Coffee Bean Acidity & Body
Coffee, like wine, has very different distinct flavors. In order to identify the taste you like, you must understand the coffee's body and the coffee's acidity. The acidity of coffee depends on the coffee bean, the dry processing or wet processing and the roast of the coffee bean.
Coffee Acidity: Coffee acidity can affect the aroma, flavor and strength of the coffee bean resulting in the coffee's ultimate taste. Coffee acidity can sometimes be measured by terms like bright, sharp, dry vibrant etc. Coffee acidity isn't usually akin to the undesirable taste of coffee sourness. As a rule of thumb, wet coffee bean processing is more acidic than dry coffee bean processing. Coffee roasting will decrease overall acidity. Higher acidity is usually attributed to higher altitudes and volcanic soil. Contrary to popular belief, the coffee's flavor acidity is not related to pH level.
Coffee Body: is the weight of the coffee and it is described as light, medium or dark and sometimes rich or heavy. The location where the coffee is grown, the coffee bean type and the coffee roast all contribute to the body of coffee. If you swirl the coffee around in your mouth, much like wine, you will get a better coffee body experience. The coffee body is akin to the coffee beans fat content. A light roast generally has lower fat and a full-bodied, or heavy bodied, coffee has slightly more fat.
Coffee Body & Acidity Chart
| Coffee Regions | Coffee Type | Coffee Body | Coffee Acidity |
| Arabian Coffee | Heavy Body | Medium Acidity | |
| Brazilan Coffee | Bourbon | Light Body | Low Acidity |
| Burundi Coffee | Full Body | Medium Acidity | |
| Cameroon Coffee | Medium Coffee | High Acidity | |
| Celebes Coffee | Kalosi | Heavy Body | Balanced Acidity |
| Chinese Coffee | Light Body | Low Acidity | |
| Columbian Coffee | Supremo | Medium Body | Medium Acidity |
| Columbian Coffee | Excelso | Medium Body | Medium Acidity |
| Columbian Coffee | Decaf – German Processed | Light Body | Low Acidity |
| Columbian Coffee | Decaf – Swiss Water | Lighter Body | Low Acidity |
| Costa Rican Coffee | Tarrazu | Medium-Full Body | High Acidity |
| Cuban Coffee | Medium Body | Medium Acidity | |
| Dominican Republic Coffee | Medium Body | High Acidity | |
| El Salvador Coffee | Light Body | Light Acidity | |
| Ethiopian Coffee | Harrar | Heavy Body -Mocha | Light Acidity |
| Ethiopian Coffee | Sidamo | Light Body | Medium Acidity |
| Guatemalan Coffee | Antigua | Medium-Full Body – Smoky, Mocha | High Acidity |
| Haitian Coffee | Medium Body | Light Acidity | |
| Honduran Coffee | Strictly High Grown | Medium Body | Medium Acidity |
| Indian Coffee | Monsoon | Full Body - distinctive | Mild Acidity |
| Jamaican Coffee | High Mountain | Medium Body | Medium Acidity |
| Java Coffee | Estate | Medium Body | High Acidity |
| Kenyan Coffee | AA | Medium Body | High Acidity |
| Kona Coffee | Fancy | Full Body | Mild Acidity |
| Kona Coffee | Extra Fancy | Full Body | Mild Acidity |
| Malawi Coffee | Plantation | Light Body | Medium Acidity |
| Mexican Coffee | Altura | Full Body | Mild Acidity |
| New Guinea Coffee | Estate | Medium-Full Body | Medium Acidity |
| Panama Coffee | Boquete | Medium Body | Medium Acidity |
| Peruvian Coffee | Organic | Mild Body | Medium Acidity |
| Rwandan Coffee | Mild Body | High Acidity | |
| Sulawesi Coffee | Full Body | Medium Acidity | |
| Sumatran Coffee | Mandheling | Full Body | Mild Acidity |
| Sumatran Coffee | Decaf - German Process | Mild Body | Medium Acidity |
| Sumatran Coffee | Decaf- Swiss Water | Mild Body | High Acidity |
| Tanzanian Coffee | Peaberry | Full Body | Medium Acidity |
| Thai Coffee | Robusta | Full Body - distinctive | Medium Acidity |
| Vietnamese Coffee | Robusta | Full Body | Light Acidity |
| Zimbabwe Coffee | AA | Medium Body | Medium Acidity |
