A general citrus tasting note can include flavours of grapefruit, orange, lemon or lime. It presents itself as a slight sourness on the tongue. Read more
The most important factor of a coffee bean developing a flavour note is the varietal. If the coffee doesn’t already possess the potential to have a citrus flavour note, there isn’t anything you can do to bring one out. But if the coffee bean does have a citrus taste, there are several factors that can influence how much of it comes out when you brew it. Firstly the minerals in the soil the coffee plant is grown in, as well as the pH level of the soil, will influence the flavours of the coffee. Then the coffee cherries must be harvested at peak ripeness. Generally speaking, the riper the cherry, the sweeter the coffee will be, so a very specific point before this will mean a more citrus taste comes through. The processing method will also affect the taste, with a wet-method used to showcase acidity and terroir, a semi-washed/honey method used to develop the sweeter tastes in the coffee and a natural processing method used to bring forward more fruity and berry flavours. Finally roasting to a lighter than medium roast often brings out a citrus acidity in a bean, as it both heats the sugars in the bean and showcases unique acidity.
Try out one of our coffees with a citrus flavour, and delight in the clean and fruity aspect.
