You might be familiar with this: Your package with new coffee finally arrives, and suddenly your filter coffee tastes bitter! Poor quality isn't always the reason for this unpleasant experience. This week, we'll explain what might be causing your filter coffee to taste bitter, and of course, we'll give you some helpful tips for dealing with bitter coffee. Happy reading!
Reasons why your filter coffee tastes bitter:
Reason 1: Brewing temperature too high
If you pour boiling water directly onto your filter coffee, it will taste bitter. Therefore, the ideal brewing temperature is between 92° and 96°C. Coffee tastes sour below 85°C! The brewing temperature is so important because the hot water extracts flavor compounds from the coffee. If your kettle doesn't have a temperature display, simply let it cool for a minute after boiling. This will ensure you reach the ideal temperature.
Reason 2: Too much Robusta
Perhaps the Robusta coffee content in your coffee is too high. As a result, your filter coffee tastes bitter. Check the packaging to see the Robusta to Arabica ratio. Arabica coffee is less dark and bitter. You can learn more about the differences between Arabica and Robusta here.
Reason 3: The coffee is roasted too dark.
This could also explain why your filter coffee tastes bitter. The darker the roast, the more bitter compounds it contains. Industrial coffees are often affected because they are roasted at very high temperatures in a very short time. This burns the coffee bean on the outside, resulting in a bitter taste. Therefore, look for high-quality coffees with medium to light roasts. Omni-roasts are also a good alternative and can be used for both espresso and filter coffee. Here you can learn how we roast and how it differs from industrial roasting.
Reason 4: The grind is too fine
If your filter coffee is ground too finely, you increase the surface area where the coffee reacts with the water. This results in more bitter compounds being extracted, and your filter coffee will taste bitter. Here you can learn how to adjust the grind correctly!
Reason 5: Too little coffee powder
It might sound strange at first, but let us explain: Your filter coffee will taste bitter if you use too little coffee grounds. This is because too little coffee grounds dissolve more bitter substances. The grounds are essentially washed away by the water, releasing unwanted flavors.
Reason 6: Your coffee machine needs cleaning again.
It sounds trivial, but this could also be the reason why your filter coffee tastes bitter. Since coffee oxidizes when exposed to air, it can become rancid. Therefore, you should regularly clean all parts that come into contact with your coffee. This way, you can easily prevent your filter coffee from tasting bitter and also avoid the flavor being distorted by mixing it with old coffee.
Reason 7: Your coffee is expired
If you've already ruled out all other possibilities, check if your coffee is still good. Old coffee not only loses flavor, but filter coffee tastes bitter after its best-before date. Have you already thrown away the packaging and are storing your coffee differently? Learn more about the dos and don'ts of coffee storage here.
As you can see, there are many different reasons why filter coffee can taste bitter. If you'd like to learn more about brewing really good filter coffee, check out our article on brewing with a hand filter and a Chemex . Two particularly "pure" Methods for preparing filter coffee at home.
Until next time - Your SIMON&BEARNS Team
My filter coffee tastes bitter - 7 reasons & tips against bitter coffee!
You might be familiar with this: Your package with new coffee finally arrives, and suddenly your filter coffee tastes bitter! Poor quality isn't always the reason for this unpleasant experience. This week, we'll explain what might be causing your filter coffee to taste bitter, and of course, we'll give you some helpful tips for dealing with bitter coffee. Happy reading!
Reasons why your filter coffee tastes bitter:
Reason 1: Brewing temperature too high
If you pour boiling water directly onto your filter coffee, it will taste bitter. Therefore, the ideal brewing temperature is between 92° and 96°C. Coffee tastes sour below 85°C! The brewing temperature is so important because the hot water extracts flavor compounds from the coffee. If your kettle doesn't have a temperature display, simply let it cool for a minute after boiling. This will ensure you reach the ideal temperature.
Reason 2: Too much Robusta
Perhaps the Robusta coffee content in your coffee is too high. As a result, your filter coffee tastes bitter. Check the packaging to see the Robusta to Arabica ratio. Arabica coffee is less dark and bitter. You can learn more about the differences between Arabica and Robusta here.
Reason 3: The coffee is roasted too dark.
This could also explain why your filter coffee tastes bitter. The darker the roast, the more bitter compounds it contains. Industrial coffees are often affected because they are roasted at very high temperatures in a very short time. This burns the coffee bean on the outside, resulting in a bitter taste. Therefore, look for high-quality coffees with medium to light roasts. Omni-roasts are also a good alternative and can be used for both espresso and filter coffee. Here you can learn how we roast and how it differs from industrial roasting.
Reason 4: The grind is too fine
If your filter coffee is ground too finely, you increase the surface area where the coffee reacts with the water. This results in more bitter compounds being extracted, and your filter coffee will taste bitter. Here you can learn how to adjust the grind correctly!
Reason 5: Too little coffee powder
It might sound strange at first, but let us explain: Your filter coffee will taste bitter if you use too little coffee grounds. This is because too little coffee grounds dissolve more bitter substances. The grounds are essentially washed away by the water, releasing unwanted flavors.
Reason 6: Your coffee machine needs cleaning again.
It sounds trivial, but this could also be the reason why your filter coffee tastes bitter. Since coffee oxidizes when exposed to air, it can become rancid. Therefore, you should regularly clean all parts that come into contact with your coffee. This way, you can easily prevent your filter coffee from tasting bitter and also avoid the flavor being distorted by mixing it with old coffee.
Reason 7: Your coffee is expired
If you've already ruled out all other possibilities, check if your coffee is still good. Old coffee not only loses flavor, but filter coffee tastes bitter after its best-before date. Have you already thrown away the packaging and are storing your coffee differently? Learn more about the dos and don'ts of coffee storage here.
As you can see, there are many different reasons why filter coffee can taste bitter. If you'd like to learn more about brewing really good filter coffee, check out our article on brewing with a hand filter and a Chemex . Two particularly "pure" Methods for preparing filter coffee at home.
Until next time - Your SIMON&BEARNS Team