Low acid coffee is very much what is sounds like… coffee with a low acidic content. Low acid is of course, a pretty broad term that isn’t really quantifiable. What constitutes low acid coffee and what doesn’t qualify? Let’s take a closer look at some coffee acid info…

Here's a summary of our picks for best low acid coffee!

Having trouble deciding? If you want the least acid possible, go for the Nicaragua Mycotoxin Free coffee. Another great choice is Indonesian Sumatra, which has a naturally low acidity!

Wait, hold on... is coffee acidic?? 

Is coffee acidic? Yes, coffee is acidic. But not in the melt-through-human-flesh kind of way. (If this is happening to you, maybe see a doctor or something, there may be an underlying issue) Coffee is acidic in the sense that water is neutral, and EVERYTHING else is acidic or basic. The most acidic coffee out there would be less acidic than the contents of a children’s juice box.

How do you make low acid coffee?

Low acid coffee can be naturally occurring or intentionally created. Certain coffee beans from certain geographical regions have a lower acidic content. This would fall under the naturally occurring classification. Other coffees are treated prior to roasting, or are subject to specific roasting techniques to minimize the acidic content.

Several different types of organic acids exist naturally and are extracted into your cup of coffee. You’ve probably heard of citric acid (think lemons) and acetic acid (vinegar!). The fact is that there are many coffee acids, and they all serve a purpose!

What does coffee acid do? 

Acid in coffee is responsible for the bright, crisp or sharp sensation. It’s the bite that coffee offers. It can be fruity or wine-toned, or citric or something else! Acidity adds a dimension, and coffee without it would be pretty dull.

Okay so I’m going on and on about how great acidity is in an article about low acid coffee… let’s take a look at the other side of things.

How do low acid coffee brands do it?

As mentioned above, low acid coffee can be naturally occurring or created. Naturally occurring low acid coffee beans are referred to as inadvertent, and intentionally created as treated. Low acid coffee brands make use of both options.

Roasters may also implement a steaming process before the actual roasting occurs. This removes some of the organic acids that are present in the outer layers of the beans.

A slower roasting process can also be used to further breakdown chlorogenic acids. This process involves a very specific and gradual increase in temperature, and can take three times as long as normal roasting!

The best low acid coffee brands! 

Luckily for you, low acid coffee has become popular enough that you don’t really have to think too much about the science, unless you want to. It’s easy enough to seek out low acid coffee these days.

We’ve put together a list of 8 of the best low acid coffees available. These beans are either provided by a low acid coffee brand, or are from a region that produces beans that are naturally low in acidity.

Can I get low acid coffee K cups? 

Of course you can, there are a number of low acid coffee brands that have expanded their product lines to include low acid coffee K cups! (Honduran, House Blend & Bali Blue Moon all come in low acid K cups)

And that’s that. Hopefully one of these low acid coffees works well for you!

Let us know if we've left out any essentials!

Have a coffee question? We may have the answer. Ask away!