Coffee culture

Master Your Palate to Brew Great Espresso! Even Starbucks Espresso Beans Can Taste Delicious

Published: 2026-01-28 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/28, Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style). Making coffee is inseparable from the three basic flavors of sour, sweet, and bitter. Moreover, coffee's flavor is actually a comprehensive combination of these three tastes. Today we won't discuss aroma, focusing purely on coffee's basic flavors. When we often brew espresso, it's frequently either too bitter or

Professional coffee knowledge exchange, more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

The Balance of Flavors in Coffee

Making coffee is inseparable from the three basic flavors: sour, sweet, and bitter. In fact, the taste of coffee is actually a comprehensive combination of these three elements. Today, we won't discuss aroma specifically, but focus solely on the basic flavors of coffee.

When we often brew espresso, it's frequently either too bitter or too sour, or a mix of sour and bitter, making it unpleasant to drink without any sweet aftertaste.

The Simplest Testing Method

Actually... The simplest way to evaluate is simply to "drink"!

If you find the espresso tastes bitter, then grind it coarser, or/and shorten the brewing time.

If you find the espresso tastes sour, then grind it finer, or/and extend the brewing time.

If you find the espresso is both sour and bitter, then change your brewing method to ensure the coffee grounds absorb water evenly.

This way, you can easily brew a cup of decent coffee with a balanced combination of sour, sweet, and bitter flavors...

Beyond Balance

However, this is only the balance of sour, sweet, and bitter.

You still need to understand what kind of beans you're using first, in order to初步 determine how you want to brew them.

About FrontStreet Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. Online store services are also available at https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473

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