Learn to make bitingly bitter coffee a thing of the past by keeping these barista-approved considerations top of mind.

A little bit of bitterness adds a level of complexity and depth that should be pleasant.

(Take, for instance,dark chocolate.)

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But theres a fine line between pleasantly bitter coffee and a cup that makes you wince with every gulp.

So… what if your home-brewed coffee frequently falls in the latter category?

Well, thats obviously when we have a problem, says Han.

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coffee expert and co-owner and founder ofBean &

The first is that your roast might be too dark for your palate.

The second reason is be that you may have over-extracted your coffee.

Conversely, you might also beunder-extracting coffee, which can result in a flavor that is sour.

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Are you using the right ratio of water to coffee?

First, its important to use the right ratio of water to coffee, says Han.

Are you using the right temperature of water?

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Youll also want to ensure that water isjustthe right temperature.

Han says youll typically want to set the brewing temperature somewhere in the range of 195F to 205F.

Are you using the ideal grind size for your brewing method?

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coffee expert and co-owner and founder ofBean &

Another thing you want to consider is using the ideal grind size for your brewing method.

Each method of coffee brewing requires a different optimal grind size, says Han.

To get started, use a burr grinder to pulverize your beans.

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Are you overagitating your coffee grounds?

However, as mentioned, its possible toover-agitate the coffee grounds.

Over-agitating is also not an issue since a French press brews by steeping.

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Instead, consider adding a tiny pinch of salt to your brew.

Just be careful not to add too much salt, of course.

Otherwise youll end up with salty coffee in your hands, says Han.

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