Coffee, our morning lifeline, can sometimes leave a bitter taste in our mouths. But why? Let's do some digging and uncover the truth about its bitterness.

 

The Harvesting Hustle

Envision sprawling coffee plantations where the beans undergo harvesting, a process carried out either meticulously by hand or swiftly by machines.

However, there's a crucial distinction: while machine harvesting gathers all cherries, (under ripe and overripe included), which leads to a bitter taste, hand-picking guarantees that only the ripest cherries are selected.

This meticulous selection process not only ensures superior quality but also minimizes bitterness, setting specialty coffee apart from its mass-produced, machine-harvested counterparts.

Where Bitterness Awakens

After harvesting, beans undergo roasting, a crucial step that can either enhance or ruin their flavor. Over-roasting leads to bitterness, while under-roasting leaves beans with a sour taste. It's a balancing act, so finding a skilled roaster is key to a great cup of coffee!

 

The Brew Battle

The size of your coffee grounds is the difference between a delightful sip and a bitter disappointment!

Too coarse, and your coffee might feel like it's taking a lazy stroll through hot water, leaving you with a weak, sad brew.

Too fine, and your coffee becomes a drama queen, extracting all the bitterness it can muster,  😀

Water temperature is also important. Just like Goldilocks searching for the perfect porridge, our water temperature must be just right.

Too hot, and it's a scorcher, extracting all the bitterness and scalding away the delicate flavors.

Too cool, and it's a tepid affair, leaving your coffee under-extracted and lacking that satisfying punch.

But hit that sweet spot – not too hot, not too cold – and you'll unleash a symphony of flavors, a dance of acidity and sweetness that'll have your taste buds doing the cha-cha. Practice makes perfect, and soon you'll have your perfect cup of coffee down to a science.

 

Not All Bitterness is Bad

To end this article, let's note that not all bitterness is unpleasant. A hint of bitterness can add depth and complexity to your coffee, much like a touch of dark chocolate. It's the wrong kind of bitterness we want to avoid. So let's raise our mugs to better coffee - one ripe cherry at a time!