A little bitterness is a natural part of coffee, but it shouldn't be the main thing you taste. If your coffee is harsh and bitter, the cause is usually the roast, the grind, the water temperature or how long it brews. The good news is that each one is easy to fix.
Where does the bitterness come from?
Caffeine is bitter, but it's only a small part of the story. Food scientists at the Technical University of Munich found that caffeine accounts for only about 15% of coffee's bitterness. Most of the rest comes from compounds formed during roasting: chlorogenic acid lactones in lighter roasts, and phenylindanes, which build up in darker roasts. That's why very dark roasts taste more bitter.
6 ways to make your coffee less bitter
1. Choose a lighter roast
If you find coffee bitter, try a light or medium roast. They keep more of the coffee's natural sweetness and fruit.
2. Use fresh coffee
Stale coffee tastes flat and bitter. Buy freshly roasted coffee with a roast date on the bag, and store it well. Here's how to store coffee to keep it fresh.
3. Don't brew with boiling water
Aim for water between 90 and 96°C, the range recommended by the Specialty Coffee Association. At home, just let the kettle stand for 30 seconds to a minute after it boils.
4. Check your grind
If your grind is too fine for your brewer, the water extracts too much from the coffee and it tastes bitter. Use a coarse grind for a cafetière and a medium grind for filter. Here are the mistakes to avoid when grinding coffee.
5. Don't brew for too long
Over-brewing makes coffee bitter too. With a cafetière, brew for about four minutes, then pour it all out, rather than leaving it sitting on the grounds. See our cafetière guide.
6. Keep your kit clean
Old coffee oils build up in cafetières, grinders and machines and turn rancid, which makes fresh coffee taste bitter. Rinse your brewer after every use and give everything a proper clean regularly.
The pinch of salt trick
A tiny pinch of salt stirred into your coffee, or sprinkled on the grounds before brewing, can take the edge off bitterness. Sodium suppresses bitter tastes on the tongue, and it makes the coffee taste smoother. Just use a few grains: you shouldn't be able to taste the salt. It's a useful trick, but fixing the roast, grind and water will make a much bigger difference.
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