How can you make coffee less acidic? Is it possible to reduce the acidity in coffee?
This article shares tried and tested ways to get rid of acid in coffee so you can enjoy perfectly balanced coffee.
Although coffee contains natural acids and this is why it has some sharp flavor, not all people enjoy taking coffee with too much acid, especially if you experience heartburn after taking foods and drinks which are acidic.
In this post, we will share thirteen simple ways to make coffee less acidic.
Well, some of the natural acids in the coffee contain healthy antioxidants which are beneficial to the body if you feel uncomfortable taking acidic coffee.
Keep reading to learn how to make coffee less acidic.
Important Note: The acids in coffee are both healthy and unhealthy to many people. For instance, malic and phosphoric acids add a sweet taste in coffee. Acetic and citric acids make add a sharp flavor in coffee and when in excess, they make coffee taste sour. You need to know how to balance the acidity to get a perfectly balanced coffee.
Other acids such as chlorogenic acid are said to be helpful for weight loss and it also makes coffee taste bitter.
The worst of all the acids is quinic acid, which is released when the coffee has stayed for a long time or when you leave the coffee on a hot plate for long. This acid can cause problems in the digestive system. But you can avoid this by using an insulated coffee carafe instead of the warmer.
Now that you have learned what acidity in coffee means and the different types of acids contained in coffee, let’s talk about how to make your coffee less acidic.
Use Cold Brewing
Cold brew coffee makers are becoming more popular these days and for some reasons. These coffee machines brew coffee that’s less bitter and perfectly balanced. This is the type of coffee preferred by many people who suffer from acid reflux or other digestive system problems.
With cold brewing, the acidity is neutralized since the water used to extract flavor from coffee beans is cold.
With this method, you can prepare your coffee in advance and it will give you a cup of coffee that tastes sweet.
With this method, you soak ground coffee beans in cold water for at least 24 hours before brewing.
Note that cold water does not extract the natural acids contained in coffee. Usually, acidity in coffee is caused by the oils in the coffee beans and because hot water releases the acids, cold brewing does not. This way you enjoy coffee with 70% less acid, unlike coffee made with hot brewing.
The only drawback with cold brewing is that it’s not a suitable method for people in a hurry. Since it uses cold water to extract flavor from ground coffee beans, the process is slow and if you don’t give it time, you will drink tasteless coffee. But you can soak the coffee in advance so that by the time you want to brew it, the cold water has already extracted the flavor.
On the good side, cold coffee brewing is easy, especially if you use a French Press.
Brew with Low-Acid Coffee Beans
These days, there are plenty of low-acid coffee beans out there. Some of the coffee beans are naturally grown, this minimizes the acid content in them, and other coffee brands treat coffee beans in a way that makes them less acidic but with ample flavor. Extending the roasting time can lessen the amount of acidity in the beans.
Some coffee brands, in a bid to reduce the acidity in coffee, get rid of the waxy upper layer of the beans before roasting them. This results in coffee that is full-flavored and less acidity.
This method has one drawback in that when removing the outer layer of the coffee beans, the aroma also affected and hence making coffee less aromatic.
Regulate the Hotness of the Water
Sometimes because you are in a hurry, you might not have the time to cold-brew your coffee. That means you will use the hot brewing method which results in acidic coffee. To reduce the acidity in your coffee, you need to control the hotness of the water.
The hotter the water, the more the oils will release acids which makes coffee more acidic. To avoid over-extraction of flavor avoid heating the water to extreme temperatures. This way, you will enjoy a cup of coffee that is less acidic but full of flavor.
Neutralize the Acids with an Acid Reducer
As we have mentioned above that coffee is naturally acidic, you might want to find a way to neutralize some of these acids so that the final product is less acidic. As such, you can use an acid reducer.
An acid reducer will produce a chemical reaction that gets some of the acids in coffee neutralized.
The good thing is that acid reducers can be found in any coffee store and aren’t expensive as such. It’s important to have them around if you are a coffee addict since they will always make your cup of joe to taste the way you want.
Another good thing about acid reducers is that they lower the acidity in coffee without affecting the flavor.
In fact, if you get the best acid reducers, you can lower coffee acidity up to 90% and this means you will not have to worry about getting heartburn after taking your cup of coffee.
Use Egg Shells
Sounds odd, right? Mixing eggshells while brewing coffee to make it less acidic? How does that work?
