# Bean Types



## donkeykong (Sep 5, 2014)

Are some beans more 'acidic' than others ?

Friend cannot drink even watered down espresso as it upsets her stomach, she told me its the acid in coffee. Was wondering if some beans are worse than others in this respect ?


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

Yep, beans will differ in their acidity levels.

However, much of what you get in the cup will depend on other factors (roast, brewed method, technique, extraction, temperature etc)

Lighter roasted coffee will allow more of the natural fruit/acidic flavours of the coffee to shine.

Darker roasted beans will be more caramelised, so the sweeter/bitter (potentially) less fruity/acidic properties will be more apparent.

Generally!

Does that help?

Regards


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## gcogger (May 18, 2013)

I drink brewed coffee rather than espresso, but I find that the light to medium roasts make me feel very slightly queasy. Maybe try a much darker roast (I'd recommend Coffee Compass) and see if it helps?


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## foundrycoffeeroasters.com (Jun 19, 2014)

aphelion said:


> Yep, beans will differ in their acidity levels.
> 
> However, much of what you get in the cup will depend on other factors (roast, brewed method, technique, extraction, temperature etc)
> 
> ...


If agree with the reply above but would add that acidity is a fairly subjective thing in some ways and as with most things, there is acidity that enhances the coffee and acidity that detracts from it. It needs to be roasted properly and brewed properly. When both things have happened, acidity can be a really wonderful thing!


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

foundrycoffeeroasters.com said:


> When both things have happened, acidity can be a really wonderful thing!


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## foundrycoffeeroasters.com (Jun 19, 2014)

Well yes, exactly.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

On my thread about caffeine-induced nausea a week or so ago there were some learnèd responses that indicate that coffee can actually cause acid problems in your stomach over and above the actual acidity present in the coffee itself (if I understood this correctly).


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## Wando64 (Feb 28, 2011)

hotmetal said:


> On my thread about caffeine-induced nausea a week or so ago there were some learnèd responses that indicate that coffee can actually cause acid problems in your stomach over and above the actual acidity present in the coffee itself (if I understood this correctly).


I agree.

Suffering from the occasional reflux problem and having looked into how this can be worsened by coffee, my understanding is that coffee *can* be a trigger in some people.

I think it is dubious whether the acidity of the coffee is the problem. More likely it is the caffeine or other elements within it.

If not drinking coffee makes the acidity problem disappear than "you" are in luck. It is more likely than the the real cause of acidity/reflux is something completely different.

In any case the OP's friend complaint of "upset stomach" can mean just about anything. But once again I would doubt that a direct link with coffee acidity exists.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Brewing at lower temps is thought to reduce the effects of acidity. This is one of Alan Adler's motivations for lower brew temps in the Aeropress.

I have certainly had acid reflux from underextracted hot brew, counter-intuitively though, not from nominally extracted coffee despite this theoretically having more acids by % (chlorogenic acids contribute other flavours beyond "acidity"). It may relate to which acids are extracted & their relationship with the rest of the cup, rather than 'how much acid' total?

Coffee is acidic, maybe ~4x as much chlorogenic acids may be extracted compared to caffeine, for instance.


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