A Word About Brewing Coffee
When we brew coffee, hot water passes through the coffee grounds, and dissolves content from the dry coffee. Different compounds dissolve as brewing continues, mixing together to create the beverage. If not enough content is pulled out of the dry coffee, coffee can taste sour, grassy, and unpleasant. If too much content is pulled out, the taste becomes astringent, and bitter. Our goal is to pull out as much sweetness from the coffee as possible without any astringent, bitter flavors.
What Makes Coffee Taste Bitter
Bitterness in high-quality coffee comes from uneven interaction during brewing. This could be an issue in brewing technique or equipment. However, it is frequently caused by the quality of the grind. A quality burr grinder will produce grounds that are all nearly identical in size. View our recommended grinders here.
A cheaper grinder, or one with dull burrs, will produce grounds that have a broader range in size. Blade mill grinders can produce very small, almost powder-like consistency. Inconsistent, as well as very small, fine particles both cause bitterness while brewing. The more consistent the grind size, the sweeter your coffee will taste.
How To Dial Your Grinder
Every grinder has its own sweet spot. You want your grind to be as fine as possible, without producing undesirable fine particles and bitter flavors. Try making a few pour-overs back-to-back, making the grind finer as you go. You should notice the flavor becoming fuller and sweeter. Once the flavor starts becoming bitter, and the pour-over is having a hard time draining— you have gone too far. Make the grind coarser again until the bitter flavors disappear. If you're having a hard time finding the sweet spot, check for old dull burrs. Keeping your grinder clean will also improve consistency.
Grinding Tips
- Replace your burrs (every 6 months - 1 year based on use)
- Keep your grinder clean. Burrs can we washed with soap and water for an extra deep clean
- Start running your grinder before you add your coffee. This will help the coffee to grind more evenly
- Make sure the burrs are lined up properly. Contact your grinder manufacturer for specific tips on aligning burrs.
This article was originally written by Ben Turiano and published as part of our Coffee Tips & Myths e-mail series, focused on how brewing can impact what we taste. Ben is a certified barista trainer, a skill he has used to train our own barista staff, as well as consult for a wide range of wholesale clients. As Joe Bean's green buyer and head roaster, he has spent the last 10+ years building strong farming relationships worldwide, advocating for direct trade and mindful sourcing.