Coffee acidity is one of the key elements that experts use to evaluate coffee quality, but its type and concentration of organic acids also has an impactful role in body, sweetness and balance. Chlorogenic acids (CGAs) make up most of its acidity; citric and malic acids add brightness while quinic acid creates sharpness while phosphoric acid provides a clean balanced finish.

The amount of acid found in coffee depends on several variables, most significantly its roasting process. Dark roasts usually have lower acid levels due to acids being burned off during roasting and temperature/time of roasting also have an impactful role in acid content.

In our study, we observed that the OA composition of green coffee was affected by various variables; postharvest processing being the primary contributor, followed by origin and altitude. Contrary to expectations, however, large variations between geographical origins were not seen when it came to concentration levels of OA concentrations.

Brewing is another crucial element in controlling acidity levels and can be adjusted with precision by altering brewing parameters. A coarser grind will slow the rate of extraction and produce coffee with higher acidity than finer ground coffees. Water temperature and brew time both play an integral part in extracting flavor and aroma compounds from grounds; longer brew times tend to result in greater acidity while shorter ones will produce less.