Low acidity coffee

This is the most common confusion and worth clearing up, because the two lead to opposite solutions.

Acidity is that bright, sparkling sensation, similar to citrus. It comes from natural acids in the bean — citric, malic — and in specialty coffee it's considered a virtue.

Bitterness is dry and harsh, and leaves the tongue rasping. It comes mostly from very dark roasts and over-extraction.

If what you dislike is the second, don't look for low acidity coffee: look for a less roasted coffee and review your brewing. We cover it in the most common mistakes.

• Altitude. The higher it grows, the more slowly it ripens and the more acidity it develops.
• The roast. This is what you control most when buying: light roasts preserve acidity, medium and medium-dark reduce it.
• The process. Washed coffees come out cleaner and more acidic; naturals, sweeter and fruitier.
• Your method. Filter highlights acidity; immersion and espresso give rounder cups.

Lower the water temperature. At 88-91 °C instead of 95 you extract fewer acids. It's the adjustment that shows most and that fewest people make.

Grind one notch coarser if the cup tastes sharp and short: it may be under-extraction, which is perceived as aggressive acidity.

Change method. The same coffee in a French press comes out considerably rounder than in a V60.

And if the issue is your stomach, one caveat: cold brew is sold as low acidity and its pH barely differs from hot coffee. What drops is the perception, not the acid.

Especial Bouquet is a medium-dark blend with a dark chocolate, nut and liquorice profile: body and sweetness up front, discreet acidity.

Essenza we roast on a medium curve looking for sweetness, smoothness and a creamy texture. It's the roundest we make.

Natural Decaf adds the advantage of drinking it in the afternoon. If you avoid coffee because of how it sits with you, the problem is often the combination of acidity and caffeine late in the day.

The one that does not suit you here is the Colombia: it's a light roast and its whole appeal is bright acidity.