Coffee will taste less bitter and more sweet if 1 surprising ingredient is added (Image: Getty)
For many of us, starting the day with a cup of is a non-negotiable. Some drink coffee purely for the caffeine, while others genuinely enjoy the taste of the brewed beans. However, how we choose to prepare our brew can result in a totally different taste. From trusty Nespresso machines to pour-over coffee, beans from Kenya and , and how dark or lightly they’re roasted, these can all change the taste of our coffee. And while some might prefer a strong shot of espresso to get going, others might instead go for a lighter dose of caffeine with a milky latte or cappuccino.
When it comes to how you take your coffee, there’s no right or wrong way of doing it, but many will agree that there’s nothing worse than a badly brewed, overly bitter cup of it. Thankfully, one essential could save a bitter cup of coffee from being chucked down the sink.
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Next time you find your cup of coffee slightly too bitter to taste, instead of reaching for the sugar or adding a splash of milk as you might normally, you can add salt.
Senior Editor at Cooks Illustrated magazine, Steven Dunn explains how adding salt to your coffee can counteract the bitterness of it by changing how we experience the taste of our brew.
The combination of salt and the sodium ions found in it interact with the bitter taste receptors on our tongue. So, while it doesn’t magically make the cup of coffee sweeter, it tricks our brains into thinking it is by stopping our tongue from sending bitterness signals to the brain.
Once that bitter taste is suppressed, we’re more perceptible to sweetness and other flavours in the coffee.
For those looking for a less bitter brew, Arabica beans are known for their smooth and sweet flavour, while Robusta beans tend to be more acidic.
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Getting our coffee technique down can also prevent it from tasting too bitter. Too much water, or water that’s too hot can lead to bitter-tasting coffee, while waiting too long to press down the filter with a French press can lead to an overly-brewed-tasting cup of it.
They’re easy mistakes we all make when it comes to making coffee, especially in the mornings when we might be rushing, but perfecting our technique can take time.
Adding salt is an easy remedy, with Dunn advising adding a small pinch of salt to your mug to get rid of any bitter aftertaste.
You can even brew a full 40-ounce pot of less bitter coffee by adding an eighth of a teaspoon of salt to the grounds beforehand.