Why Does My Coffee Taste Bad?
Before we begin, let me clarify that I am not an expert. I am not the first coffee blogger, and I certainly will not be the last. This writing reflects my firsthand experiences, successes, and failures in the world of coffee. I hope you find these small contributions to the coffee community helpful, lighthearted, and entertaining. I encourage you to explore your curiosity about coffee and see where it leads you!
Cheers!
A public service announcement for everyone: Your coffee doesn't need to taste bad. No matter what your experience level with coffee is, you can brew a delightful cup for yourself and others with as much or as little investment as you'd like. In this article, I will give my opinions on why your coffee tastes bad, ways to improve your brewing methods, and steps you can take to get closer to brewing at home successfully.
Have you ever been over to a friend's or neighbor's home and accepted a cup of coffee only to taste muddy brown water? Are you the friend or neighbor offering up burnt, stale, or over extracted coffee? Let's fix this issue in a few simple steps. But first, let me explain some reasons why your coffee tastes off.
Tall drink of Water.
Are you using fresh water to brew your coffee? No matter what your preferred method of brewing is, water makes up the majority of what you are actually drinking! Let's start on the right foot, shall we?
Chances are, you are brewing with tap water from your local municipality. Even if you are lucky to live near a city like me with the right chemical makeup of a good brew, there is always room for improvement. I would suggest you stop using your tap water and purchase treated water geared towards coffee. Some people even make their brewing water with distilled water and add minerals with premeasured packets. I don't think you need to do this, but let's at least start with filtered water or stick with your tap if it is as soft as 100-200 ppm. If you want to test your water, you can buy inexpensive test strips online or at a hardware store. Not only will using the right water aid in a better tasting cup, but it can also prolong the longevity of your coffee makers, espresso makers, kettles, and everything else used to brew!
Spill The Beans.
. Every time I begin a conversation with someone about coffee, they ask me what beans they should be using. While beans are a personal preference based on a lot of factors, I can make some general suggestions for you to start with. I always have the same reply no matter with whom I am conversing. Google, or better yet, ask a friend where you can find a local roaster nearby and go try some of their coffee. After a few visits, buy a bag of freshly roasted coffee (roasted within the past few weeks) and take it home. I never suggest buying from a grocery store, market, or really any large chain store. Even if you are buying “name brand” coffee beans, the chances of them being fresher than a locally roasted coffee bean are slim. Chances are, the coffee “off the shelf” is already past its prime, and you are going to start brewing coffee with almost no chance of pouring a quality cup from it. I won't say that online is a bad place to shop for fresh roasted beans, but you have to be wary of which sites you try and what roasters they are supplied from. Please note that if you are looking for the freshest cup possible, I highly suggest you buy whole bean coffee and grind it at home immediately before use. I can write an entire post about just this aspect alone, but if, for some reason, you can't grind at home, have the shop/roaster grind them for you after your purchase.
Dirty, Dirty Equipment.
I know this may not sound like a fun time to talk about maintenance, but it is kind of a big deal. You wouldn’t believe the coffee equipment I have encountered at friends' places, coffee shops, marketplace, etc., that has years of grime and oil caked on and in. It is honestly impressive that machines still run after all the neglect and daily use.
Over time, oils from coffee, minerals from water, dust, and other machine killers slowly attack your machines. This is true with any brew vessel, whether it be manual or electric-powered. It is very impressive that some of these machines are still functioning! Coffee makers, Moka pots, Chemex, V60s, and all other brew tools function better when cleaned and maintained properly! I won’t pretend to be an expert when it comes to maintenance, but I can assure you I have a routine with all of my coffee grinders, makers, and even drinkware. So, stop ignoring that “descale” light on your machine and get cleaning! The caked-on coffee at the bottom of your carafe doesn't add flavor. Ok, well, it does add flavor…just not the kind we are trying to achieve.
For more information on cleaning/maintenance, I recommend a quick Google search or reference the user manual of your piece of equipment.
Let’s Start Brewing.
Ok, so you have your fresh coffee beans and water and your sparkling, clean equipment in your kitchen and are ready to make some coffee. Like most people, I used to brew my coffee every day from a conventional drip coffee maker. These days, I rarely use a drip coffee maker for a variety of reasons, but even these brewing tips apply to most any brew method, yes. (Recommended brew methods for beginners are Drip Coffee Machines, AeroPress, French Press)
Weigh your beans. Each method of brewing has an ideal ratio of ground beans to water. I suggest you do a quick search on what the recommended ratio is for your preferred method. I would grab a gram scale to be able to measure accurately and effectively.
Measure your water. This is directly related to the tip above. You can use the same scale for your beans and water!
Check Grind Size. Just like your ideal ratio, your coffee beans should be ground to an ideal size to ensure proper extraction. This part is crucial for all methods of brewing. It is especially important when you start exploring new methods of brewing. Be sure you have a grinder that is geared towards your preferred brewing method! Some grinders are good ‘all-rounders’ and others are solely for espresso.
Verify Temperature. Heating your water to the proper temperature is another step to aid in proper and delicious coffee brewing. While this may not be a factor you can change with most coffee makers, it is an important variable when using methods like French press, AeroPress, espresso, etc.
You did it! You made a cup of coffee! Now it is time to taste it. The much-anticipated first sip tastes… not good. Don’t be discouraged! If you are like me, your first batches of coffee will not work out as planned. After much research, reading articles, watching tutorials, and chatting up local baristas and roasters, I failed. But after some more practice and tweaks I finally had that ah ha moment I was hoping. A great cup of coffee.
The important thing is you try your best and you will not quit! I assure you, in time, you will make delicious coffee at home for yourself, loved ones, and dear friends. Double-check all of your variables and try, try some more. It is meant to be fun, and once you start having success, I promise you will have discovered a newfound passion or, at the very least, an appreciation for good coffee.
I hope this general guide to why your coffee tastes bad helps you in all your future coffee endeavors. Until then, I hope you find your Second Wind in whatever it is you are pursuing.