Well, it works. Don’t get surprised!
There is simple chemistry that works to lower the acidity in coffee when you mix with eggshells.
You already know that eggshells contain alkaline calcium. When you use eggshells while brewing coffee, the alkaline component neutralizes the acids in the ground coffee beans.
Besides, eggshells reduce the bitter taste that could be caused by the brewing method of the roast of the beans.
Crash two eggs and wash them so that there are no egg remains.
Don’t make a mistake to mix raw eggs with coffee while brewing.
Add the clean and crushed eggshells to the coffee grounds in your coffee maker and then brew your coffee as you normally would and you will remain with a tastier yet less acidic coffee that keeps you safe from acid reflux.
Add Salt or Baking Soda to Coffee
This is where many coffee drinkers will be left wondering how this method can help to reduce coffee acidity.
Baking soda or salt can reduce acidity in your coffee, but you must add the right quantity.
Oftentimes, salt is added to coffee grounds before brewing or on a cup of coffee to make it less bitter or get rid of the flavor of brew that causes acidity in the coffee. Salt is also an acid neutralizer and can help to lessen the chances of acid reflux issues.
Baking soda, on the other hand, has an alkaline PH of 9 which neutralizes the acids in coffee resulting in coffee that’s less acidic.
The good thing is that salt and baking soda is easily available. Just ensure to use the right quantity.
Use Dark Roast Coffee
Although coffee is all about preferences, when you want to take a cup of coffee that is less acidic, you’d better choose dark roast coffee over medium or light roast coffee. That’s because dark roast coffee undergoes chemical reactions that get rid of the acid.
Note that when caffeine is in large quantities in coffee, the result is acidic coffee and dark roast coffee contains less caffeine, unlike the medium or light roast coffee.
Avoid Keeping Your Coffee Hot for Too Long
Well, you might not want the inconvenience of brewing coffee every time you want it, so you decide to brew it once and leave it in a thermos or other places where it will remain hot until the time you need it to. Keeping your coffee hot for too long after brewing means that the oils will continue releasing acids which will maximize its acidity.
To avoid making your coffee acidic after brewing, cool it before storing it. You can always warm it when you want to take it later.
Grind Finer
The rate of extraction can make coffee less or more acidic. How?
The faster the process, the less the acidity and because coarse grind slows down the rate of extraction since they have less surface area, the final product is acidic. On the other hand, a finer grind has a large surface area and this speeds up the extraction of flavor and aroma, hence resulting in less acidic coffee.
Make Coffee Less Acidic By Shortening Brew Time
Brew time can also affect the acidity of your coffee. The longer the brew time the more acidic your coffee will be. That’s because when coffee beans stay longer in the water, more acid is extracted which increases acidity in your coffee. A good rule of thumb is to shorten the brew time so that coffee beans do not stay too long in the water.
Brew Coffee With Hard Water
Water makes 90% of your coffee which means the water you use can make your coffee can affect its flavor, acidity or taste. To get less acidic coffee, opt for hard water instead of soft water.
Hard water contains calcium which is effective when it comes to the neutralization of the acids in the coffee.
Software water contains sodium content that increases acidity in coffee.
Add Some Milk or Cream
This is also another method to reduce the acidity of your coffee. These dairy products are rich in calcium which helps to balance out the pH level thus reducing its acidity.
Note that this method works great on dark roast coffee since light and medium roast are highly acidic and may not take milk well.
Ditch the Metal Mesh and Use Paper Filter
Last but not least, to make coffee less acidic, when making coffee with a method that requires a filter, avoid metal mesh but use a paper filter. A paper filter will sieve most of the oils and other compounds found in coffee that could contribute to acidity.
As we have said above, the oils in coffee are the main culprit of acidic coffee and trapping them with a paper filter will reduce the acid in coffee.
Final Words
Coffee is a strong beverage that can nourish your body with the energy you need to start your day well. Its aroma is stimulating but many people get acid reflux issues after taking a cup of coffee or two.
That’s why most people prefer adding some milk or cream to balance the acidic levels. If you also experience heartburn after drinking coffee or you don’t like the acidity in it, these thirteen simple ways will help to make coffee less acidic.
Experiment with the different methods we have shared in this article to see which one works best for you and let us know that in the comment section.
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