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C.A beans-acidic?
soundklink
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Posted on 09/08/2013 4:51 AM
Roasters, do you find Central American beans acidic? I have a bit of a problem with that...I used to think that Central/South American beans were "balanced", now I seem to find they're not...
Africa=acidic
Pacific=Dry
CA/SA=balanced...
As far as acidity goes, how do you rate the beans below?....feel free to add *** next to beans please. Low * Hi acidity *****
I should add that I roast mostly to City+ to Full City+, depending on beans, to cut on acidity...
THANX
Tanzania AM Mringa Estate
R Brazil Daterra Sweet Yellow
Honduras SHG Brazil Pulped natural
Cost Rica SHB Ojo de Agua
Papua New Guinea Sigru A
El Salvador SHG las Lajas
Dominican Republic
Nicaraguan SHG
Indian monsoon Malabar
Guatemalan Pastoral Antiqua
Sumatra White Aceh
Rancilio Silvia-PID, Rossi RR45, manual Drum roaster-gas
 
boar_d_laze
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Posted on 09/08/2013 8:26 AM
Good question.

Acidic? No.

Maybe "acidy" or "acidish," in the sense that CA sbh Arabicas have a lot of fruit notes and other "terroir."

I'm not sure how much of that is a function of the beans themselves and how much is a function of different, lighter roast-profiles, the ways we brew, our expectations when we taste, and the evolution of taste and fashion in coffee as the "second wave" of "deep roast" recedes and "Scandinavian" exerts increasing influence on the "third wave."

We roast and brew nearly all of the coffee we drink, and have fairly specific tastes. So, while our tastes aren't rigid we aren't as influenced by changing styles as much as some people might be. If it needs to be said, I don't think changing styles is a bad thing.

The "medium" range of C through FC+ seems like a sensible range for any type of bean and any type of brewing to me. But of course it's strictly a matter of taste.

I seldom or never do the beans you listed, but plenty very much like them -- the next finca over, if you will. In any case, I don't feel competent to comment on them specifically.

As it happens though, the majority of what I roast is sbh CA. Whether roasted SO or for a pre or post-roast blend, and whether for espresso, FP or vac, nearly all of my CA Arabica roasts flirt with second crack to get very close to FCl with the Gesha roasts running lighter at C/C+ to emphasize the fruit.

Great question,
BDL
USRC 1lb Roaster, Chemex+Kone, Espro, Various FPs, Royal Siphon Vacuum, Yama Ice Drip Tower, Bunnzilla, La Cimbali M21 Casa, Ceado E92.
CookFoodGood
 
Dan
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Posted on 09/08/2013 9:17 AM
The other name for acidic is brightness. The Sweetmarias reviews include brightness on their spiderweb cupping charts (on a 4-10 range). Here are a few.

CENTRAL AMERICA
Costa Rica - 8.2, 8.6
Panama - 9.4, 8.4
Nicaragua - 8.5, 8.0

AFRICA
Kenya - 8.7, 8.8, 8.9
Tanzania - 8.6
Ethiopia - 8.5, 9.0, 8.6, 8.8

INDONESIA
Java - 8.2, 8.6
Sumatra - 7.8, 7.8, 8.2, 8.7


These numbers align with my experience of acidity from various coffee regions. I wouldn't say CAs are balanced acidity (balanced against what?), but rather just moderate acidity. Keep in mind that foods with no acidity taste flat and flavorless.

FYI: dry simply means "not sweet." It has nothing to do with acidity or brightness.

hope this helps, Dan

PS: My 2000th post!
1 pound electric sample roaster, 3 pound direct-flame roaster, both handmade; modified Mazzer Mini grinder, LaSpaziale Vivaldi II automatic espresso machine. When the electricity goes out I make vacpot coffee from beans ground on my Zassenhaus hand grinder, and heat the water with a teakettle on the gas range.
 
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JackH
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Posted on 09/08/2013 10:27 AM
Congrats on your 2000th Dan!
The Guatemalans I find bright and Costa Rica milder.
---Jack

KKTO Roaster.
 
Dan
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Posted on 09/08/2013 10:57 AM
Thanks! I agree with your assessment on Guats and CRs.
1 pound electric sample roaster, 3 pound direct-flame roaster, both handmade; modified Mazzer Mini grinder, LaSpaziale Vivaldi II automatic espresso machine. When the electricity goes out I make vacpot coffee from beans ground on my Zassenhaus hand grinder, and heat the water with a teakettle on the gas range.
 
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soundklink
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Posted on 09/08/2013 11:16 AM
Thank you guys, it does help...I see that it is a matter of terminology...
Mine comes from way back, cca 25 years, when I worked in a high end espresso shop in Boston.

We all had coffee seminars covering everything from green bean-origins-types-regions-roasting-tasting-barista, etc; so we were competent about coffee and could answer customer's questions.

Actually I used wrong term, Pacific beans were called "full body-low acidity" and acidity or fruitiness were African beans...
South American were "balanced body/acidity...
Times change...
It's not long ago I got (finally) a decent machine/grinder combo and bought beans to roast again...but I seem to have forgotten a lot of stuff.

Beans seem to be like wine grapes, you get a bottle from producer 1 km away and get totally different tasting wine...
Rancilio Silvia-PID, Rossi RR45, manual Drum roaster-gas
 
JimH
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Posted on 09/08/2013 12:11 PM
I think the evolution of the coffee trade from seed to cup also has a lot to do with the changed perceptions. Twenty years ago, if you labelled a bag "Kenya AA" then it was exotic. Today, it would be considered almost generic. If you combine the changes in growing, processing, transport and selection by buyers then you see a vast increase in specialization, with more acidic coffees usually being considered the most desirable. It isn't that low or medium acid Centrals don't exist, it's that now they end up in bags labelled "Breakfast Blend" and "Bailey's Irish Cream."
 
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