Coffee may taste bad if it wasn’t brewed long enough or it was brewed far too long. It can be weak and bitter, and it could even taste sour or salty if the brew is weak. It may taste acidic or burnt if it’s brewed too long.
There is a multitude of factors that could change the way your coffee tastes, for better or worse. Different factors will affect the flavor and strength differently.
- Grind Size
- Grind per measure of Water
- Coffee Bean Roast
- Brew Time
- Water Temperature
- Brew Method
- Standard
- Inverted
In this article, we’ll be going over these different factors in detail to help you better understand the art of coffee making.
How does grind size affect my coffee?
A fine grind is extracted faster, and if it’s allowed to brew an extended period, it’s going to be over-brewed, over-extracted, and bitter.
A coarse grind is extracted at a much slower rate. It’s better to brew a coarser grind for a longer time to fully extract the acids and flavors. Coarse grinds also carry more delicate flavor notes than fine grinds.
What size grind should I use in my AeroPress?
It’s recommended to use a fine, medium-fine, or medium coffee grind in the AeroPress due to the faster nature of the brewing process. Coarser grinds would be left under-extracted and weak.
Does the amount of grinds used affect my coffee?
The number of grinds used to brew coffee will have a direct and meaningful impact on how your coffee tastes and how strong it is.
If too many grinds are used, they can be over-extracted, resulting in an acidic and bitter cup of coffee.
If too few grinds are used, they can be under-extracted, resulting in a bitter and lifeless cup of coffee.
How much coffee should I put in my AeroPress?
The AeroPress comes with a scoop. It’s recommended to start with 2 scoops and adjust the measurement according to your taste.
The measurements on the side of the AeroPress can also be used to measure the volume of coffee grinds you want to brew. This can be helpful when trying to determine the best brew for your morning star cup of coffee.
How does the bean roast affect my coffee?
Dark roasts have less acidity and caffeine. They’re flavorful, rich, and bold. Dark roasts are full-body roasts.
Light roasts have more caffeine, and they have more distinctive tastes. They carry distinguishing flavor notes.
Medium roasts fall in the middle of the two extremes. They have a good amount of caffeine and they’re the smoothest roasts.
What bean roast is best in the AeroPress?
You can choose whichever bean roast you want to with the AeroPress. You can use dark, medium, or light roasts. If you’re unsure where to start, just pick one and see if you like it.
Take note that dark roasts are usually stronger than light roasts in their flavor profile, but light roasts contain more caffeine.
How does brew time affect my coffee?
Coffee gets stronger the longer that you brew it. That goes for any size coffee grind. How long you brew can be just right, too short, or too long, depending on the grind size. Here’s a scale of how brew time can generally be expected to change:
| Grind | Roast | Brew Time |
| Fine | Dark | Short |
| Fine | Medium | Medium-Short |
| Fine | Light | Medium |
| Medium | Dark | Medium-Short |
| Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Medium | Light | Medium-Long |
| Coarse | Dark | Medium |
| Coarse | Medium | Medium-Long |
| Coarse | Light | Long |
How long should I brew coffee in my AeroPress?
Standard brew time is about 2.5 minutes; however, the brew time can directly impact the strength of your coffee, so the range is 1.5-5 minutes.
How does water temperature affect the brewing process?
Hotter temperatures brew faster.
A prime example of this would be that cold brew coffee needs to be cooled for hours, whereas a hot brew is done in minutes.
Hot water means a faster extraction. This can cause over-extraction in fine grinds and under-extraction in coarse grinds, depending on the brew time.
What temperature water should I use to brew coffee in my AeroPress?
Coffee gurus have argued that hot coffee should be brewed between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. AeroPress can be brewed with lower temperatures to reduce acidity and bitterness.
How do I brew coffee in my AeroPress?
Standard Method:
The standard method is how the AeroPress was designed to be used. The steps are as follows:
- Add the filter to the cap.
- Attach the cap to the chamber
- Place the AeroPress chamber on your cup or mug of choice
- Add the desired amount of coffee grinds
- Add hot water, stir to evenly saturate all the grinds
- Allow it to steep as long as you’d like
- Press the plunger
This method will allow the coffee to start dripping.
Inverted Method:
The inverted method is used by some to have more control over their brew. This was not how the device was intended to be used but has become a popular brew method. The steps are as follows:
- Add the filter to the cap
- Put the plunger in the chamber
- Stand the device upon the plunger
- Add the desired amount of coffee grinds
- Add a small amount of hot water
- Stir to saturate all the grinds.
- Let it steep for 30 seconds.
- Finish filling the chamber with hot water.
- Lightly wet the cap so that the paper filter will stick.
- Add the cap
- Flip the whole thing over and press the plunger.
The inverted method is used because it gives each coffee maker more control over the brew of their coffee. This method will not allow early dripping.
Why does my coffee taste weak?
A weak tasting coffee could be the result of a few factors:
Coarse grinds– sometimes, even when coarse grinds are brewed for an extended time, they won’t result in a strong coffee.
Water temperature– if the water temperature wasn’t hot enough, it may not have extracted the flavor and character of the coffee grinds.
Brew time- if the brew time is cut short, it may result in a weaker cup of coffee.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.