What to do when coffee does not taste good?

Below you will find several reasons for bad coffee classified according to types of preparation and frequency of occurrence.

Please bear in mind, however, that how you taste coffee is determined by a number of different factors (other beverages, food, smoking, time of day, personal preference etc.). If in doubt, please have someone else taste the coffee in question.

• Low coffee dosage
• Old roast or grind
• Grind too coarse
• Water too hard
• Pump pressure too low (below 7 bars)
• Poor packaging or storage
• Too light roast

• Brewing temperature too low
• Too acidic green coffees used
• Grind too coarse
• Water too acidic (below pH 7.0)
• Brewed coffee has been stored too long
• Coffee ages quickly when exposed to air
• Too light roast

• Poor quality Robusta in blend
• Brewing temperature too high (above 95 °C)
• Grind too fi ne (bitter substances dissolve)
• Extraction time too long
• Poor cleaning
• Too dark roast

• Too old or ranzid roasted coffee (yellowish)
• Dirty or chlorinated water
• Dirty or rusty water pipe
• Dirty grinder or bean hopper
• Dirty coffee machine
• Low quality of beans

• Roasted coffee too old
• Grind too coarse or extraction too quick
• Incorrect storage
• Poor packaging
• Pre-ground coffee was used
• Grind too fine or extraction too slow
• Water too soft, i.e. below 4 dH
• Dirty coffee machine
• Dirty cups

• Grind too coarse or too fine
• Brewing temperature too high
• Espresso cups too cold
• Espresso cups too hot
• Pump pressure too low