Eight methods of filter coffee preparation and differences in coffee acidity. This was the content of a study that compared both perceived and measurable acidity depending on the extraction method. But also on the degree of coffee roasting. What do you think, which coffee preparation results in higher acidity?
Acidity in coffee - is there a non-acidic coffee?
The chemist's view sees the coffee bean as a specific grouping of sugars, proteins, minerals, caffeine, acids and other components. These vary depending on which variety of coffee it is. So it is a natural given that every coffee contains some acidity. Absolutely non-acidic coffee, or coffee with zero perceived acidity, can then be a combination of low-acid beans with the right treatment. Such treatment may be the degree of roasting or the method of preparation.
What is the measurable and perceived acidity of coffee?
The exact amount of acidity accounts for up to 11% of the total mass in green coffee. Up to 6% for roasted coffee beans. These components alone affect the taste of coffee.They also act as precursors for other flavour qualities of coffee. The acid composition of coffee changes significantly with roasting. Some undergo degradation and others increase or are formed as by-products of heating simple sugars.
Measurable acidity on coffee samples
Due to the large number of acids in coffee, the following 9 organic acids were quantified in a study of the measurable acidity of coffee :
- Oxalic acid
- Tartaric acid
- Quinic acid
- Malic acid
- Lactic acid
- Acetic acid
- Citric acid
- Succinic acid
- Fumaric acid
These specific acids were measured on 3×8 coffee samples. 8 types of preparation and 3 degrees of roasting. You can check out the table below at for acid concentrations by brewing and roasting style .
Extraction method | Oxalic acid | Tartaric acid | Quinic acid | Malic acid | Lactic acid | Acetic acid | Citric acid | Succinic acid | Fumaric acid | TOTAL | |
LIGHT
Speciality of natural Ethiopia |
AEROPRESS | 353,6 ± 1,01 | 32,05 ± 3,35 | 48,56 ± 0,62 | 70,74 ± 4,67 | 126,91 ± 10,17 | 115,9 ± 1,07 | 140,52 ± 0,38 | 428,09 ± 15,02 | 394,81 ± 37,71 | 1711,18 |
CHEMEX | 346,16 ± 2,5 | 32,66 ± 0,72 | 38,67 ± 4,93 | 54,29 ± 1,11 | 71,69 ± 5,13 | 86,51 ± 1,13 | 93,03 ± 0,77 | 241,14 ± 18,79 | 207,2 ± 4,18 | 1171,35 | |
SMART | 354,72 ± 0,41 | 54,40 ± 0,94 | 61,86 ± 4,15 | 104,26 ± 1,88 | 148,81 ± 5,51 | 88,29 ± 1,63 | 196,78 ± 12,62 | 496,88 ± 80,94 | 409,15 ± 2,94 | 1915,15 | |
FRENCHPRESS | 366,34 ± 0,37 | 56,27 ± 3,77 | 46,97 ± 3,72 | 111,09 ± 0,42 | 153,76 ± 9,13 | 86,11 ± 0,83 | 193,99 ± 5,86 | 469,36 ± 6,97 | 481,95 ± 47,89 | 1965,84 | |
IBRIK | 367,24 ± 0,88 | 81,27 ± 10,74 | 93,62 ± 9,86 | 120,8 ± 21,99 | 158,85 ± 11,58 | 171,63 ± 4,76 | 191,63 ± 16,11 | 504 ± 28,19 | 527,6 ± 30,11 | 2216,64 | |
MOKA | 344,8 ± 2,29 | 32,21 ± 0,94 | 46,2 ± 0,88 | 73,44 ± 0,48 | 146,85 ± 1,13 | 109,09 ± 0,35 | 159,75 ± 0,78 | 390,7 ± 2,69 | 397,07 ± 1,92 | 1700,11 | |
CLEAN COOKING | 335,4 ± 6,12 | 41,14 ± 4,97 | 96,85 ± 8,89 | 111,63 ± 3,67 | 200,27 ± 14,64 | 190,89 ± 24,64 | 218,97 ± 32,8 | 392,44 ± 23,04 | 274,64 ± 40,46 | 1826,23 | |
V60 | 354,81 ± 4,2 | 38,76 ± 4,27 | 71,62 ± 2,46 | 102,2 ± 8,78 | 181,97 ± 7,02 | 172,52 ± 5,53 | 210,75 ± 3,39 | 311,47 ± 23,04 | 636,15 ± 1,09 | 2080,25 | |
CENTRAL
Special washed Kenya |
AEROPRESS | 366,01 ± 2,28 | 37,1 ± 3,32 | 53,48 ± 0,86 | 80,02 ± 0,27 | 81,7 ± 4,69 | 111,38 ± 5,26 | 125,14 ± 1,42 | 383,43 ± 10,88 | 250,33 ± 15,19 | 1488,59 |
CHEMEX | 352,95 ± 0,9 | 36,62 ± 0,9 | 48,05 ± 5,96 | 78,71 ± 9,54 | 76,68 ± 6,66 | 92,4 ± 7,17 | 139,12 ± 13,76 | 344,48 ± 16,27 | 201,73 ± 26,21 | 1370,74 | |
