Why does my latte taste bitter

Different flavors are extracted from the coffee bean at different stages in the brewing process. And not all of those flavors are good. It will taste sour and perhaps even salty. Over-extracted coffee, on the other hand, will release bitter-tasting compounds into the water. Brewing your coffee with the right temperature water is crucial to avoiding bitterness. The hotter the water is, the quicker it will break down the coffee bean.

If the water is too hot it can scald the beans. It will also release the different compounds that affect flavor very quickly. That means it will be hard to avoid the bitter substances released later in the brewing process ending up in your cup. The ideal temperature for coffee brewing is generally accepted to be just below the boiling point.

Aim for between and degrees Fahrenheit. Of course, there is also the option of cold brew. Because this uses cold water to extract the flavors of the bean, the brewing time is much longer.

It brought you a little cup of happiness on even the worst days. But no one and nothing is immune to the perils of age. This is especially true if the quality of your coffee takes a nosedive for no apparent reason. Your beans are good, your water is filtered and heated properly, and your equipment is recently cleaned.

Start looking for a new coffee maker or grinder, stat. Sometimes we can get away with fudging our coffee gear. Making espresso without an espresso machine can produce great results… just not with the consistency and accuracy of an actual machine. How to Fix It: Try using the proper equipment for the type of coffee you want to make. Brewing coffee can be tricky, so there could be other reasons why your coffee tastes bad.

If you drink herbal tea, you might not care if it steeps a little longer than you mean to. If your brew runs too short or too long, you may have over or under-extracted coffee on your hands. For example, you can brew percolated coffee between six and ten minutes. Hey, it happens to the best of us. If you know what went wrong, great. Maybe you missed a step somewhere. How to Fix It: Remember to take notes the next time you try that same brew.

Write down every step, how much water and grounds you used, and even the temperature of the water. If the coffee tastes bad on the second test, start making adjustments until you suss out the problem. Remember, coffee is all about your personal tastes. How to Fix It: Change the recipe, try different beans , and discover what you enjoy. The temperature of the water can severely affect the brewing process. However, other factors may cause a disruption of flavor in your coffee.

Other factors like stale beans, brewing for too long, or a too-fine grind can also create a bitter flavor. In comparison to bitter coffee, a sour coffee flavor is on the opposite end of the spectrum. A sour flavor is often caused by the under-extraction of coffee. A quick fix for this is brewing your coffee for a little longer or adjusting your grind size to be a little finer.

This can also occur if you brew your coffee with too-hoot water for too long. Keeping it piping hot is only going to kill the flavor. For those who brew with regular tap water, this problem can be a common occurrence.

There can be traces of chlorine and other contaminants in tap water that alter the flavor of the water, so brewing with filtered or bottled water is the best option. Watered-down coffee is no fun and can be caused by a variety of factors. These factors include not using enough coffee to brew, not brewing for long enough, not brewing hot enough, or using a too-small grind size. Then you can check your brewing time, grind size, and water temperature. The most successful solution is deep cleaning your machine.

Begin by washing your water reservoir since these are normally plastic and running a brew cycle with hot water. So you might find it a little easier to get a great cup of coffee again in your kitchen.

Of course, some coffee conundrums go beyond these thirteen common problems. Think back on your brew process, inspect your beans, or maybe look at getting new equipment. Change one variable at a time until you get to the bottom of your coffee problem. Iced Coffee vs Cold Brew. Summer is warming up, so cool down with cold coffee!

We've comparing iced coffee and cold brew coffee, two delicious ways to cool down your coffee cravings. From flavor, to brewing methods, even to expiration dates, we're diving in deep analyzing the differences between iced coffee and cold brew coffee. Find more coffee storage tips here.

Many enjoy a strong flavored coffee yet, often experience an unpleasant bitter flavor. There are two reasons for this. Secondly, the roast profile of the coffee beans. Make sure every coffee you drink is free from bitterness by using specialty coffee beans. Specialty coffee only uses Arabica coffee beans, which offer superior quality.

You want to stay clear from Robusta beans which are bitter, lower in quality and are often used in instant coffees. As a specialty coffee roaster, we are strict on high quality and only select delicious Arabica beans for every one of our Karvans. If you enjoy your coffee beans strong you want to select a darker roast.

For example, our Karvan Blend 4 is a medium — dark roast that is designed to cut through milk and deliver that smooth and bold flavour.

Perfect for those who enjoy a strong coffee with no bitterness. However, be careful with selecting dark roast profiles as some roasters can take it a little too far.

If your beans are roasted too dark it can strip away the flavour experience and make your coffee taste like its burnt! Choosing specialty coffee roasters is usually a safe option as they will take pride in the premium green beans they source. When in doubt, ask the roaster! If you would like more information regarding any of the above issues, check out our barista training classes. We cover detailed coffee preparation and how to implement an espresso recipe.

Book online or contact us training leafbeanmachine. Skip to content. Leaf Bean Machine. All Posts. December 19, There is nothing worse than the disappointment of a bitter cup of coffee.

Over extraction When we brew coffee, the flavour hinges on the extraction of solids from the coffee itself. Volumetrics and coffee machine programming Checking the volumetrics on the coffee machine is part of our daily set up.

Grind Size Just as brew ratio affects espresso extraction, the grind size of our coffee also plays a huge part in the overall taste of the coffee. Dirty machine and equipment This is a no brainer.