Is Kona Coffee High in Acid?

To choose the perfect cup of coffee, you must evaluate the type you usually drink as well as the different roasts. If you were looking for the greatest coffee in town, you most certainly came across Kona Coffee. While Kona coffee is the favorite for many, one question might come to mind: "is Kona coffee high in acid?"

Is Kona Coffee High in Acid?

In general, Kona coffee can be a low acid type; however, this depends on how it is roasted. Darker blends will have the lowest acidity, but if you like a light roast, search for techniques to reduce the acidity, such as cold-brewing your coffee

Person holding a cup of coffee with a biscotti

There are many various varieties of coffee available, but when it comes to cutting acid, you want to make sure you buy something that still tastes good.

An average cup of coffee has an acidity rating of 5, whereas water has a rating of 7, and orange juice has roughly 3. That is, it is not highly acidic, particularly when compared to some of your favorite juices. Darker roasts of coffee also have less acid than lighter roasts. 

Roasting Techniques Determining the Acidity of Coffee

Hawaiian coffee beans that have been roasted for a longer amount of time are darker, bigger, less acidic, and bolder than those roasted for a shorter period of time. They are also lower in caffeine content. 

Various coffee producers and roasters utilize a range of ways to reduce the acid concentration in Kona coffee. Reduced acidity can make a difference for persons who are sensitive to acid's effects. The secret to a superb cup of Hawaiian coffee is the roaster. To become a master roaster, years of training are required. 

To obtain the perfect roast, you must be able to read the beans almost intuitively, so you can make split-second judgments on changing the heat or halting the roasting process. The following roasts determine the low or high acidity in a Kona coffee. Let's look out for the different roasting techniques and see which one suits your taste the most: 

Coffee beans in a grinder

Dark Roast

Dark roast coffees are dark brown, almost ebony in color. The beans are distinguished by a thick layer of drawn-out oil that glosses the surface. A dark roast coffee has a powerful, rich body. The characteristics of the coffee's origin are nearly fully roasted away, giving it an extremely robust and smoky flavor.

Medium Roast

Medium roast coffees are dark in color and have a little fuller body than Light roast coffees. Unlike light, medium begins to take on some of the roasting process's flavor, losing some of the vibrant floral aromas typical of a Light Roast. 

Instead, they have a much more balanced flavor and a moderate level of caffeine. A medium is roasted until it is just before the second crack, normally at 410–440 degrees. Just as the name suggests, medium roast coffee is neither high nor low acidic but is medium.

Light Roast

Light roast coffees are distinguished by their pale brown color, absence of oil on the beans, and light body (or viscosity). Allow these beans to attain a temperature of 350o–410o. Beans often pop at roughly 350o while roasted. The "first crack" this popping sound indicates that the beans have reached a light roast stage.

Light roast coffee is the most acidic Kona coffee ever to exist.

Hand dripped coffee

Related Questions

What Coffee Is Lowest in Acidity?

Our dark roast coffee is the answer to this query. Dark roast coffees are less acidic than light roast coffees because they contain fewer chemicals that stimulate stomach cells to create acid.

Which Coffees Have High Acidity?

Arabica coffees cultivated at higher altitudes have increased acidity due to slower development, which permits the beans to generate more of their chemical components (chlorogenic acids) that add to taste.

What Coffee Is Easiest on Your Stomach?

For a variety of reasons, espresso is thought to be gentler on the stomach. The high pressure and shorter extraction times result in a different balance of chemical components than the same coffee would in a drip or pour-over brew.

Conclusion

When determining the acidity of coffee, it all comes down to one focal primary, how your coffee is roasted. If you are someone who likes darker blends, it's a plus for you as it is low in acid. For those who prefer the light roast, cold-brewing and other brewing methods can be their solution to reduce the acidity.