Question 1

Why does my coffee taste sour?

Accepted Answer

Sour coffee is almost always under-extracted. The most common causes are grind too coarse, water too cool, or brew time too short. Try grinding finer by one step and check your water temperature (90–96 °C for most methods).

Question 2

Why does my coffee taste bitter?

Accepted Answer

Bitter coffee is over-extracted. Grind too fine, water too hot, or brew time too long are the typical culprits. Try grinding coarser, using slightly cooler water, or reducing steep/contact time.

Question 3

Why is my coffee weak or watery?

Accepted Answer

Weak coffee usually means too little coffee relative to water (ratio too high, e.g. 1:20+), grind too coarse, or insufficient extraction time. Check your ratio first — a 1:15 to 1:16 ratio is a reliable starting point.