Buying Low Acid Coffee Online: The Journey Begins
Buying Low Acid Coffee Online: The Journey Begins
While there are very few choices for consumers wanting to purchase low acid coffees online, the good news is that several new faces have entered the space, so while the number of low acid coffee companies is small, it is growing.
Based on my research there is about 20 roasters that produce low acid coffee. While 20 out of 1,600 roasters is a infinitesimal percentage of the total roaster population, thankfully that number is increasing.
Granted only 20 low acid coffee roasters for the entire U.S. is a very small number, but from a consumer perspective that number still offers a lot choices and presents a lot questions. So I am going to begin a journey. As you are reading this post, I have finished the planning and taken my first step on this journey? What is the journey and what step have I taken.
I want to bring value to people. To share my experience, knowledge, and insight in selecting just the right low acid coffee for them. I will be ordering coffee from each of the known low acid coffee roasters that I have found. If I happen across additional low acid coffee producers, I will try to incorporate them into my journey. I have taken the first step and the online ordering has begun.
It is my intention to put each of these coffees through a series of tests to help you as a consumer make an informed decision on how and from whom to buy low acid coffee online. I will not be, disparaging our competitors, which are trying to produce coffee for people who would be otherwise be unable to drink coffee.
On my journey, I will be analyzing each coffee in a number of areas.
Area 1: PH levels -I will lab testing coffee to get a sense of what low acid means to each of these companies and how it scores overall in the low acid world. We will be conducting 3 party lab tests to keep this as independent as possible. So what coffee is the lowest in acid? We will find out.
Area 2: Taste - How does the coffee taste? This point of the review will not be to focus on any taste imperfections, but rather to help the consumer get a preview of how each coffee cups. For people suffering from a sensitivity to Chlorogenic acid, any coffee that is produced that allows them to drink coffee again, already gets a thumbs up from me. The point of the reviews will be to focus on what these roasters are doing right.
Area 3: Green Coffee- We will be looking at the type of green coffee used by the roasters to produce their low acid coffee. Some roasters on the list will lean heavily on coffees that are natural processed, which are lower in acid and can give them a head start to low acid finished product, but there are also trade offs and limitations with taste.
Area 4: Production Method – How does the roaster produce their low acid coffee? Are there additives, pre-treatments, or is the coffee slow roasted?
Area 5: Organic – Does the green coffee used and the method of production, yield an organic product?
Area 6: The online experience- We will be looking at overall website flow, easy of ordering, shipping policies, shipping costs, and standard delivery times.
Area 7: Information and transparency. What type of information is provided to the consumer to help them make an informed decision. Are there certificates or lab results published for consumers to see or do they just take your word for it. What is the level of transparency that each company provides.
I will be using these seven areas of evaluation, and maybe a few more, to give you the necessary information to make an informed decision on what coffee is best for you.
How long will this journey take? Good questions, please stay tuned. I will be updating you periodically as this journey unfolds.
- Mavericks