Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In this video, I explain the sour/bitter confusion that occurs when dialing in coffees. By taking a scientific approach, I attempt to explain why coffee tastes the way it does, and how bitterness and sourness are created. By teaching the science, my hope is that viewers become not only more informed on coffee chemistry, but to empower them when dialing in coffees, having a more full understanding of the process. Following that, I go over some tasting experiments to improve your tasting skills, giving a more direct and practical way to dial in your coffees at home.
ALSO- yes, there are other acids in the green. I was focusing on the MAIN ones. About 10% of green coffee weight is from neutralized acid bases. 8% of that is CGA whereas the other 2% is from citric, malic, and succinic *largely*. There are others, as well, but the focus is on the bigger, more prevalent ones. Again, didn't want to get too into the weeds!
Green coffee extract has a pH around 6. With the amount of "acid" in it, you'd expect closer to 2. After roasting, the pH goes to around 5 (4.9 for an acidic Kenya and up to 5.3 for the upper end of specialty)
LINKS
__________________
Join my Patreon community at:
patreon.com/lancehedrick
Find me on IG at:
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Find me on Facebook at:
facebook.com/lancehedrickcoffee
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Lance Hedrick Unfiltered
youtube.com/channel/UCvNpZQzurSNZQ8e2QNGNXsA
TIME CUES:
0:00- Dramatizing Your Experience
1:20- Sour and Bitter Origins
3:30- Chlorogenic Acid?
8:43- Development of Flavor During Extraction
13:18- Describing Sour and Bitter Sensation
15:24- Taste Training
18:20- Dial by Taste
23:47- Pragmatic Approach
In this video, I explain the sour/bitter confusion that occurs when dialing in coffees. By taking a scientific approach, I attempt to explain why coffee tastes the way it does, and how bitterness and sourness are created. By teaching the science, my hope is that viewers become not only more informed on coffee chemistry, but to empower them when dialing in coffees, having a more full understanding of the process. Following that, I go over some tasting experiments to improve your tasting skills, giving a more direct and practical way to dial in your coffees at home.
ALSO- yes, there are other acids in the green. I was focusing on the MAIN ones. About 10% of green coffee weight is from neutralized acid bases. 8% of that is CGA whereas the other 2% is from citric, malic, and succinic *largely*. There are others, as well, but the focus is on the bigger, more prevalent ones. Again, didn't want to get too into the weeds!
Green coffee extract has a pH around 6. With the amount of "acid" in it, you'd expect closer to 2. After roasting, the pH goes to around 5 (4.9 for an acidic Kenya and up to 5.3 for the upper end of specialty)
LINKS
__________________
Join my Patreon community at:
patreon.com/lancehedrick
Find me on IG at:
instagram.com/lancehedrick
Find me on Facebook at:
facebook.com/lancehedrickcoffee
My storefront: amazon.com/shop/lancehedrick
My SECOND Channel:
Lance Hedrick Unfiltered
youtube.com/channel/UCvNpZQzurSNZQ8e2QNGNXsA
TIME CUES:
0:00- Dramatizing Your Experience
1:20- Sour and Bitter Origins
3:30- Chlorogenic Acid?
8:43- Development of Flavor During Extraction
13:18- Describing Sour and Bitter Sensation
15:24- Taste Training
18:20- Dial by Taste
23:47- Pragmatic Approach
