24
votes
Accepted
Does the hardness of water matter when making coffee?
Yes.
That is to say it will definitely affect flavor, but how it affects the flavor is ultimately dependent upon the specific mineral compounds found in your hard water vs. other hard waters and soft ...
- 1,371
21
votes
Accepted
What coffees are the least acidic?
Lets answer this question with some data! My company uses machine learning, data science, and sensory science to build flavor profiling and quality control tools for the craft beverage industry.
I ...
- 1,711
19
votes
Accepted
What is the process to reduce bitterness in coffee?
There are a lot of factors that contribute to the bitterness of coffee. Some of these have to do with the concentration of various compounds in the coffee and the roasting process, but the way you ...
- 306
18
votes
How can I go about developing my ability to taste flavors in coffee?
There are several approaches that can aid in developing your palate.
Cupping
The preferred method of tasting coffee. This requires only a cupping bowl and spoon. Dose out coffee, pour in the hot ...
- 1,409
16
votes
Accepted
Is reheating coffee in the microwave a bad idea?
Although coffee generally becomes staler with time, heating coffee up in the microwave does not produce any harmful chemicals - as long as the container you are microwaving it in is microwave-safe.
...
- 2,158
16
votes
What can I do with bad coffee beans?
Cold brew it! Make sure you start with very cold water and a coarse grind. Cold-temp chemistry has a better chance of taking what's good and leaving what's bad.
- 696
14
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to burn coffee while brewing?
Burn? I've heard that some large chains "burn" their beans while roasting :-) But not while brewing.
A major coffee chain, seen on almost every other corner in some places, is known for their very ...
- 1,289
14
votes
How does coffee grind size affect coffee taste
The main reason for different grinds is the different brewing processes. If the water is exposed to the grounds for a very short amount of time (e.g., 10-15 seconds for espresso), you need a finer ...
- 664
14
votes
Accepted
Chemically, what's happening to coffee after it's brewed?
The biggest chemical change that is going to occur is going to be oxidation.
Oxidation
Chemically, oxidation is defined as the following from this source.
Oxidation is any reaction in which one ...
- 2,158
14
votes
How should I order an espresso to get a less sour shot?
Here's a few thoughts based on what causes sourness/acidity in coffee and ways to temper it.
Order an espresso lungo. Sourness (acidity) is characteristic of the "stuff" that is extracted relatively ...
- 8,535
14
votes
Accepted
What can I do with bad coffee beans?
If you're wanting ideas that don't include brewing, I would suggest using the coffee grounds as a steak rub or placing the coffee in a compost pile (if you have one).
Also, there are a number of ...
- 371
13
votes
What coffees are the least acidic?
Sumatran coffees (and others from the Asia/Pacific region, like Java and Arabia) are uniformly low-acid. As @Chris said, the processing methods and roast have a lot to do with it. Coffees that have ...
- 664
13
votes
Accepted
How can I cost-effectively improve the coffee supply in my company break room?
The easiest step would be to swap out the Maxwell House coffee for something of higher quality. If there are local roasters nearby, check to see if they do wholesale or bulk orders, and then order ...
- 146
12
votes
Accepted
What does Kopi Luwak taste like?
I've had this on the farm where it was harvested, and was able to verify for myself that wild, happy civets were left to their own selection process and merely followed around by farmers eager to find ...
- 2,746
12
votes
What are the 4M's of espresso?
4M is a term mainly used among Italians for espresso. It is a placeholder for four words that start with "M" in Italian that affects espresso preparation. Some information can be found here.
These M'...
- 7,668
11
votes
Accepted
What gives "diner" coffee its distinctive taste?
I think it is a combination of old stale grounds sitting on a burner for long hours. The places you mention are generally open 24/7 or something close to it and have people ordering coffee at all ...
- 1,142
11
votes
The pricier the better?
Short answer: Yes - up to a point
Long answer:
Ignoring things like Kopi Luwak etc, there is a cost associated with growing, harvesting and transporting arabica beans in a timely manner, roasting ...
- 7,035
11
votes
Accepted
Why does coffee taste better out of ceramic cups compared to a paper cup?
Both cup material and temperature are in play here, I think.
A big part of the coffee taste (and experience as a whole) is the aroma. I personally find that paper cups (not surprisingly) smell and ...
- 8,535
11
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to grow plants in used coffee ground so that they get coffee flavor?
Adding coffee grounds to a planting medium (e.g. soil) adds fatty acids, essential oils and nutrients that enrich soil which can help the growth of the plant and it may also affect the colour. One ...
- 329
11
votes
Accepted
Why is coffee mostly hot brewed?
Let's take a look at what turns coffee grounds and water into coffee:
It's an extraction process where aromatic compounds and oils and caffeine are extracted from the coffee bean into the water. It's ...
- 3,953
10
votes
How can I cost-effectively improve the coffee supply in my company break room?
Coffee beans - I mean the type of coffee you actually drip. Exchange the coffee for 100% arabica coffee. it does not have to be even single source coffee. Good start for decent cup of coffee is ... ...
- 1,049
10
votes
What does Kopi Luwak taste like?
I had some Kopi Luwak, in Indonesia. I've read a number of reviews. It's been hard to find blind tastings by coffee experts. Basically, it doesn't seem like anything special. If anything, it kind of ...
- 191
10
votes
What can I do with bad coffee beans?
If you drink alcohol, you could also try making Kahlúa. Soak coffee beans and vanilla beans in vodka for a while (3-4 weeks), then mix with a simple syrup. There are plenty of detailed recipes on the ...
- 243
10
votes
Does there exist a coffee which is not bitter?
To answer this shortly, no there is no coffee that has no bitterness. Bitterness in coffee is determined by different factors on which I will elaborate a bit now.
First of all there are bitter ...
- 2,177
9
votes
What is the process to reduce bitterness in coffee?
Bitterness comes from over-extracting coffee. Over-extraction is mainly caused by:
1) brewing for too long: In the beginning of the brewing stage acidic flavors are first extracted, followed by ...
- 426
9
votes
Accepted
Could preparation method make coffee more acidic?
This is a perfect follow up to the "What coffees are the least acidic?" question!
As always, Lets answer it with some data! My company uses machine learning, data science, and sensory science to ...
- 1,711
9
votes
Accepted
What influence do the dry residuals of previous coffee in the cup have on the drinking experience?
You're actually asking two different questions.
The minute amount of coffee left to evaporate in the bottom of a cup will have completely oxidized and lost virtually all of its volatile compounds (i....
- 885
9
votes
Accepted
Does it make a difference whether the moka lid is open or not?
So what I've been taught is that you should keep the lid open while brewing. This is so you can watch the progress of the extraction, and cut the heat at the appropriate time. It gives you much more ...
- 7,035
9
votes
Optimizing the office pot
Three quick and easy hacks you can do without throwing capitol at the issue:
Shoot a dud pot first thing in the morning. By brewing a coffeeless pot and throwing away the water, you will empty the ...
8
votes
What coffees are the least acidic?
Coffee enthusiasts & aficionados identify acidity as the dry, bright & sparkling sensation that sets a high-quality, high-grown coffee apart from a mundane, lower-grown coffee. Admittedly, ...
- 1,262
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