# Ignoramus



## LeonK (Jul 21, 2019)

Hello

I'm fairly new to all this and need some advice. First off: What I like & what I've got: I usually drink Americano when I'm out - as it comes, no milk or cream plus dash of sugar. I've got a Bodem Bistro burr grinder, a V60 dripper & a Cafetiere.

My problem is quite common I guess: My coffee turns out too bitter - then again it could be too sour - I don't really know the difference other than it tastes bad. I've experimented with grind size, varying ratios of coffee to water, tap water/bottled water etc. & have ended up thoroughly confused. Comparing the V60 with the Cafetiere I prefer filter. The problem as I see it is that there's too many variables. Ratios: I've tried recommended ratios & that result (to me) in an incredibly strong brew. Water: Either bottled or tap seems to make no difference. Grind size: I've no clue really so I go by the guide on the grinder. The problem is that I'd have make 5 or 6 cups at the same time & compare them there & then. Can it really be that hard to make coffee? Is there a foolproof method I can try/use?


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

LeonK said:


> Hello
> I'm fairly new to all this and need some advice. First off: What I like & what I've got: I usually drink Americano when I'm out - as it comes, no milk or cream plus dash of sugar. I've got a Bodem Bistro burr grinder, a V60 dripper & a Cafetiere.
> My problem is quite common I guess: My coffee turns out too bitter - then again it could be too sour - I don't really know the difference other than it tastes bad. I've experimented with grind size, varying ratios of coffee to water, tap water/bottled water etc. & have ended up thoroughly confused. Comparing the V60 with the Cafetiere I prefer filter. The problem as I see it is that there's too many variables. Ratios: I've tried recommended ratios & that result (to me) in an incredibly strong brew. Water: Either bottled or tap seems to make no difference. Grind size: I've no clue really so I go by the guide on the grinder. The problem is that I'd have make 5 or 6 cups at the same time & compare them there & then. Can it really be that hard to make coffee? Is there a foolproof method I can try/use?


There's one thing that you haven't mentioned! The coffee! What coffee are you using? Have you tried changing that?

Don't grind too fine, neither too coarse. The size you are looking for is table salt coarse or thereabouts. You don't want flour like texture. Maybe caster sugar is another one.

Also, have you got a goose neck kettle? You'll need one for V60.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

LeonK said:


> Hello
> 
> I'm fairly new to all this and need some advice. First off: What I like & what I've got: I usually drink Americano when I'm out - as it comes, no milk or cream plus dash of sugar. I've got a Bodem Bistro burr grinder, a V60 dripper & a Cafetiere.
> 
> My problem is quite common I guess: My coffee turns out too bitter - then again it could be too sour - I don't really know the difference other than it tastes bad. I've experimented with grind size, varying ratios of coffee to water, tap water/bottled water etc. & have ended up thoroughly confused. Comparing the V60 with the Cafetiere I prefer filter. The problem as I see it is that there's too many variables. Ratios: I've tried recommended ratios & that result (to me) in an incredibly strong brew. Water: Either bottled or tap seems to make no difference. Grind size: I've no clue really so I go by the guide on the grinder. The problem is that I'd have make 5 or 6 cups at the same time & compare them there & then. Can it really be that hard to make coffee? Is there a foolproof method I can try/use?


 You don't need to make multiple cups at the same time, in fact making multiple cups at the same time with different parameters will make it much harder to pin down a workable recipe.

There are really 3 main variables to a V60: The coffee you use, grind setting & pour regime (how much water you pour & how many times you pour). The last 2 are inter-dependent.

First question is how big is your Americano drink (roughly in fl oz will do) when you are out & about, is it made with a double shot? I'm assuming you're making a similar sized drink as V60.

What were the parameters of the last V60 you made (dose, grind setting, bloom weight & time, how much brew water weight at each pour & timings)? Don't change things willy nilly, make a cup tell us what you think of it. Make a single change, make the next cup & see if it improves.

V60 isn't that hard once you have it sussed (if you have a gooseneck as suggested), but any method, even foolproof ones need you to control dose, grind, brew water & time.


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Don't be afraid to add water to your cup if you're finding it too strong. After all, your americano is an espresso shot (or 2) with water added.


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## Leonard (Dec 9, 2017)

Hello

In response to the above:
I used to buy my coffee at Rave but in the last month a new roastery has opened close by: Bohemia Roasts in St. Neots.
The last beans I bought from there were:
Santos Sunshine from Santo, Brazil. Variety: Mundo Novo. Icatu, Acala, Catuaf, Tupi.
Organic Maya from Guatemala. Variety: Bourbon, Caturra
Organic Tinto Parce from Ataco & Tolima, Colombia. Variety: Castillo

I haven't got a Goose Neck kettle as I find I can easily pour a pencil thin stream from my ordinary kettle.
I don't like large cups so I use a 160ml mug for which I use 8.5 - 9 grams coffee.
I boil the water & leave it for about 2.5 - 3 minutes to cool down although I have seen a video of some
Australian coffee competition where the winner said that he uses water immediately it's boiled.
His reason being that beans are subjected to far higher temperatures when they're roasted.

I pour a small amount of water initially, enough to cover the grounds & leave it for approx. 30 seconds before
I pour again. I then pour a third time until the mug is full.

So far I've been adjusting just the grind size but I've yet to avoid the bitter/sour taste & after-taste.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

If you're brewing into a 160ml cup, use 10-10.5g of coffee and 160g brew water.

Not having a goose neck isn't working for you. If the pour is too aggressive & splotty you could be getting silt pass through the paper & ruin the cup.

I'd grind finer whilst you use the regular kettle. Bloom 20g with water right off boil, give it a quick stir, let it sit for 1:00, meantime set the kettle to reboil and add up to 160g total quickly (10-15s). Give just the very surface a stir or two.

It will get easier to brew repeatably with a goose neck kettle.

There's no need to wait for your brew water to cool after boiling.


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## LeonK (Jul 21, 2019)

Thanks for you suggestions but I've decided to give up on brewing coffee at home.

Having tried numerous grind sizes, bottled & tap water, boiling and off the boil water etc. I'm only able to make horribly bitter coffee.

I've had enough of that so, as I say, thank you all.


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## Jimmybean (Apr 4, 2016)

Hi, I'm the same i love americano as it is. when i started out i bought an espresso machine and a grinder then used the coffee map to perfect my skills.


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