Author name: Sipbie

Learning about coffee for the first time, you would think baristas spend more time on the process. Grinding the beans, tamping the grinds correctly, and extracting the most out of your pull. That is all true, and at the same time, they learn about flavor.  Understanding why flavor contributes to how we enjoy coffee is like wine tasting. References to the country of origin, descriptions of dominant and subtle notes, and sharing single vs. various beans that make the coffee’s unique blend are always up for discussion.   In the beginning, if you are not used to coffee or are not paying attention, people often say they can only taste if the coffee is a light, medium, or dark roast. There is nothing wrong with that at all. Yet if you take a moment and space out your taste in 3 sips, you will notice a difference. When you taste something new or for the first time that day, your taste buds will pick up different flavors. As you continue to taste your coffee, more flavors will emerge that you didn’t notice before. They are slight at first, yet become more noticeable as you enjoy your café. Use food you know as a baseline to describe these flavors, which will help you identify them.  This can help you pair your coffee with your favorite meal or snack.

Have you ever had a cup of coffee that is just off?  It’s more common than you think.  Sour or soapy (yes soapy) flavored coffee has something to do with how you are extracting your coffee.Let’s address the problem of soapy or sour tasting coffee and give you some ideas of how to to these unwelcome flavors happen and ways to resolve it.Soapy Sour coffee normally happens when you are under-extracting when brewing the coffee.  This can be due to the incorrect grind.  The coffee may be to coarse and make a finer grind will help reduce that.   Next I would look at the water temperature.  Rising the temperature will increase how much is extracted from the beans.  Too hot will make it bitter or a burnt taste.  Too cool will result in soapy or sour coffee.  You can control this by adding a thermometer to your kettle or getting a water boiler/warmer.  Rule of thumb is to set the water aside for about 30 seconds before pouring .  The third way to can adjust is brewing time.  If you brew the coffee longer, you will have a longer extraction time.  If your grounds are finer, the extraction time is longer.  If this is off and you have a less time brewing, you can get soapy or sour taste.  Last but not least is the ratio of coffee to water.  If you are adding to much or too little water, it can come out sour in the end.   With practicing these minor adjustments on brewing your coffee correctly, you’ll be brewing your coffee on the daily in no time.  Enjoying the pleasant flavors of the blend you purchased.