Naturally, coffee contains some acidic compounds, which give it a sharp flavor. These natural acids are also full of antioxidants, beneficial to your body. Even so, the acid in coffee may cause stomach irritation to people with medical conditions, such as ulcers. If that’s you, don’t do away with coffee yet. I will help you learn how to make coffee less acidic. That way, you can continue enjoying your daily morning cup.
Use low-acid coffee beans, eggshells, a paper filter, and add salt to it to make coffee less acidic. Alternatively, you can do cold brewing, add milk, or neutralize the coffee using acid reducers.
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Coffee Acidity
When it comes to acidic drinks, many people think more of soda than coffee. But the acidity levels in the coffee drink are equally high. The acid amount you get depends on the coffee beans type and quality, roasting level, and how long it has stayed. Dark roasts tend to have less acidic levels than light roasts.
Coffee may contain healthy and unhealthy acids. For instance, coffee contains phosphoric and malic acids, which give it a sweet taste. On the other hand, the citric and acetic acids add a sharp flavor to the coffee drink.
However, when added in excess, the acids create a sour taste in your coffee. Therefore, to brew a perfectly balanced coffee cup, you have to learn how to balance acidity levels.
Other coffee acids like chlorogenic acid give the coffee a bitter taste and aid in weight loss. However, most dark coffee roasts lack this acid because of the long roasting process, which breaks down the acid.
The unhealthiest acid in coffee is Quinic acid. This acid is released when coffee degrades because of overstaying or remaining on the burner or hot plate for quite a long time. Quinic acid makes coffee have a bitter, burned flavor.
When ingested, Quinic acid triggers acid reflux, the common cause of heartburn. Luckily, you can do away with this acid by brewing coffee into an insulated coffee carafe and not the warmer.
11 Techniques to Make Coffee Less Acidic
If you can’t withstand high coffee acidity levels because of the side effects, here is how to make coffee less acidic and more enjoyable:
1. Go for Low-acid Coffee Beans
The market for low-acid coffee beans continues to grow each day. Some beans undergo a natural production process that lowers their acidity content. Others contain added compounds to tame the acidity.
Besides, you can opt to go for Arabica coffee beans. They tend to be less acidic than the Robusta beans.
2. Use Dark-roasted Coffee Beans
A longer coffee beans roasting process breaks down most of the acids. As a result, it makes dark roasts less acidic than light or medium roasts. They also contain less caffeine.
3. Regulate the Water Temperature
If you are hot brewing, ensure you control the hotness of water. Higher water temperatures result in over-extraction, causing coffee oils to release excess acids. But you can avoid this by not heating water to extreme temperatures.
4. Opt for Cold Brewing
There is a wide range of cold brew coffee makers in the market. You can never miss your spot. If you repeatedly suffer from digestive problems like acid reflux, this is the way to go.
Cold brewing uses cold water, which neutralizes the acidity in coffee. However, you have to be patient or brew your coffee in advance.
The method involves soaking the coffee grounds in cold water for not less than 24 hours prior to brewing. Unlike hot water, cold water does not extract natural coffee acids. That’s because the coffee acidity comes from coffee oils, which need high temperatures to produce the acids.
5. Use Egg Shells
Although it may sound odd, mixing in eggshells while brewing can cut down on that acidity. Eggshells consist of alkaline calcium, which neutralizes the coffee’s natural acidity, causing a balance. Besides, these eggshells eliminate any over-extracted flavors and bitter taste, giving you a delicious cup.
6. Add Baking Soda or Salt to Coffee
Don’t be shocked; the method is pure magic. All you have to do is add a dash of salt or baking soda to your coffee grounds before brewing. You can also add a pinch of salt to your brewed cup to lessen the bitterness or remove the acidity flavor. It works irrespective of the brewing method.
Luckily, you can easily buy baking soda and salt in your local shop. Even so, be keen while using them to ensure you use the right quantities.
7. Use Acid Reducers to Neutralize the Coffee Acids
Acid reducers produce chemical reactions that neutralize most coffee acids. Fortunately, these acid reducers work against acidity but don’t alter the coffee flavor. With the best acid reducers, you can reduce coffee acidity up to 90%.
The best thing is that these acid reducers are affordable and available near you. As a regular coffee drinker, you need to have them around.
8. Add Some Milk or Cream to the Coffee
Adding milk to your brewed coffee helps in balancing the PH level. All thanks to the calcium in the dairy product that neutralizes the acidity, creating a balance.
However, the method works perfectly with dark roast coffee. Since the medium and light roasts are highly acidic, they don’t go well with milk.
9. Brew Coffee Using a Finer Grind
A coarse grind slows the extraction rate because of its small surface area, resulting in an acidic brew. On the other hand, a finer grind accelerates the extraction rate because of its large surface area. As a result, your coffee brews within a shorter time, lowering its acidity levels.
10. Do Not Keep Coffee Hot for Too Long
Perhaps, you may get tired of brewing coffee every time and decide to extract a larger quantity and store it in the thermos until you are ready to drink. Although you will find your coffee hot, the hot environment will make the coffee oils continue releasing more acids. To avoid this, cool your coffee before storing it. You can always reheat it whenever the need arises.
11. Do Away With the Metal Mesh and Use a Paper Filter
The paper filter sieves nearly all coffee oils and other compounds that increase coffee acidity. The method further sieves other sediments, leaving a smooth and tasty cup.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is the PH level of coffee?
A. Though it varies based on several factors, it is often around 5.
Q. What kind of coffee is the least acidic?
A. Dark-roasted coffee.
Final Thoughts
Don’t stop your coffee drinking habits because of high acidity levels. Use any of the tips above to make your coffee less acidic and more drinkable. You will still get those health benefits you are looking for in coffee. Besides, the coffee flavor remains intact.