Colombian Specialty Coffee: Why Does Colombian Coffee Taste More Acidic Than Other Coffees?

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Understanding the Acidity of Colombian Coffee

Geographically speaking, Colombian coffee beans belong to the Central and South American coffee belt, and their flavor profile should be relatively balanced. However, when I drink it, at the moment the coffee liquid touches my tongue, I can't help but exclaim: "Wow, Colombian coffee is quite acidic!"

Is Colombian Coffee Really That Acidic?

From a chemical perspective, coffee is rich in various organic acids such as acetic acid, chlorogenic acid, citric acid, malic acid, and more. When we measure the pH value of a cup of coffee, we find that the average pH value is around 5. (However, the acidity in coffee doesn't have much correlation with pH value; it actually expresses the flavor experience we get when drinking a cup of coffee.)

From a "roasting perspective," this indeed contributes to why most Chinese consumers define coffee as "bitter" in terms of taste and perception. The deeper the coffee roast level, the more organic acids in the coffee are decomposed (especially chlorogenic acid), and the heavier the bitter taste brought by the caramelization reaction.

Understanding Acid Compounds in Coffee

First, let's briefly understand some of the acid compounds in coffee (except for phosphoric acid, all are organic acids):

Chlorogenic Acid

Robusta raw beans contain 7%-10% chlorogenic acid, higher than Arabica raw beans' 5.5%-8.0%. During the roasting process, chlorogenic acid slowly decomposes into quinic acid and caffeic acid, and these two organic acids often bring bitterness and astringency to coffee.

Citric Acid

Coming from metabolism, citric acid reaches its maximum value at light to medium roast levels. In terms of taste, citric acid has a strong acidic sensation, like tasting an unripe fruit, but its character leans toward lemon, citrus, nectarine, etc. Generally speaking, beans from Central America have higher citric acid content.

Phosphoric Acid

This is an inorganic acid in coffee, coming from soil and fertilizers. Although coffee contains only 1% phosphoric acid, some say that phosphoric acid is 100 times "stronger" than other acids. Others claim that phosphoric acid has no taste, but when mixed with other acids, it can create blackberry and black currant flavors.

Malic Acid

Coming from cellular respiration, it easily decomposes during roasting, with one-third already lost at medium roast level, but it's a key presence among soluble flavor compounds in the cup. Malic acid has a flavor similar to citric acid but is more balanced, adding more fruit flavors to coffee.

Acetic Acid

This is acetic acid, mainly produced during coffee fermentation. As roasting progresses, acetic acid content increases (coming from sucrose decomposition), but due to its volatility, it gradually decreases. If acetic acid content is moderate, it provides (sweetness, clean flavor) to coffee; but if too much, it produces vinegar taste or over-fermentation.

Why Does Colombian Coffee Taste More Acidic Than Other Coffees?

Coffee Varieties

As everyone knows, Colombia only grows Arabica coffee. Although Robusta's chlorogenic acid content is about 2% higher than Arabica's, this doesn't mean Robusta coffee is more "acidic"; on the contrary, during roasting, chlorogenic acid decomposes into quinic acid and caffeic acid, bringing bitterness and astringency to coffee.

Moreover, Arabica's sugar and oil content are both higher than Robusta's. Besides creating richer sweetness and complex flavors, sugars also decompose during roasting, producing acidic compounds.

Altitude of Cultivation

Colombian coffee is grown at altitudes between 800m-2300m. The high-altitude growing environment provides a perfect living space for coffee: low temperatures allow coffee cherries to mature slowly, adequate metabolism facilitates the accumulation of acidic substances, the temperature difference between day and night helps sugar accumulation, and reduced damage from leaf rust and coffee pests—all these create a more complex flavor profile for coffee, with fruit acidity being particularly prominent. For example, the Narino production area, with an average altitude of 1800m, its citric acidity is its biggest characteristic. Additionally, coffee grown at high altitudes has greater hardness and density, making it more resistant to roasting, which also slows down the decomposition rate of acidic substances.

Processing Methods

The vast majority of Colombian coffee uses washed processing. The depulping and degumming process in washed processing filters out some sucrose and fructose substances, thereby increasing acidity; the fermentation process in washed processing also facilitates the formation of acetic acid. In contrast, natural processing first treats whole fresh cherries, and the sugar-rich pulp layer doesn't leave the raw coffee beans, thus increasing overall sweetness.

The Role of Acidity in Coffee

Acidity is an essential part of a cup of coffee—whether lively, bright, smooth, or fruit-like—but it can also be sharp, astringent, etc., all providing our taste buds with a rich space for exploration.

Furthermore, different acidic compounds show vastly different flavor characteristics at various roast levels, so "more acidic" Colombian coffee has "higher" "plasticity" during roasting, and its expressed flavor profile will be "more layered." Of course, this also tests the skills of roasters.

Of course, the acidity that ultimately appears in our coffee is not just influenced by a few factors. Roasting methods, brewing techniques and temperature, and the coarseness of coffee grounds all affect the expression of acidity in a cup of coffee. Even the three points I listed cannot fully summarize "why Colombian coffee tastes more acidic than other coffees" from a production perspective. The soil, rainfall, microclimate, cultivation methods, and even the age of a coffee tree are all related to the presentation of coffee flavor.

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