Vibrancy
The Coffee Shop's ‘Vibrancy’, more commonly referred to as acidity, is the lively tingle that electrifies the sides and tips of your tongue as you sip your coffee. More technically speaking the perceived acidity of coffee results from the proton donation of acids to receptors on the human tongue. Acidity is typically a highly valued quality especially in Central American and some East African coffees. Sourness, however, is an extreme of acidity and can be considered a defect. Acidity has been correlated with coffees grown at very high altitudes and in mineral rich volcanic soils. The perceived acidity of washed coffees is also significantly higher than the acidity found in naturally (dry) processed coffees. This is likely due to an increase in the body of naturally processed coffees relative to wet processed coffees since body masks a coffee's acidity. The acid content in a brew is also greatly dependent upon the roast degree, type of roaster, and brewing method.