Which Coffee Beans Are Not Sour or Bitter_Causes of Bitter Coffee Beans_How Much Does a Package of Non-Bitter Coffee Beans Cost

Starbucks opened the door to coffee for a whole generation of drinkers, but while opening that door it also closed a few windows. Many people grew up deeply convinced that coffee equals bitterness, and that anything less dark and harsh was not the real thing.

Thus the equation was born: coffee equals bitter.

In reality, coffee beans are simply the seeds found inside the fruit of the coffee tree. They do not start out bitter at all; the flavor we taste is created during roasting.

During the roasting process, a substance called chlorogenic acid lactone is broken down.

It is the main culprit behind coffee's bitterness.

The degree of roasting is directly proportional to bitterness.

The deeper the roast, the more bitter the taste, and the more the coffee's original character is hidden behind smoke and char.

With a light or medium roast, by contrast, the acidic substances are less damaged, allowing the coffee's natural aroma to be released to the fullest.

That is why good coffee tastes bright and lively rather than bitter.

Depending on their origin, light and medium roasts offer a range of floral, fruity, and wine-like flavors, as if an orchard and a winery burst onto your tongue all at once.

Heavily roasted coffee, on the other hand, can taste as bitter as burnt charcoal.

It only takes one cup of bitter coffee to ruin a good mood.

Now you can see why specialty coffee so often carries a pleasant, gentle acidity, and why a well-roasted bean can taste of fruit and flowers rather than ash.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you are looking for a cup that stays bright and clean rather than bitter, FrontStreet Coffee's washed Yirgacheffe is the classic place to start. It is known for white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a tea-like body, all at a friendly price that makes it many drinkers' first specialty bean. For a fruitier, sweeter variation on the same region, FrontStreet's natural-process Red Cherry is also well worth trying.