

Unpleasant acidity can feel sharp, dry, green or too aggressive. In that case, it can come from several factors: an underdeveloped roast, incorrect extraction or simply a profile that does not match the drinker’s taste.

Good acidity does not disturb. It gives life.

Why some coffees have more acidity

Acidity can depend on many factors.

Coffees grown at higher altitudes often develop more complex and lively profiles. Some origins, such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia or certain Central American coffees, can show a more pronounced and elegant acidity.

Other factors also matter:

• variety
• process
• roast level
• freshness
• brewing method

A washed coffee, for example, often shows clearer and more defined acidity. A natural coffee can have a fruitier and sweeter acidity. A darker roast, on the other hand, usually reduces that sensation and moves the cup towards more bitter, roasted or chocolatey notes.

The role of brewing

Sometimes the problem is not the coffee, but the way it has been brewed.

If the grind is too coarse, water passes through too quickly and the coffee can be under-extracted. This often creates a cup that tastes sour, weak and unbalanced.

It can also happen when:

• too little coffee is used
• the water is too cold
• the extraction time is too short
• the recipe is not well adjusted

So before thinking that a coffee is “bad because it is acidic”, it is worth checking the brewing.

And what if you simply do not like acidity?

That is perfectly fine too.

Not every palate looks for the same thing. Some people enjoy bright, floral and citrusy coffees. Others prefer sweeter, rounder and more chocolatey profiles.

If you do not enjoy much acidity, you can look for coffees with notes of:

• chocolate
• cocoa
• nuts
• caramel
• panela
• ripe fruit

These profiles are usually more comfortable, especially for espresso, moka pot or automatic coffee machines.

A simple way to understand it

Think of acidity like fruit.

A juicy orange has acidity, but also sweetness. A green apple can be fresh and pleasant. Pure lemon can be too intense.

Coffee works in a similar way. Acidity is not bad by itself. What matters is that it is accompanied by sweetness, body and balance.

Specialty coffee has more nuance

Many people discover specialty coffee after years of drinking very dark, bitter or flat coffees. That is why, when they try a cleaner and more expressive coffee, acidity can be surprising at first.

But that surprise can also open a new door.

Suddenly, coffee no longer tastes only like “coffee”. It can remind you of fruit, flowers, cocoa, honey, nuts or caramel. That is where a very interesting part of the journey begins.

Something to remember

Acidity in coffee is not always a defect. It can mean freshness, liveliness and elegance.

The important thing is to distinguish between pleasant acidity and poorly balanced acidity.

At 98% Monkey, we look for coffees with character, but also with meaning. Some will be sweeter and rounder. Others will be livelier and more expressive. What matters is finding the profile you truly enjoy.