Is Coffee Sour Or Bitter? (Solved & Explained!)

Typically, coffee should not be specifically sour or bitter. Sour and acidic coffees are both flavor profiles that develop for different reasons. The flavor profile of coffee being unfavorable develops due to incomplete extraction of coffee, while the bitter flavor profile of a coffee develops due to over-extraction.

If you are using a single-cup coffee machine to brew your coffee, you may notice fruity, acidic, and sour notes in your cup. The reason behind the sour or bitter coffee is the brewing method – the brewing of coffee is not done long enough that can allow a fully developed flavor profile of your coffee.

This article will look at why your coffee is sour and bitter, how you can diagnose it, and finally, the ways that will help you come up with a cup of coffee with no bitterness, such as looking at grind size and brewing time.

Is There Any Naturally Bitter Coffee?

Coffee grown in higher altitudes, such as Robusta beans, will be naturally bitter due to higher caffeine concentration and darker roasts.

The higher the altitude where the coffee is grown, the higher the caffeine level that develops bitter flavor in coffee beans.

Why is My Coffee Bitter?

If the taste of your coffee is bitter or salty, there is a problem in the extraction process of coffee making. Over-extraction of coffee means more soluble content from the coffee is taken out, giving your coffee an unfavorable taste.

The taste of the coffee depends on the methods of extractions during the brewing process. By adjusting the brewing methods, you can adjust the taste of your coffee. Some ways can eliminate the bitterness of your coffee by changing the extraction methods.

Why is My Coffee Sour?

Sour coffee develops due to the under-extraction during the brewing process. The sour taste develops because deliciously tasting coffee oils do not have enough time to be extracted. 

Temperature also affects the sour notes significantly over bitter notes of brewed coffee. If you have a sour taste in your brew, increasing the temperature might help.

Some other reasons why your coffee tastes sour are water imbalance (there is too much water or not enough water), coffee imbalance, too hot or water that is not hot enough, and coarse grind sizes.

How Can I Diagnose Sour Coffee?

If you notice the color of your brewed coffee pale and blonde and texture bubbly, the taste will be sour. The crema of coffee will disappear rapidly, and it will appear thin.

Sour coffee cup derives as a result of under-extraction. This means that the water will flow rapidly without extracting oils that produce a delicious taste after extraction. Having less coffee being placed in your basket, too light tamping, and too coarse grounds may also cause your espresso shot to be sour.

How Can I Diagnose Bitter Coffee?

If you notice a white or pale yellow stream of coffee that spirals and wobbles by the shot end, Your coffee is likely bitter. This is due to too long of a pour-over or extraction time.

How Can I Make My Coffee Less Sour Or Bitter?

Here are some ways to make your coffee less sour and bitter:

1. You can add caramel extract or sugar to give your coffee a sweet taste.
2. If you overdo the steeping step, you can extract the maximum amount of fibers and oils from your coffee to make it less bitter. 

The sourness of the coffee depends on the time you have given to brew the coffee. If you steep your coffee more, it will not be enough time to extract sugar. On the other hand, providing more time to steep the coffee will over-extract from the beans and bitter your coffee.

So by carefully controlling the time for preparing your coffee, you can improve the quality and taste of coffee.

What Should Be The Grind Size To Avoid Sour Or Bitter Coffee?

Coarse grinds best suit to produce coffee that is less bitter and not sour at the same time. Fine grinds extract more flavor elements from coffee that can make coffee bitter.

If you over-grind the coffee beans, meaning the coffee is fine, it will make your coffee extra bitter. If you under-grind the coffee beans, meaning the coffee is very coarse and large, it will not extract much from them, so it makes your coffee sour and gives an acidic flavor.

So it is better to take fine grinds, pour them into the coffee-making tool, and control the extraction timing.

How Long Should Coffee Be Brewed To Avoid A Bitter Or Sour Taste?

A brewing time of four minutes is typically a good rule-of-thumb to produce a coffee that is not bitter due to over-extraction, nor sour due to under-extraction.

Some people might say six minutes of steeping time gives them a finer cup of coffee, but you will eventually start having a bitter taste in your coffee. Staging concerned with brewing time helps you reduce sourness and bitterness.

The right brewing time for your coffee gives you a maximum chance of extracting more sugar and oils, which sweeten your coffee and give it a better texture. If you brew for too long, it will over-extract the things and make your coffee bitter.

What Is The Best Roast To Avoid Sour Or Bitter Coffee?

Fresh, light-roasted Arabica beans are a standard for having coffee that is less bitter. Dark coffee roasts have bitter overtones and less acidity as they release bitter flavors. The darker the tone becomes, the bitter the taste in the final brew. This bitterness is due to the overwhelming amount of caffeine in Coffea Robusta beans (mostly dark roasts are of Arabica origin) than Coffea Arabica beans. 

Light roasts have less caffeine content. If you do not prefer strong tastes with your coffee and love regular, soft, and less bitter cups, light roasts are more palatable than darker roasts.

Instead of the French press, try an American roast as it may help you find a mellower flavor that has less bitterness.