Is Hawaiian coffee less acidic?
It’s the world’s favorite go-to drink when the morning alarm has done its job but the mind is yet to fully awaken. Or, when there’s a pile of tasks waiting at your work desk and your energy level is running in low gear. Coffee. A spectacular beverage that disarms you with its delectable taste and also kickstarts you with its instant boost. But then, like superheroes, super drinks too come with their inherent weaknesses. With coffee, it’s the concern of acidity.
Coffee’s acidity and health
Coffee’s acidity is not really a concern for a large part of the coffee drinking universe. However, there’s a certain population that may not be entirely comfortable with the acidity. Though these drinkers definitely love their morning, afternoon or evening cups of java, they tend to experience certain health issues that get aggravated by their favorite drink. Some of these unpleasant conditions include: acid reflux, gastric ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The connection between acids and coffee
In case you’re wondering why acids seem to prefer a cup over a laboratory, here’s the explanation. You’ll be surprised to know, there are over 30 acids in coffee; each of which lends a specific benefit or attribute. For example, Chlorogenic acid gives coffee its antioxidant properties. Quinic acid on the other hand, is the reason behind that scintillating taste and aroma. The point is, take away the acids and your favorite drink will no longer remain a drink worthy of being indulged in.
How acidic are Hawaiian Coffees?
Before we get into the acidity content of coffees and especially Hawaiian Kona Coffee beans or Hawaiian Coffee, it’s necessary to mention a bit about the scale that’s used to measure acidity. It’s called the pH scale basically, and it’s nothing like a weighing scale mind you! This scale ranges from 0 to 14 with 0 to 7 constituting acidic and 7 to 14 indicating basic (the opposite of acidic). Now here’s the thing. The closer your coffee is to 7, the less acidic it is likely to be, since 7 represents the ‘neutral’ point which is neither acidic nor basic.
So, about Hawaiian coffees then. While most coffee varieties have an average pH value ranging from 4.85 to 5.10, Kona coffees are known to score comparatively lower on acidity levels.
Which Kona Coffee has the lowest acidity?
The acidity level of a coffee has a lot to do with the roasting process. This is because the heating process causes the acids present in the coffee bean to break down. The lesser the duration of heating, the higher the content of acids. Conversely, the longer a coffee bean gets exposed to the heating process, the less acidic it’s going to be.
Light Roast: This type of Kona Coffee requires only 10 minutes (or less) of heating at temperatures not exceeding 350 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This period is insufficient to release the acids and therefore, the Light Roast is the most acidic.
Medium Roast: This variant involves a higher heating range – from 400 to 430 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher heat level reduces the concentration of acids in comparison to a light roast.
Dark Roast: The heating process in this case goes a notch higher, taking the temperature between 430 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The roasting time too is significantly longer than both, the light and medium roasts. This form of Kona Coffee has the lowest acidic content.
How to further reduce the acidity of your favorite Kona Coffee.
Well, now that you know Hawaiian Coffee and Hawaiian Kona Coffee Beans in particular are the way to go, here are a couple of home grown tricks to further cut down the acidic taste of your heavenly brew.
*Combine your coffee
Adding steamed milk or frothed coffee cream is a great way to further skew the pH level on the lower side of the acidic spectrum.
*Grind it finer
Fine Kona Coffee grounds will have a quicker extraction process. So when hot water pours over the coffee grounds, it will have less time to extract the acids. The coffee that results will carry an even lower concentration of acids than would be the case with slightly thicker ground Hawaiian Kona Coffee beans.
If you’re looking for a coffee that heightens your pleasure of the drink while also lowering the acidity, Hawaiian Coffee or more specifically, Hawaiian Kona Coffee beans is a great option for your daily cup. Now if you’re wondering where to source your Kona coffee, reach out to us at Social Brew. We’re an ecommerce platform that brings you some of the world’s most exotic coffees including 100% Kona Coffee, 100% Waialua Coffee, Hawaiian Blend Coffee and Decaf Brazil Coffee. We’re also known for our ‘Beyond The Cup’ philosophy which ensures a significant portion of our profits gets channeled to the cause of rehabilitating victims of global human trafficking. Talk about coffee that empowers you to better your health and the world around you, with every sip!