Quick Diagnostic: What Does Your Coffee Taste Like?
Quick Diagnostic: What Does Your Coffee Taste Like? Before you start changing things, figure out which problem you're actually solving. Use this quick…
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Cause #1 — Wrong Strength (Most Common)
Cause #1 — Wrong Strength (Most Common) Strength is about how much coffee material ended up in your cup. It's the simplest problem to fix and the one people…
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Cause #2 — Sourness (Under-Extraction)
Cause #2 — Sourness (Under-Extraction) Sour, tangy, or "empty" coffee means the water didn't spend enough time pulling good flavors out of the grounds. The…
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Cause #3 — Dryness & Bitterness (Over-Extraction)
Cause #3 — Dryness & Bitterness (Over-Extraction) Dry, bitter, dusty, or astringent coffee means you pulled too much out of the grounds. The later-stage…
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When It's Not You: Beans, Water & Equipment
When It's Not You: Beans, Water & Equipment If you've dialed in your ratio, grind, and brew time and it still tastes off, look beyond your technique.…
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Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions Why does my coffee taste sour? Sour coffee usually means under-extraction — the water moved through the grounds too fast or at too…
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We Want to Hear From You
We Want to Hear From You Coffee taste is personal, and we'd love to know what you're working with. Quick poll: What's your most common coffee problem? It's…
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Final Takeaway
Final Takeaway Bad home coffee is almost always fixable. The three main problems — wrong strength, sour under-extraction, and dry over-extraction — each have…
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Sources
Sources Specialty Coffee Association. "Gold Cup Standard" — Coffee Brewing Control Chart. — SCA Coffee Specialty Coffee Association. "Water for Coffee" — SCA…
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