Unpopular opinion: acidic coffee notes aren't always a good thing

I was at a cupping session last month in Portland where the roaster kept talking about bright citrus and floral notes like it was the holy grail. But honestly, the coffee tasted sour to me, like lemons mixed with grass clippings. I've been making coffee at home for about 8 years now and I feel like people confuse acidity with just being under extracted or poorly roasted. My go-to beans from a small shop in Ohio have a smooth chocolate taste and zero sharpness, and I think that's way better. Anyone else think the whole "bright and fruity" trend has gone too far? I'm just wondering if I'm missing something or if other folks feel the same way.

3 comments

3 Comments

scott.drew26d ago

Acidic coffee notes aren't always a good thing" - man, I once told a barista his pour-over tasted like battery acid. He was not amused.

averymartin26d agoMost Upvoted

Tbh that barista probably still thinks about that review every time they pour a cup. "Battery acid" is harsh but honestly some of those light roasts really do hit your tongue like a car battery charged up on lemons. I bet he was trying to be all artsy with his recipe too, probably even named the pour-over after his grandma or something. Guess grandma's recipe needs a little more sugar next time.

joelt7026d ago

Respectfully, I see it a little different. In my experience, a good light roast with bright notes shouldn't taste like sour grass clippings or battery acid. That sounds more like a roast that's underdeveloped or just green tasting to me. I've had some Ethiopian beans that tasted like straight up blueberry and lemon zest but it was smooth and clean, not sharp at all. Your mileage may vary, but I think there's a middle ground between battery acid and chocolate that's worth exploring.