# Floaty bits in coffee?



## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

I've started to notice weird transparent floaty bits on the surface of my black coffee.

Anybody else got the same effect. Does anybody know what it is?

I'm using the Hausgrind and V60 and AeroPress.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

IggyK said:


> I've started to notice weird transparent floaty bits on the surface of my black coffee.
> 
> Anybody else got the same effect. Does anybody know what it is?
> 
> I'm using the Hausgrind and V60 and AeroPress.


Limescale? I bet if you brew tea you get exactly the same.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

They're little undissolved coffee particles. If the brews taste good, don't fret.


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> Limescale? I bet if you brew tea you get exactly the same.


I live in a soft water area so don't it that. Plus use Volvic water for brews.


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## Cirya (Jan 2, 2016)

If the transparent floaty bits are forming like pieces of film on the surface, it might be a sign of a bit hasty cleaning or rinsing. I got that kind of stuff in (on) my coffee when I had trouble with my dishwasher. Same thing happens sometimes if I've been sloppy with cleaning my grinder. Might have something to do with old, solidified coffee oils or traces of detergent in my case. Anyways, I've never had this happen after hand cleaning thoroughly everything that touches the coffee or brewing water during the brew process. I also live in a very soft water area.


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## IggyK (May 13, 2017)

That's exactly what I get transparent floaty bits on top like film. Most of the time I use the dishwasher, maybe I'll starting hand washing my dedicated coffee mug see if it goes away.

I tried to see if using my Hario mini mill made any difference and it didn't.

If its harmless stuff then I'll just leave it.

Not the easiest to take apart and reassemble the Hausgrind, for me anyway.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

IggyK said:


> That's exactly what I get transparent floaty bits on top like film. Most of the time I use the dishwasher, maybe I'll starting hand washing my dedicated coffee mug see if it goes away.
> 
> I tried to see if using my Hario mini mill made any difference and it didn't.
> 
> ...


You can reduce them by grinding coarser, or pouring more gently (like using the Aeropress dispersion method), because they are actually in your grind. Fineness of grind & agitation cause them to be washed through the filter paper. Except in the case of the Aeropress, because the Aeropress often has significant gaps between the body & filter paper, which allow these particles to bypass the paper...even if they didn't bypass the paper, it still lets some stuff through anyway.

It only needs fixing if it is a problem (dry, leathery flavours at a decent extraction that would otherwise be sweet & clean).


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## Cirya (Jan 2, 2016)

Update: I was able to produce this floaty filmy stuff with clean equipment by drastically over-extracting a v60 with some unfamiliar dark-ish housewarming gift beans. Incredibly astringent with that same floaty film on top. I then brewed a cup with super coarse grind (after only a quick rinse to my equipment) and everything was fine again. Slightly under-extracted maybe but at least it looked and tasted like coffee. The beans are alright, just super soluble. I've had many nice cups since.

Could it be that there is something that extracts from the coffee when you go too far and then solidifies when cooled down? Maybe that fine silt that @MWJB mentioned could have something to do with it and the off-flavours..?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Cirya said:


> Could it be that there is something that extracts from the coffee when you go too far and then solidifies when cooled down? Maybe that fine silt that @MWJB mentioned could have something to do with it and the off-flavours..?


I've had floaty bits in delicious cups. They will be there if you have ground too fine & have over-extracted sure, but they will also be there in tasty nominally extracted cups with pulse pours. If you have too many then your cups can taste off even if not over-extracted, so then grind coarser & brew bigger, or increase the number of pulses.

In my Kalita Uno cups, they are always there. In Kalita Wave with AP dispertion they're not there, in V60 with 6 pours they are there, in Melitta with 2 pours they are not...all brews use the same grind setting and average the same extraction & taste preference.

If you can see these particles in your brew, they don't count towards extraction yield anyway (dissolved solids only).


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