The Fresh List: Wind Down Your Summer With Sweet Citrus

The Fresh List: Wind Down Your Summer With Sweet Citrus

Leo season comes roaring in with bright, tangy coffee.
by Maciej Kasperowicz | August 05, 2019

Leo season comes roaring in with bright, tangy coffee.

Citrus fruit isn’t necessarily the flavor you associate most with your basic cup of coffee. Citric acidity is, however, is super-common in coffee. This summer has brought us a whole bunch of delicious beans that demonstrate how citrus flavors can live harmoniously with all the sweet notes you might be more used to finding in your morning cup.

For an end-of-summer journey through the world of citrus, try one (or all) of the five delicious coffees on this month's Fresh List.

Panther Ethiopia Chelbessa coffee

The most nostalgic summer citrus is probably lemonade , and it’s a flavor note we see in coffees that have that lemon flavor rounded out with a bunch of sugary sweetness. This tasty Ethiopian from Miami’s Panther is a delicious example.

Panther Ethiopia Chelbessa ($24.75)

Huckleberry Guatemala Atitlan el Grano coffee

Orange is a flavor that pairs really well with chocolate, so it’s not surprising that we find that duo in lots of delicious Central American coffees, including those that aren’t particularly high in acidity. This balanced, comforting Guatemalan is a great example of a coffee with a citrus note that anyone can enjoy!

Huckleberry Guatemala Atitlan el Grano ($22.40)

Boxcar El Salvador El Copo coffee

Blood orange has a darker, more complex sweetness than your average citrus fruit, and that really comes through in this delicious coffee from El Salvador. That juiciness provides a great balance to the sweet candy bar flavors this coffee also delivers.

Boxcar El Salvador El Copo ($19.45)

Anodyne Honduras Pacayal Manos de Mujer coffee

The pulp and juice of many citrus fruits is quite acidic, but — as you might know from Earl Grey tea, cocktail garnishes, or baking — citrus peels carry a lot of those same aromatics without any acidity. This chocolaty coffee from Honduras isn’t very acidic, but it tastes like a little bit of lime zest has been grated into the mix for a refreshing, interesting aftertaste.

Anodyne Honduras Pacayal Manos de Mujer ($19.95)

Madcap Kenya Karinga coffee

We couldn’t leave you without a coffee that delivers on the zing you expect from citrus, and coffees from Kenya often fit that bill. This delightful Kenyan tastes like super-bright grapefruit. Luckily, it has a whole lot of dense sweetness to balance out that tartness.

Madcap Kenya Karinga ($26.50)

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