We recommend purchasing based on origin/varietal of coffee if you are looking for a mellower acidity. Coffees from South and Central America or Sumatra, for example, tend to have a mellower or rounder acidity. African coffees, especially Ethiopian coffees, will have a much brighter, more citrusy, more sparkling acidity. Again this will all depend on the varietal of coffee, growing/processing techniques etc but that general rule of thumb is a good way to start.
Acidity in coffee further explained. Acidity has definitely gotten a bad rap in coffee and it really shouldn’t. The acid content of coffee is less than fruit juices, beer, and soda with a pH of around 4.3 to 5. Quality acidity is crucial for a quality cup of coffee. When a professional coffee cupper is referencing acidity, it is not the pH that this taster is referencing but rather acidity as a flavor note. When positive, acidity is described as bright, sparkling, crisp etc. All coffee is made up of multiple different organic acids and the play of those organic acids together will create the coffee drinker’s perception of acidity. The perception of acid (there may be very slight Ph differences as well) is often different based on the varietal of coffee, the origin, processing techniques, etc.
