Are you a coffee lover? Do you have an unending love for caffeine and its intriguing taste? Are you also a connoisseur who has the ability to distinguish between the different varieties of coffee based on region, flavor, and variety? If so, great! Because this article is especially for you. You see, drinking coffee can be an amazing experience if it’s done right. But like anything in life, things don’t always turn out as expected all the time. Sometimes our cup of joe can be overly bitter or it could taste extremely salty instead of tasting sweet with notes of caramel and chocolate like we wanted. So what exactly is the perfect cup of coffee, you ask? Read on and find out!
Why Does My Coffee Taste Salty?
Salty taste in coffee is a result of two factors — the coffee and the brewing method. When people say their coffee is ‘salty’, it may not necessarily mean that it tastes like the ocean. It just means that there is a hint of a slightly salty taste to it. The amount and intensity to which your coffee is salty depends on the type of coffee and how you brew it.
What Is The Reason My Coffee Taste Salty?
The coffee beans
The most common reason why your coffee will taste salty is because of the quality of the beans. If you are buying from a grocery store, you can check the fine print on the label and look for a term like ‘medium roast’ or ‘dark roast’. These terms refer to how long the beans were roasted. Roasted longer than usual will result in more bitterness in your coffee as well as more caffeine, which can make it taste bitter and overly acidic. On the flip side, if you buy beans that were roasted slightly shorter than usual, then your coffee will have less bitterness but also less flavor resulting in a weaker cup of coffee that is not as flavorful or complex as it could be.
The brewing method
The second most common reason why your coffee will taste salty is because of how you brew it. There are two types of brewing methods: French Press and Hand Poured Coffee Makers (also known as pour over coffee makers). French Press brewing is the most common method. It involves grinding the beans and then using boiling water to brew it. This method results in a stronger, more intense flavor in your cup of joe. When brewed this way, your coffee can taste salty because of the high amounts of caffeine that are released into the water during brewing. You will also notice that your coffee will be darker in color and more bitter tasting than usual when brewed this way.
The amount of grounds used
The amount of grounds used will also affect how salty it tastes in your cup of coffee. If you use too much grounds, then you run the risk of over-extracting (forcing out) more bitterness from the bean into your cup than what you wanted. On the other hand, if you use too little grounds, then you run the risk of under-extracting (not extracting enough) flavors from the beans into your cup as well as leaving behind some residual bitterness. The best way to determine how much grounds to use is to weigh out your beans and ground them fresh before brewing. You will also want to make sure that you do not grind the beans too fine, as this can result in harsh tasting coffee.
The brewing temperature
The temperature of the water that you use to brew your coffee will also affect how salty it tastes in your cup of joe. If you brew your coffee at too high a temperature, then the water will extract more bitter flavors from the beans, resulting in a stronger cup of coffee than you would have liked. On the other hand, if you brew your coffee at too low a temperature, then your coffee can end up tasting overly acidic and bitter as well as having an unpleasant aftertaste.
How To Fix A Salty Coffee Experience
Change your coffee
If you have a really salty cup of coffee, it might be worth trying a different coffee variety. This process is known as coffee exploration, and it can be a great way to understand different flavour notes and coffee types better. There are many different coffee varietals, each of which is different in terms of flavour and mouthfeel. Some coffees are naturally saltier than others. So, if you’ve been drinking a particularly salty coffee, it might be worth trying a different coffee in order to determine if it has the same salty flavour. There are other factors, such as roast type, roast level, and origin that play a role in determining a coffee’s level of saltiness, but they’re less likely to be a factor if you’ve been drinking the same coffee for a while. If you’re unsure which coffee variety to try, ask your favourite cafe for a recommendation based on what you’ve been drinking. If you’re at home, you can also try browsing online for recommendations.
Grind your coffee more finely
If you find that your coffee is overly salty, it’s worth looking into whether your coffee grind is too coarse. If your coffee grind is too coarse, it can result in over-extraction, which can lead to a higher salt content in your cup. In general, a coarser grind will result in over-extraction, particularly in a plunger or filter setting where the water is sitting in contact with the coffee for a longer period of time. If you’re experiencing a salty cup of coffee and have tried everything else in this article, try grinding your coffee a little finer to see if it helps reduce the saltiness.
Use slightly less coffee
If you find that your coffee is overly salty, you may want to try using slightly less coffee. Depending on how you brew your coffee, you may be using more than you need and creating a saltier cup as a result. If your coffee is overly salty, try measuring out a slightly smaller amount and seeing how it affects the coffee’s final taste. If you’re brewing with a filter or pour-over method, you may want to use slightly less coffee to account for the amount of water that will be absorbed by the coffee grounds.
Use slightly more water
If your coffee is slightly under-extracted, it may be because you’re using more coffee than you need to account for the amount of water that will be absorbed. If your coffee taste is under-extracted, you may want to try increasing the amount of water and seeing if it helps. This is particularly common with pour-over and filter methods that use less water than an espresso or pourover method. If you’re brewing with too much coffee and experiencing a slightly under-extracted cup, try using a bit more water and see if it helps increase the extraction.
Try a new brand of beans
If you’ve been brewing the same coffee for a while and are now noticing a salty flavour to your cup, it’s possible that the coffee is simply past its prime. As a coffee ages, it goes through a process called degassing. This process releases CO2 and other gases trapped inside the bean, causing it to lose flavour. If your coffee has been sitting in your cabinet too long, it may now taste overly salty and bland. If you’ve been drinking the same coffee for a while and are experiencing a salty taste, try a new brand of beans in order to rule out the possibility that your coffee is just past its prime. Be sure to keep track of when you purchased your coffee in order to determine when it goes stale.
Try a different roasting company/roast
If you’ve been drinking the same coffee for a while and now notice it’s overly salty, try a different roast level or roasting company. Different roasting companies roast coffee at different temperature levels, creating a different flavour profile. For example, one company might roast a coffee to a level 3, meaning it’s dark and rich, while another company might roast it to a level 5, resulting in a lighter and crisper taste. Individual roasters will also roast coffee at different temperatures, which can affect a coffee’s flavour profile. If you’ve been drinking the same coffee for a while and now notice it’s too salty, try a coffee roasted by a different company or a coffee roasted by a different roaster at a different level. This can help you rule out the possibility that your coffee is simply too salty.
Conclusion
Do you love coffee? Are you also a connoisseur who has the ability to distinguish between the different varieties of coffee based on region, flavor, and variety? If so, great! Because this article is especially for you. You see, drinking coffee can be an amazing experience if it’s done right. But like anything in life, things don’t always turn out as expected all the time. Sometimes our cup of joe can be overly bitter or it could taste extremely salty instead of tasting sweet with notes of caramel and chocolate like we wanted.
