QUESTION: Why does my coffee taste sour? I’ve been sampling expensive coffee brands lately and buying high-end beans. I’ve noticed that several of them have a kind of sour taste to them. Is that correct? – Matthew S
ANSWER: An overly sour-tasting coffee has a very unpleasant taste. If you can manage to stomach it just for the caffeine boost, sour coffee is an awful way to start out your day and it might not sit too well on your stomach either. There are several causes for that sour coffee taste, including improper coffee brewing techniques, under-extraction time, bad grinding consistency, an overly coarse grind, and bad coffee beans.
In order to fully answer the question, we’ll take a look at the reasons that could be contributing to your sour morning cup of coffee, and give you some pro tips on how to make sure you never brew another sour batch of coffee again.
A sour note isn’t necessarily a mark of a bad cup of coffee. Some roasts, especially light roast coffee, have a tendency to have a pleasantly sour note. I suspect this is what’s happening with your sour tasting coffee because you said that you’re buying more expensive coffee beans. However, there is a big difference between a cup of coffee on the sour side and a pungently sour cup of coffee. Trust us, you will know the difference when you taste it.
A sharp note of citrus (sour flavor) can be an excellent feature of a top-notch brew. Sourness is a characteristic of acidity, which is always present in coffee, but more prevalent in light roasts. Some roasts have an acidity level that is more forward than others, and some can even leave a sour aftertaste without being unpleasant. However, when sourness overpowers your cup, something is wrong. It is time to investigate, and find out what is causing the sourness,
Sometimes, sour coffee can be caused by bad coffee beans. Some under-roasted coffee beans can carry sharp, sour notes, and coffee beans that are old, or improperly packaged, can be incredibly stale, which can lead to a bold, citrus-heavy flavor and aroma. It is important to use fresh beans, roasted as close to the time of grinding as possible. If you are able to find a local coffee roaster that is ideal. You can keep them fresh by storing them in an airtight container.
However, the main reason for sour coffee is usually a flaw in the preparation technique.
Many of the most common mistakes in the brewing process that can lead to sour coffee have to do with the extraction process. Under-extracted coffee can be caused by a variety of different things, including insufficient water temperature, inadequate brewing time, uneven coffee grounds, and coffee grounds that are too coarse. The sweet spot hot water temperature for brewing a perfect cup of coffee is 203 degrees Fahrenheit, which is just under boiling. However, anywhere between 195 and 205 will do the trick.
If you don’t allow your coffee enough brew time, it may come out weak or sour. If you don’t get the water hot enough for the extraction, it may come out weak or sour. If your grinder produces a weird, choppy, uneven grind with big chunks floating around and other areas ground to a fine powder. The variation in grind size can affect the taste of your coffee.
Issues with your grinder can also lead to issues with coffee extraction. Coffee with a finer grind size can lead to over-extraction, whereas coffee that is ground with a coarser grind can lead to under-extraction. An uneven grind can also cause a sour brew. The best way to avoid uneven grounds and to achieve more precise grinding is to use a burr coffee grinder. Burr grinders are not incredibly expensive, nor are they hard to find, but they are far and away, the most superior choice when it comes to selecting a grinder for your home coffee station.
Burr grinders crush the coffee beans uniformly to a coarse or fine consistency based on the setting. Most allow you to set anywhere between extra fine and extra coarse depending on your needs and preferred brewing technique. Blade grinders, on the other hand, use sharp, spinning blades to shave the coffee beans. The friction caused by the slicing can heat up quickly, which can burn the grounds before you get a chance to brew them. Blade grinders also have a tough time achieving a consistent grind size.
Learn More About Sour Coffee
https://skillet.lifehacker.com/what-to-do-if-your-coffee-tastes-sour-1843567707 https://theprimadonnalife.com/coffee/coffee-101/why-coffee-tastes-sour-how-to-prevent/