Troubleshooting Bad Coffee
by
Beginners can make some mistakes early on that may result in less-than-optimal coffee. So first, start with some quality coffee. Below is a chart of some common press pot problems and my solution.
| PROBLEM | SOLUTION |
|---|---|
| Coffee Tastes Weak | Most likely the grind is too coarse. Grind the coffee a little finer. Also make sure you are allowing the coffee to steep for 3-4 minutes. |
| Coffee Tastes Bitter | The coffee has been ground too fine. Next time use a coarser grind. |
| Coffee Taste Too Strong | Use a 3 minute steep. Don’t let the brewed coffee sit inside the glass beaker brewing. Move it from the press pot to a thermal container or just brew what you need. Also note that if you’ve been accustomed to drinking drip coffee, press pot coffee will taste richer (stronger) at first. |
| Gritty/Thick Sediment | This could be a problem with the filter. If the filter doesn’t fit snuggly against the glass, coffee sediment will go into the upper chamber. Filters can become damaged. You can purchase replacement filters. |
| Sediment Woes | If everything tastes right, but the sediment is bothering you then consider purchasing the Espro Press, which has a tighter filter than traditional French Press coffee brewers. Another option is to cut up cut up a paper filter as shown in this hack. |
| Water Takes Too Long to Boil | I feel your pain. Only boil the amount needed for your press pot. In other words, don’t completely fill your kettle. If heating the water still takes too long, consider getting an electric kettle. |
| Inconsistent Grind | My guess is you have one of those $20 blade grinders. Some of the coffee is coarsely ground and some is ground fine. Getting an excellent grind from a blade grinder takes practice. Buying a burr grinder is ultimately a better solution. |