Which Roast Level Coffee Isn't Acidic - Recommendations for Low-Acidity Coffee Beans

The Roasting Process and Its Effects on Coffee Flavor

The roasting process breaks down acids in coffee and releases more oils, creating bitterness. The longer the roast or the higher the temperature, the deeper the roast and the more bitter the taste. Darker roasts produce beans from dark brown to black in color, with a more oily appearance. Medium-dark roasts are sometimes called Vienna or Full City roasts, and within the darker range we have Italian roasts (dark), French roasts (very dark), all the way to volcanic roasts (extremely dark).

Light and Medium Roasts

Medium to lighter roasts begin with City roast (medium), American roast (medium-light), and Cinnamon (very light roast).

Roast Levels and Brewing Methods

From a roasting perspective, lightly roasted coffee tends to be acidic, while medium and dark roasted coffees clearly have better sweetness. Choosing medium-roasted coffee is therefore more suitable for pour-over, while darker roasted beans are mostly suitable for espresso.

Besides roast degree, beans from different countries and regions have different flavors, and altitude also affects acidity and bitterness. In the end, a coffee's roast degree is decided by the characteristics of the beans from its region, to determine whether light or dark roasting is used.

At FrontStreet Coffee, low-acidity coffee beans are also roasted according to country and regional characteristics. Brazilian coffee, Costa Rican coffee, Blue Mountain coffee, Mandheling coffee, and others all use medium-dark roasting, which reflects the regional flavor characteristics of each bean.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you want to avoid acidity, FrontStreet Coffee recommends its medium-dark roasted Sumatra Mandheling. Its PWN Golden Mandheling is wet-hulled and roasted to medium-dark, which softens the acidity and brings forward black chocolate, nuts, caramel, and herbal spice with a thick, low-acid body. FrontStreet Coffee's Lin Dong Mandheling offers a similar low-acidity, full-bodied cup with clove and woody notes for those who prefer an earthier profile.