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Why Yirgacheffe Pour-Over Coffee Is Too Acidic and How to Brew It for Less Acidity

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style). FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe pour-over coffee acidity adjustment sharing. Flavor characteristics: Enchanting fruit acidity. African bean flavors: Ethiopian coffee among them has strong citrus aroma, Kenyan coffee has rich berry fragrance, along with the sour aroma of plum juice and grapefruit, as well as the refreshing sweet aroma of sugarcane.

FrontStreet Coffee's Pour-Over Coffee Acidity Adjustment Guide

Flavor Profile: Captivating Fruit Acidity

African Coffee Characteristics: Ethiopian coffee boasts prominent citrus notes, while Kenyan coffee offers rich berry aromas. You'll also find the sour-sweet aromas of plum juice and grapefruit, along with the refreshing sweetness of sugarcane. The citrus notes of Ethiopian coffee and the berry fragrances of Kenyan coffee are the most distinctive features of African beans, capturing the hearts of coffee enthusiasts who love to explore these flavors.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is an agricultural country with a history and tradition that can be called the origin of coffee. Yirgacheffe is one of the producing areas in the southern part of Sidamo, with approximately 12 million people engaged in coffee production, making it Africa's main exporter of Arabica coffee beans. The high-quality coffee from this region is exceptional and worth seeking. It features a soft mouthfeel, wild wine-like aromas, slight acidity, and an unforgettable aftertaste.

Yirgacheffe itself is a small town with about 20,000 people. The three nearby small producing areas—Wenago, Kochere, and Gelena Abaya—are also classified under the Yirgacheffe region because their coffee flavors are nearly identical to those of Yirgacheffe. While Yirgacheffe shares similar culture and geographical environment with neighboring Sidamo, it seems to enjoy more privileged natural conditions. Top-quality Yirgacheffe coffee features floral aromas, bright citrus fruit acidity, lemon notes, and a silky smooth texture.

Methods to Reduce Coffee Acidity

Method 1: Adjust Grind Size

Keep everything else the same, but adjust your grind to be coarser. This reduces the number of coffee particles that absorb water, shortening the time hot water passes through the coffee bed, thereby lowering the coffee concentration.

Method 2: Reduce Coffee Amount

Keep everything else the same, but reduce your coffee grounds (with the same grind size as before) by 3-5 grams. This makes the coffee bed thinner, reduces its water absorption capacity, and consequently lowers the concentration.

Method 3: Change Bean Roast Level

Keep everything else the same, but switch to slightly lighter roasted beans. Medium-light roast coffee beans have relatively weaker expansion and water absorption capabilities. The extraction time of hot water in the coffee bed becomes shorter, naturally reducing the coffee concentration.

Method 4: Increase Pouring Frequency

Keep everything else the same, but simply increase the frequency of pouring. If you originally brewed 225g of coffee liquid in two minutes, you can adjust it to one minute and fifty seconds, taste the coffee, and make further adjustments based on the results.

Method 5: Lower Extraction Temperature

Keep everything else the same, but only reduce the extraction temperature. This weakens the water's extraction ability, making the flavor lighter and weaker. However, this method will also cause your coffee to lose some of the flavors that can only be extracted at relatively high temperatures.