Is there such a thing as coffee that doesn’t taste bitter? Quality coffee brewed properly should taste like it smells, without being bitter. Harsh and bitter tasting coffee results from improper brewing technique, bad coffee, or both. Here is a list of the top 5 reasons why your coffee tastes bitter.
Pin on Pinterest!
If you find yourself requiring lots of cream and sugar, chances are that you are trying to cover up what’s underneath. Bitter coffee often leads you to using large amounts of sugar to mask the taste. Don’t assume that all coffee tastes bitter. The truth is, great coffee really doesn’t taste bitter at all and certainly needs less sugar (or no sugar).
There are many factors that can contribute to coffee bitterness. That being said, some methods of coffee preparation are less bitter than others. You may want to consider a few different styles of preparation along with the tips from this last.
Here is a list of the top 5 reasons why your coffee tastes bitter (in order of largest impact) and some advice on what you can do about it.
1. Low Quality Coffee or Over Roasted Coffee
If you are having trouble with bitter coffee, the first thing you may want to try is switching out the coffee itself. You often get what you pay for, but sometimes all you get is marketing. To avoid this, look for a recent roast date on the bag and don’t pick too dark of a roast. Medium and medium-dark roasts are the perfect balance of coffee traits with roasting flavors, and can be lot more palatable than the darkest roasts.
I recommend avoiding Italian, Vienna, Spanish, and French roasts because these roasts are most likely to be perceived as bitter, especially when brewed improperly. The roast flavor is much more likely to overshadow the more subtle coffee traits. These roasts also tend to be less forgiving of mistakes with regards to brewing temperature, extraction time, and grind consistency.
Try to avoid the cheap supermarket brand coffee. Low quality coffee is usually quite harsh and acidic, with no other obvious flavors. Coffee in this category can take quite a bit of sugar and cream to make palatable, which is no good. Forget the instant coffee, for sure.
Read More: Selecting Coffee Beans
2. Over-Extraction
Extraction refers to the process where coffee grounds are broken down in water. Over-extraction results from too fine of a grind size, too long of an extraction time, or both. You can easily use a shorter extraction time if you use a french press or an aeropress. However, with the other methods this might not be so easy. Coffee grounds that are too small will trap water in the filter and extend the brewing time. Generally, the finer your grind, the shorter the extraction time needs to be.
If you don’t own a good burr grinder, be sure your coffee is ground for your preferred method. I’ve seen folks use coffee grounds intended for a drip machine in their french press and wonder why their coffee tastes bitter. No! Always use the correct grind size for your method to avoid over-extraction.
If you grind your beans at home using a blade grinder, you’ll probably have dust along with your coffee grounds. It doesn’t get much finer than dust. Consider replacing your grinder for a decent burr grinder. These grinders cut beans down to even sized particles and allow for the convenience of buying your coffee in whole bean form (which you should also try to do). If your coffee is over extracted, you can easily adjust the burr settings to yield a coarser grind which will have a noticeable difference in your next brew.
Read More: Burr Grinder Basics
3. Using Tap Water
Don’t use tap water when brewing coffee. Using filtered water makes a noticeable difference in the smoothness of brewed coffee. Tap water can introduce all sorts of weird metallic tastes that become prominent when heated. Once I started drinking my coffee black, I became extremely sensitive to this. Always use filtered water when brewing coffee.
I always use water from my refrigerator filter, which works quite well. If you don’t have a water line in your refrigerator, consider purchasing a Brita filter for your water. You can find these filters at most grocery stores.
4. Using a Low Quality Coffee Maker
If you are using a low-end coffee maker, this could likely be your culprit. Cheap coffee pots can introduce the taste of metal (from a cheap heating element) and plastic (from hot water moving through the plastic reservoir) into your cup. You might get used to this after a while, but it’s really noticeable once you taste the alternative. Consider investing in a manual brewing method or higher end coffee maker.
If you haven’t descaled your coffee pot in a while (or ever…), you may want to try this before investing in a new method. Descaling breaks down the mineral deposits in the reservoir and in other parts of the machine. Descaling allows your machine to run optimally and minimizes some of the elements that can lead to bitter tasting coffee.
If this doesn’t work, and you have made the other changes listed above, you might want to explore an alternative brewing method. Have you ever considered a manual brewing method? They are inexpensive, versatile, and simple to use. Additionally, the resulting coffee will make you wonder why you kept your old pot for so long. The aeropress is a great one to start with because it’s cheap and forgiving of mistakes.
Read More: Brewing Method Comparison
If you want an automatic method that brews quality, non-bitter coffee, expect to spend some cash. Ideally, the coffee maker needs to be built with stainless steel or other high-end components and use a decent boiler/heating element. When considering brewing methods, remember that quality and automation will always cost more.
5. Too much stirring and agitation
If you already use a manual brewing method, try not to mess with your coffee so much during the extraction process. Once all the grounds are wet, you really don’t need to keep stirring.
You can even cut down on how much you stir by how you first pour the water. I will typically saturate the grounds by pouring water in circles and purposely covering all the grounds. Avoid excessively stirring your coffee during extraction.
If you use an aeropress or a french press, don’t push forcefully or quickly. You don’t want to ring out the coffee by pushing all the way down with excessive force. Push down the plunger gently and slowly to avoid extracting bitterness.
A Smoother, Less Bitter Cup
I hope you found these tips helpful to identify and resolve the source of your bitter coffee. Too many people put up with bad coffee because they assume that all coffee tastes bitter. You are allowed to like it, you know? The process can even be enjoyable if you are willing to use good beans and involve yourself a bit more.
If you are interested in learning how to drink black coffee, this is especially important. Missing any of the above details can make black coffee unpalatable. Black coffee should be smooth and flavorful and not really bitter at all.
What has your experience been with bitter coffee? Did you find another solution?
If you want smoother coffee every where you go, please share!
Happy Brewing!
Comments