i have tried everything to make a good cup of coffee.?

Question

i have bought three different brands of coffee, new coffee maker and even store bought water, my coffee always tastes bitter, thought it was me but when i go out the coffee at the restaurant tastes great. my new coffee maker even has a filter built in for the water so it tastes better, but i'd never know it. i even tried a little salt in the grounds and bought a coffee grinder to grind fresh coffee. help me, i love coffee and don't know what i'm doing wrong. thanks.

Answer 1

get starbucks coffee, french roast

Answer 2

I assume you tried reducing the amount of coffee grinds. This can actually backfire, because too much water per grinds causes the causes more of the bitter chemicals in the coffee beans to be dissolved in the water.

Since you like restaurant coffee, I assume that you like the taste of coffee and do not want to mask the flavor. Therefore, I do not suggest trying to cover up the bitterness with salt, vanilla, spices or other additives.

Here are some suggestions:

1. First, start with a good coffee. A lighter roasted blend will be less bitter. It is also important that the coffee be fresh. I would suggest Starbucks morning blend purchased from a Starbucks store (not from a grocery store). The coffee beans purchased from a coffee store tend to be fresher than the ones at the grocery store because they spent less time in storage. You should ask the counter person which beans have been just delivered. Regular beans generally have more flavor than decaf.

2. When you grind the beans, do not grind them as finely as you might want to. Normally, you would grind them 10 seconds for brewed coffee, more for expresso. Instead, grind them just 7 seconds. You will end up with larger grinds and a slightly weaker coffee. When the coffee brews, the flavorful oils in the beans will be washed into the coffee, and less of the slower-dissolving bitter flavors will be released into the water.

3. Use bottled water. This eliminates chlorine from the coffee brew.

4. If you want to use a coffee machine, your best bet is one with a permanent gold foil filter. Also, make sure both the machine and coffee pot are clean. Run the machine once with a vinegar-water mixture and a second time with distilled water to be sure it is thoroughly clean.

5. For the best flavor and control, use a French Press instead of a traditional coffee maker. They generally cost $20-$30. The French Press lets you exactly control the strength of the coffee by deciding how long to hold the beans in the caraf. Because it is glass, you can see the coffee brew and judge its strength by the color of the water. Be sure to grind the beans coarsely, use very hot water and limit the brew time to no more than 3 minutes.

6. However you make the coffee, do not keep it on a heater. If you used a French Press, pour the coffee out of the caraff and into a thermos or some other container. Keeping the coffee in the press will just make it stronger. Keeping coffee on a "coffee warmer" just burns the coffee.

If you want a no-hassle perfect cup of coffee, buy one of the single-brew coffee machines. The "Flavia" brand is the best moderately priced model.

Answer 3

Seems like you are using too much coffee in proportion to water. The salt is for when the cup of coffee is bitter. A few grains of salt can smoothe it out so it isn't a total waste.

Is your first cup bitter or do you let the coffee carafe sit on the warming plate awhile and then drink the coffee which is bitter?

It's usually two level tablespoons of coffee to six.ounces of water. The darker the roast the more bitter the coffee if you're too heavy on the grounds.

If you like cinnamon, try sprinkling some on the grounds during the brewing process.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Your coffee is bitter because you are using to much grounds. Try a couple of good size tablespoons. That is enough for 10-12 cups of coffee. Use cold water.
If all else fails buy your self a 'Tim Hortons' coffee brewer. They have them on now. There is a tank to keep water hot while you have the coffee. Takes 3 minutes to make a really good pot of coffee. But make sure you read the instructions, unless you want to christened your counter and floor with the first pot. I did that. Bummer.

Answer 5

Sounds like you've tried all the obvious stuff. Now we are down to the guesswork.....

Some people say to put a spoonful of vanilla in the pot to take the bitterness out.

It could be you are just making the coffee too strong. Try using a scoop less.

Make sure its not your cup, sometimes if a cup is not completely clean the coffee will be bitter. I recommend hand washing both cup and coffee pot. (no dishwasher)

Also are you using a perk coffee maker or a drip.
In my opinion nothing beats a perk coffee maker but I'm sure some will not agree.

Good luck

Answer 6

it could either be the coffee brand,a bean that has been roasted until very dark which gives a bitter taste or to much heat from the machine that burns the coffee,the water should be hot not boiling

Answer 7

try using a little less coffee and the other option is try a french press.....you can only make one or two cups at a time but the coffee is usually delicious....not sure where you live but try a starbucks brand of coffee if you have that near you...the Christmas blend is wonderful if you can get it...make sure your water is very cold....good luck

Answer 8

<>Try varying the amount of coffee you use. Most people use "1 scoop per cup" when they load their pot and that can be way too much. My standard is 3 tablespoons (and I use a regular tablespoon, not a measuring spoon) for a pot of coffee.

Answer 9

If the coffee is bitter then you are making it too strong, cut back on your grounds.Just a little, then try that.If still bitter, cut back again.I like spring water for mine....Good luck.

Answer 10

Ask the restaurant staff what they do to make your coffee taste so great. They might tell you!

Answer 11

Move to Canada, or Ohio or some mid-west state, buy a house close to Tim Horton's. When you want coffee, go there. Yummy!