Why does my coffee keep tasting bitter, even though i have cleaned it?!
Why does my coffee keep tasting bitter, even though i have cleaned it?
I would appreciate any input as to why my coffee smells bitter and tastes bitter every so often. It doesnt happen everytime I make coffee, but often enough! Should i keep the grounds cold in the fridge or at room temperature? Any advice would be great!
Answers:
It could be the water. Try using bottled or filtered water instead of tap if you aren't already. Maybe you are using too much coffee? I do like to put my coffee in the freezer when I'm not using it. It helps to preserve the flavor longer. Also, try to put the coffee in someone else's coffee pot. Then you can figure out if it is the coffee or the pot.
Try switching to another brand. Also if you rarely drink coffee it is best that you keep them in the fridge. If your coffee is dried out it tends to take on a burned flavor. Also if your coffee maker is old it may be scorching the coffee.
Keep the coffee in the fridge, first off. Make sure it is sealed in something.
One of the main reasons coffee goes bitter is because the filter full of grounds is left in the machine after the java is brewed. If it stays in there for more than 10 minutes, you will get a bitter taste (especially in finer ground coffee)
Remove the filter and used grounds immediately and this should help.
Also, if you keep it on the warming plate of your coffee maker, that can make it go bitter in about 20 minutes.
The temperature at which you store the coffee doesn't really matter, unless it's being stored for a very long time.
Most likely, the bitterness is caused by brewing water that's too hot. I don't know what kind of coffee maker you're using, and it would really help if I did!
An automatic drip coffeemaker, like a typical "Mr. Coffee", consistently brews at a temperature of about 180 degrees F. That's the ideal temperature for coffee; any cooler, and the coffee would be weak and flavorless. Any hotter, and the coffee would release oils that contain bitterness. Once the coffee is brewed, the "hot plate" on the coffeemaker might be as hot as 190 degrees or so, but that's OK because by the time it gets there, the coffee's already brewed.
If you use any other method (percolator, coffee press), it's possible that the brewing water is simply too hot.
It's also remotely possible that if you are using an auto-drip machine, the machine's thermostat is set too high; that's something you'd have to talk to the manufacturer about.
It's usually if it's been brewed for too long.
Buy your coffee in small quantities and more often, so it's always fresh - but definitely do not store it in the fridge.
Wash your coffee maker after every use, and dry it well before using it again. If you still get a bitter taste, may be you should change your brand.
Add sugar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!