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https://somedayilllearn.com/how-to-make-black-coffee/

Go big or go home. I typically use 2 tablespoons per cup. Weak coffee is more likely to be bitter.

Is there some truth here? Why would weak coffee be more bitter?

Aquarius_Girl
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2 Answers2

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It's not so much that weak coffee is bitter, as that over-extracted coffee is bitter. If you want it strong but don't use enough ground coffee, you can get more flavour by leaving the water on the grounds for longer. But then the bitter flavours come out. The opposite is espresso; a decent espresso is of course strong but not at all bitter and extraction is quick.

Another factor may be that some of the bitter compounds come out early but are masked or made acceptable by the other flavours

Water temperature also plays a role in which components of the flavour are extracted, but I assume that's fixed.

Chris H
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  • Is the same logic applied to instant coffee as well? – Aquarius_Girl Mar 10 '18 at 02:28
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    With instant coffee the extraction process has already happened in a factory so it's different. You may still find the flavour changes with concentration, but that's not about extraction ratios. There's nothing you can do to stop instant tasting bad, though you may prefer a different brand as some are less bitter than others. – Chris H Mar 10 '18 at 05:22
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Is weak in the sense that your dosage is weak, too little coffee grounds + lots of water = over extracted bitterness.

There should be a ratio of grounds to water of 1:15-18

mskw
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