Coffee Acidity, Explained

Spotted: a bag described as “bright” and “juicy,” and you nodding along without really knowing why. Let’s fix that, darling.

Short answer: Acidity is the bright, mouth-watering quality in coffee, the same thing that makes fruit taste fresh. It is not the same as sourness, and it is not a flaw. When a bag says “bright” or “juicy”, it is talking about acidity.

The five kinds you can taste

• Citric: The lemon-and-lime zing. Sharp and obvious. Common in Kenyan coffees
• Malic: Softer and rounder, like a crisp apple or pear. This is where “juicy” comes from
• Phosphoric: A clean, sparkling feeling more than a flavour
• Quinic: Sour and bitter together. It grows as coffee is roasted darker or left to go cold
• Fermentation acids: Lactic (creamy, yogurt-like) and acetic (sharp, vinegar-like). Behind the funky, boozy notes in experimental coffees

What changes acidity

Three things: where the coffee grew, how it was processed and how it was roasted. Higher-altitude coffees and washed coffees tend to taste brighter. Lighter roasts keep more acidity, fruit and florals. Darker roasts trade that for nuts, chocolate and a heavier body. Neither is better.

If you want more of it, or less

We sort our coffees by mood so you don’t need the vocabulary. Calm is chocolate and caramel with low acidity. Mood Swing adds some fruit and balance. Angry is for people chasing fruit and acid.

Quick answers

Is acidic coffee bad for my stomach?

Acidity as a tasting word is about flavour, not a medical measure. If bright coffees don’t sit well with you, try a Calm coffee or a cold brew, which tastes smoother.

Is sour coffee the same as acidic coffee?

No. Pleasant acidity tastes like ripe fruit. Sourness usually means the coffee was under-extracted. Grind a little finer and try again.

Which of your coffees is the least acidic?

The Mad House: chocolate, caramel and nuts.

Which is the brightest?

Kenya Malaki for citrus and passion fruit, or Sudan Rume for the full range.

Read next: Why Is My Coffee Sour or Bitter? Extraction, Explained · Light Roast vs Dark Roast: What Actually Changes · The Coffee Flavour Wheel: A Map, Not a Test

You know you love it.
xoxo, The Angry Roaster