Brewing Coffee with Lactic Acid

1 Chronicles 29:13-14

“Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.”

It will not have escaped the notice of regular listeners to these Creation Moments that I have quite a considerable partiality for good coffee. This is in spite of the fact that I was raised in the Northwest of England at a time when the only coffee available had already been brewed once, then dried out into powder, and swept, probably with other dust, into a jar. So, when I recently saw a brand new science article on coffee, I was pleased to read something new in it!

I have been continually impressed with the amount of science that goes into the various methods of producing coffee. Earth.com recently carried an article, showing that if beans are subject to wet processing, they undergo a fermentation similar to that of cabbage when producing sauerkraut (another favorite of mine). It appears that lactic acid producing bacteria protect the quality of the coffee by preventing the growth of undesirable micro-organisms that lead to a poor taste. The article suggests that a lot more research needs to be done on how exactly the lactic acid works to enhance the best flavors, producing the most acceptable sensory experience, and I, for one, would be happy to help with that research.

All levity apart, it is fascinating that God has made such an incredible creation, that there is interest and adventure to be found in the most seemingly mundane areas, and supposedly everyday processes.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for all Your good gifts to us. Thank You for the sense of taste and the enjoyment that we receive from food and drink well made. Amen.

Author: Paul F. Taylor

Ref: Harvey, O. (2019), How lactic acid helps to brew the perfect cup of coffee, < https://www.earth.com/news/lactic-acid-perfect-coffee/ >, accessed 1/31/2019. Image: Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.