Baking Soda In Coffee: Should You Try It?
Baking soda is used in quite a few handy ways. Baking, cleaning, and plenty of other DIY blends, so why not give it a try in your cup of coffee? Whether you are a coffee expert, giving it a try for the first time, or somewhere in between, it’s a pretty safe bet that you haven’t heard this one before.
So why in the world would adding baking soda to coffee be a helpful trick? We are so glad you asked. Surprisingly, there are some compelling arguments on why this might be a good tip to try. Before we can dive into the argument for baking soda, we need to talk a bit more about coffee.
Acidity
As many already know, coffee is quite acidic. Certain roasts more than others. The dilemma comes in when people start questioning why we need the acidity in the brew in the first place. Unfortunately, this is a part of the brewing process that gives flavor, so it cannot be skipped over fully. Knowing this, it’s always important to learn about the roasts and type of coffee grounds beforehand, so you don’t wind up with an overly bitter cup of coffee.
Rule of thumb, lighter roasts tend to be more acidic while darker roasts tend to be less. However, if you’ve already found yourself in this predicament, there is still hope even if you aren’t a fan of higher acidic brews.
This is where baking soda comes into play. If you can’t manage to find a way out of brewing up a higher acidic pot, there is still hope for you to enjoy your cup. Sprinkle a bit of baking soda into the mix.
Science Behind It
How does this work? To get a bit technical, coffee has a pH of 5, leaning it towards the bitter and acidic side of the spectrum. On the contrary, baking soda is an alkaline with a pH of a little above 8. Because of this, it will neutralize the acidity in the coffee. The end result? A less bitter and still quite tasty cup of joe to enjoy.
This is also helpful to eliminate some of the unwanted aftermaths of drinking java such as heartburn, stomach issues, and other similar issues. If this has been a reason to keep you from your love of caffeine, you don’t have to go without anymore! Grab your new best friend, baking soda, and watch it work its magic.
You might be asking, why don’t I just add in some milk and sugar and call it a day like everyone else? This is a fair point. However, baking soda doesn’t have loads of negative health benefits that adding milk and sugar into your brew does.
It also is cheap and takes only a small sprinkle to get the same results. While its main goal is to get rid of the bitterness, it also helps smooth out the flavor, making for a better experience all around. That being said, there is no need for anyone to retreat back to milk and sugar as far as flavor goes.
How to Add it
So when do you add in the sprinkle of baking soda? There are two ways to do this. If you’re looking to neutralize an entire pot, add a half tablespoon to the bot before you start to brew. This is great for those grounds that no one enjoys without some pretty severe neutralizing. Get it squared away all at once.
You can also add a sprinkle of baking soda to your cup only. This works for those of us that are a bit more sensitive to bitterness, or if you have a single-serve coffee pot. You can add it right after you pour, and you’ll get the same results as the other way.
Conclusion
Never thought you’d see the day? Hopefully, you are now on board with seeing all the benefits using baking soda in coffee can offer. Give it a try next time you run into this predicament and see if you agree that it can be an easy fix to a not-so-fun situation. No one wants to waste a perfectly good cup of joe, even if it’s a bit bitter. Now you don’t have to!