SMART | 367,96 ± 0,3 | 68,03 ± 1,73 | 82,04 ± 7,41 | 168,57 ± 1,97 | 174,10 ± 1,57 | 143,86 ± 2,55 | 294,69 ± 4,52 | 578,17 ± 63,99 | 507,68 ± 26,55 | 2385,11 | |
FRENCHPRESS | 384,92 ± 4,82 | 87,91 ± 4,04 | 70,45 ± 1,96 | 163,38 ± 8,57 | 148,3 ± 8,36 | 126,24 ± 9,87 | 251,22 ± 22,61 | 595,62 ± 59,63 | 490,33 ± 35,96 | 2318,37 | |
IBRIK | 373,63 ± 3,15 | 89,5 ± 4,95 | 112,91 ± 2,16 | 133,46 ± 1,42 | 174,54 ± 2,15 | 224,5 ± 0,77 | 264,07 ± 7,22 | 719,74 ± 22,15 | 393,71 ± 17,24 | 2486,06 | |
MOKA | 359,75 ± 2,91 | 40,67 ± 4,19 | 62,69 ± 0,26 | 98,39 ± 2,13 | 115,41 ± 14,79 | 128,66 ± 0,75 | 143,34 ± 1,87 | 281,62 ± 14,39 | 260,47 ± 15,15 | 1491 | |
CLEAN COOKING | 329,7 ± 6,33 | 53,7 ± 0,28 | 69,17 ± 1,54 | 118,71 ± 1,34 | 124,01 ± 0,16 | 128,59 ± 0,85 | 181,88 ± 2,38 | 555,74 ± 59,67 | 299,82 ± 9,82 | 1861,32 | |
V60 | 365,34 ± 1,6 | 63,4 ± 4,57 | 82,9 ± 1,32 | 103,35 ± 2,94 | 119,63 ± 2,39 | 146,32 ± 5,6 | 189,7 ± 3,53 | 504,83 ± 70,88 | 369,4 ± 40,19 | 1944,87 | |
DARK
Blond 100% Starbucks |
AEROPRESS | 365,52 ± 2,42 | 32,48 ± 0,42 | 63,83 ± 4,29 | 54,83 ± 3,39 | 152,42 ± 6,01 | 102,64 ± 7,71 | 132,2 ± 13,25 | 394,41 ± 50,98 | 236,38 ± 8,72 | 1534,71 |
CHEMEX | 347,75 ± 8,81 | 29,83 ± 3,39 | 52,66 ± 1,21 | 46,56 ± 2,67 | 136,58 ± 17,92 | 90,75 ± 15,07 | 78,25 ± 5,72 | 376,37 ± 59,01 | 198,02 ± 21,03 | 1356,77 | |
SMART | 350,97 ± 5,43 | 52,97 ± 1,5 | 81,45 ± 3,9 | 88,72 ± 0,52 | 242,48 ± 1,36 | 96,81 ± 1,82 | 177,87 ± 15,61 | 573,97 ± 69,24 | 240,11 ± 15,32 | 1905,35 | |
FRENCHPRESS | 370,49 ± 4,63 | 62,62 ± 6,29 | 46,62 ± 6,66 | 96,14 ± 6,99 | 256,92 ± 7,47 | 68,47 ± 6,65 | 212,12 ± 71,85 | 757,45 ± 17,59 | 587,24 ± 67,48 | 2458,07 | |
IBRIK | 366,67 ± 2,36 | 53,1 ± 6,13 | 46,46 ± 2,6 | 103,5 ± 13,02 | 233,26 ± 0,04 | 43,33 ± 3,83 | 162,39 ± 6,60 | 681,69 ± 0,39 | 539,26 ± 19,36 | 2229,66 | |
MOKA | 361,6 ± 7,15 | 41,51 ± 0,87 | 44,72 ± 2,15 | 69,09 ± 3,64 | 232,66 ± 9,97 | 106,28 ± 7,64 | 147,54 ± 14,95 | 596,87 ± 21,31 | 1004,53 ± 18,56 | 2604,8 | |
CLEAN COOKING | 348,22 ± 16,61 | 33,26 ± 2,43 | 47,72 ± 4,3 | 78,16 ± 5,40 | 220,75 ± 13,55 | 188,68 ± 22,67 | 151,96 ± 5,71 | 846,56 ± 6,54 | 342,19 ± 39,57 | 2257,5 | |
V60 | 348,24 ± 3,58 | 38,41 ± 5,43 | 43,94 ± 1,19 | 80,85 ± 8,84 | 252,21 ± 4,55 | 134,09 ± 12,89 | 175,41 ± 1,84 | 841,63 ± 0,94 | 438,27 ± 49,54 | 2353,05 |
Sensory analysis and perceived acidity of coffee
When detecting flavours in a cup of coffee, your judgement is largely influenced by your sense of smell. Aromatic compounds and acids that directly stimulate adequate receptors result in the overall perception of coffee acidity. The study shows that the highest value of perceived acidity was for light roast coffee prepared in a java. With the lowest acidity scores were the Aeropress, Chemex and Clever dripper methods of dark roasted coffee.

Acidity scores (A) and mouthfeel (B) associated with different extraction methods in light, medium and dark roast samples. Zdroj: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139717
In a sensory examination of coffee samples, the study authors found a positive correlation between perceived coffee body and TDS% (total dissolved solids percentage) parameters. This refers to the fact that the best results in terms of coffee body and mouthfeel when sipped were shown by the Jazz, Mocha or French Press methods.
Conclusion
It is the variety, processing, roasting, grinding and finally the chosen preparation method that affects the acidity of coffee. Both perceived and measurable. So the journey is just beginning with the choice of coffee. You can model the right acidity both by the coarseness of the grind and, as seen in the study, by the choice of preparation method. So which preparation do you choose?