Coffee too bitter?
Five tips for the perfect taste!

Bitter coffee is not at all unusual, after all, every coffee bean also has bitter substances. When prepared correctly, together with other aromas, it produces the balanced bouquet that Germans love so much.

However, if your coffee tastes too bitter, there are various reasons for this, ranging from the choice of coffee beans to incorrect preparation. We want to explain the most common causes of bitter coffee and give you tips on how to make your favorite pick-me-up a success every time.

Bitter coffee: all a matter of taste?

Of course, tastes are different. Some people like their espresso strong, while others prefer their coffee mild. This means that not all coffee beans are suitable for every palate.

Arabica beans, for example, have a much milder taste than Robusta beans. Both types of coffee are often sold in a mixing ratio used in the trade. If the proportion of Robusta beans is too high, the popular hot drink tastes rather harsh than strong.

Your personal situation can also influence your taste sensation, for example if you have a cold or are pregnant.

Tastes are different, it all depends on the right bean

Possible reasons why the coffee tastes too bitter

We have already mentioned one possible reason for coffee that is too bitter, namely if you have chosen too few or even no Arabica beans at all. The roasting of the coffee beans is also of essential importance. In industrial short-time roasting, the beans are shock-roasted at an extreme temperature of up to 800° C in a short period of time. This process almost burns the outside of the beans, but some of them remain raw on the inside and the coffee bitters cannot all be dissolved.

The degree of grinding can also be a cause if the coffee tastes too bitter. If the coffee beans are ground too finely, the extraction time is very long and too many unwanted bitter substances are released. This results in an unpleasant and bitter taste.

Other reasons for the bitterness may lie in the preparation, for example if you use too little coffee powder. This releases more bitter substances. Too little water can also lead to a different taste. As a rule, a coffee powder to water ratio of 1:2 is recommended.

If the brewing temperature of the water is too high, the result can also be too strong. The ideal temperature is 92° to 96° Celsius, which you can set yourself on a fully automatic coffee machine. If you brew the coffee yourself - for example in a French press or as filter coffee - you should wait about a minute after boiling the water before brewing.

Bitter substances in coffee

Although caffeine is usually associated with the bitterness of coffee, it is by no means the main bittering agent. Decaffeinated coffee can therefore also taste bitter.

The darker the roast, the more bitter the taste of this popular hot drink.

However, the bitter bitter substances contained in coffee are better than their reputation! Although they change the taste of the coffee, they can have a positive effect on the human body.

Fat burning and digestion in particular benefit from the bitter substances. In this way, stomach acid production is regulated and digestion is stimulated.

With a little milk, you can balance out the taste of the bitter substances and increase the enjoyment of the coffee.

A quick remedy if your coffee tastes too bitter?

Have you just made yourself a delicious cup, but your coffee suddenly tastes bitter or too strong for your taste?

You can soften the strong aroma with a pinch of salt. Salt absorbs the excess bitter substances and releases other aromas, including the sweetness.

A quick remedy if your coffee tastes too bitter?

Valuable tips for pure coffee enjoyment

Cocoa can also help. It improves the digestibility and effect of the espresso and gives it a chocolaty aroma. The trick is that cocoa softens the water and makes the black gold taste better.

The water itself is of course also relevant. For example, chalky water changes the taste, and brewing temperatures that are too high often result in a bitter taste. We therefore recommend filtering the water and brewing the coffee at a maximum water temperature of 96 °C. Our top coffees should only be brewed at around 90-92 °C.

Five tips for a really good cup of coffee

Have you just made yourself a delicious cup, but your coffee suddenly tastes bitter or too strong for your taste?

1. the right coffee

There are coffee-growing regions around the worldall of which have their own unique signature. And although there are almost 124 types of coffee there are almost exclusively Robusta and Arabica. The Arabica bean is oval with an s-shaped indentation on the flat side, while the Robusta bean is smaller and round with a straight indentation. Robusta coffee is also darker, woodier and more bitter and contains almost twice as much caffeine.

This makes this bean particularly suitable for espresso, while Arabica coffee is more digestible and milder. It is also less bitter, has a stronger aroma and has more depth of flavor.

2. the color of the coffee bean

If the coffee bean is roasted darker, it contains more bitter substances. As already mentioned, coffee is often roasted too quickly and too hot in large roasting plants; the beans burn on the outside and are often still raw on the inside. It is better to choose slightly lighter beans to avoid a bitter taste.

3. too fine a grind

If your coffee is ground too finely, the extraction time during brewing will be too long and unwanted bitter substances will be released. The degree of grinding should primarily depend on your preparation method. As a guide, you can use the following grind sizes:

Fine (for espresso machines)
Medium (for filter coffee)
Coarse (for French Press)

4. the water temperature

If the brewing water is too hot during coffee preparation, the unwanted bitter substances are dissolved and the various aromas are destroyed. To prevent the coffee from becoming too bitter, a water temperature of 92-96° Celsius is recommended. If you prepare the coffee using a kettle, wait a minute before brewing to ensure that the optimum temperature is reached. With a fully automatic coffee machine, you can adjust the heat in the settings.

5 Correct cleaning

The black gold not only tastes delicious, it is also rich in aromas, oils and other substances. Over time, these can build up in your coffee maker and make the coffee taste too bitter or even rancid. The reason for this unpleasant taste is contact with oxygen, which causes the residues to oxidize.

Of course, simple coffee makers have advantages over fully automatic machines when it comes to cleaning, as many components are hidden here. However, there are also fully automatic coffee makers with self-cleaning programs. If you pay attention to the utmost cleanliness, this is not only good for the taste of your coffee, but also benefits the service life of your appliances.

Conclusion

To a certain extent, coffee simply tastes a little bitter. For some people, coffee may be too bitter and for others it may even be desirable. You now have an overview of the reasons why coffee can taste bitter and what you can do about it. However, if you follow our tips, nothing should stand in the way of you enjoying your coffee to the full. Why not try out our versatile tasting set with three top coffees that are guaranteed not to taste too bitter!