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Why Is Black Coffee Sour? Is It Difficult to Accept? The Unique Berry Acidity of Kenyan Coffee

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 - Kenya Dormans Processing Station, Washed. Introduction: Typically, when coffee professionals describe coffee flavor, they refer to Acidity, which describes a vibrant, bright, fresh, and crisp sensation. Acidity is one of the most important aspects of coffee tasting, as coffee

Understanding Coffee Acidity

Professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

When coffee professionals describe the "Acidity" of coffee flavor, they refer to a vibrant, bright, fresh, and crisp sensation. "Acidity" is the most important aspect of coffee tasting. Without acidity, coffee beans would be lifeless, tasting hollow and dull.

During coffee tasting, the liquid spreads across the four taste receptor cells on the tongue—sour, bitter, sweet, and salty—allowing the back sides of the tongue to experience a gentle acidity. Coffee acidity is generally considered related to coffee quality. Acidity is a characteristic of high-value coffees from typical Central America and East Africa regions. Excessive sourness is considered a coffee defect. Acidity is associated with coffee grown at high altitudes and in mineral-rich volcanic soil.

"Acidity" has many different characteristics and is an important basis for distinguishing coffee beans from different regions. For example, coffee from Yemen or East Africa has acidity characteristics with striking fruity aromas or a texture similar to red wine, while some from high-altitude regions of Central America or the Caribbean often have what is called bright acidity.

Washed-processed beans have higher acidity than natural (sun-dried) beans. Natural beans have a heavier concentration than washed beans, and this concentration masks the coffee's acidity. The acidic substances in coffee beverages are greatly related to the degree of roasting, as well as the roasting method and brewing approach. The pH of coffee is also related to its acidity. A good cup of coffee should ideally have a pH value between 4.9 and 5.2.

Kenya Dormans Mill Washed

Kenyan coffee is world-renowned for its unique berry aroma. This special flavor gives Kenyan coffee high recognizability, a success attributed to the famous Scott Laboratories, which spent years cultivating the excellent genetic varieties SL28 and SL34. We select fully ripe SL28 beans from the 2000-meter high-altitude region of Mount Kenya, Africa's highest peak. These beans are carefully processed through 72-hour double fermentation washed processing at the renowned Dormans Mill, and shaped by our roasting team to create a charming dark plum juice aftertaste, offering a different taste experience.

Coffee Details

Region: Kirinyaga Dormans Mill

Altitude: 1670-1980m

Processing: K72 Washed (Kenyan characteristic double fermentation washed processing)

Variety: SL28 (The coffee variety that made Kenya famous worldwide)

Grade: AB (Premium grade)

Flavor: Bright grapefruit entry, sweet and sour black plum, full honey sweetness, thick texture, aged tangerine peel, kumquat, blueberry, dark plum juice, black currant aftertaste

In Brief: FrontStreet Coffee is a specialty coffee research center, happy to share coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation, aiming to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, we hold three low-discount coffee events because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest price. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past 6 years!