How come some coffee tastes so bad?

by Mike
(Illinois)

QUESTION:

Why is it that some coffee just plain tastes so bad? I just can't appreciate some coffees. However, if I visit certain restaurants, it's great!

ANSWER:

Good question – but there are so many different answers!

Let's just consider the coffee you get served in a restaurant.

Here are just some of the things that can go wrong and result in a disappointing brew.

1. The restaurant might have bought some cheap coffee and stored it for way too long.

2. Maybe they brewed the coffee too weak or too strong.

3. Maybe you got the last cup of coffee from the carafe, and it was brewed an hour ago.

The flip side is that many restaurants get it right. They buy quality coffee, brew it right and make sure it's fresh-brewed when they pour it into your cup or mug.

The thing about coffee is that it's really delicate. The green beans are pretty robust, and you can store them for years. But as soon as you roast coffee, you have to pay attention. As soon as a bean is roasted it starts to lose its flavor. And once you grind it, it loses that flavor even faster.

Then comes the brewing process, and plenty more opportunities to mess up.

In other words, there are plenty of ways to get it wrong when you're making coffee. And that means plenty of ways to spoil the taste of what could have been a great cup of coffee.

Learn more on our how to make coffee page...