Why Does Coffee Taste Bitter?
Various coffee scientists have made the following observations concerning bitter coffee, which were presented in a review article by McCamey et al.: • The perceived bitter taste in the mouth from coffee is correlated to the extent of extraction. The extent of extraction is dependent upon the roast, the mineral content of the water, water temperature, time, grind size, and brewing procedure. • Bitterness is reduced in coffee brewed with either soft or hard water relative to distilled water (Voilley et al., 251). • Bitterness is correlated with the total dissolved solids of a coffee. • Perceived coffee bitterness is lower when coffee is brewed hot than when cooler water is used. This is hypothesized to be due to the heightened aromatics released in hot coffee, which counteract the bitterness (Voilley et al., Eval., 287). • Coffee bitterness is decreased by the addition of sucrose, sodium chloride, or citric acid. Hydrocolloids, in general, were found to decrease the perception of coffee
