This Might Be The Reason Why Your Iced Coffee Has A Bitter Taste

Homemade iced coffee can be the best way to start a warm, sunny day — that is, unless it has a bitter taste. If your morning iced java has been turning out bitter, it might be because you're over-extracting the ground beans. Compared to other cold coffee extraction methods like cold brew, iced coffee is made simply by pouring brewed coffee over ice. While it's a straight-forward method, many people make the mistake of over-extracting their coffee by letting the coffee sit too long, brewing it too strong, or using too fine a grind.

Coffee oxidizes and develops a flat, sometimes overly bitter taste, when left to sit out too long at room temperature or in the fridge. It may seem like a convenient solution to store and cool your coffee carafe in the fridge for the next morning, but this can cause the leftover coffee grounds at the bottom to slowly continue to brew and over-extract — making the cold coffee bitter. For this reason, it's best to prepare iced coffee soon after brewing. Those who brew their coffee and serve it directly over ice might overcompensate for ice's dilution by making a stronger brew. However, making coffee too strong can lead to over-extraction of the natural compounds and flavors in ground coffee, too, resulting in acrid or bitter tastes. Luckily, you can avoid iced coffee over-extraction with a few simple strategies that even baristas would approve of.

To avoid the most common iced coffee pitfalls, there are some simple steps you can incorporate into your morning java routine. First, select a quality bag of coffee beans that are not over-roasted; over-roasted beans can have exaggerated chemical compounds that can translate to bitterness. It's best to buy lighter-roast, whole beans and grind them yourself. Pre-ground coffee exposes the grounds to air early on, causing it to oxidize, reducing its complex flavor notes and bringing out qualities like bitterness and acidity.

When it's time to brew the coffee, make sure your water is not scorching because water that's too hot can also lead to over-extraction. Instead, heat your water to a temperature of 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit, then let it sit for a moment before adding into the coffee in a pour-over or French press. Once the coffee is brewed, transfer it to a glass and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, add in ice and any milk or flavorings. Compared to drip coffee, manual extraction methods like the French press allow for greater control of water heat and quality of the resulting coffee. Remember, you only need at most about 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for an 8 ounce cup of coffee — depending on your preferred strength. Any further, and your iced coffee could end up over-extracted and bitter.