Coffee culture

Will Black Coffee Always Be Sour and Bitter? How to Drink Black Coffee Without Bitterness & Recommended Non-Bitter Coffee Beans

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange For more coffee bean information please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account cafe_style ) Have you ever had this experience: When ordering single-origin coffee at a coffee shop the first question is usually about rejecting acidity? or Can you accept the acidity? Sour? Why is coffee sour? Is it very sour? Everyone has probably had such questions in mind Unpleasant sourness usually
Coffee beans and brewing equipment

Understanding Coffee Acidity and Bitterness

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

Have You Ever Had This Experience?

When ordering single-origin coffee at a café, the first question is usually "Are you averse to acidity?" or "Can you accept acidity?"

"Acidic?" Why does coffee taste acidic? Is it very sour? Most people have probably wondered about this—

Unpleasant acidity is often accompanied by a sharp sensation that assaults the nose, creating what we might describe as a "piercing" feeling. This is generally why people don't like sour coffee.

In reality, coffee beans are the fruit of the coffee tree, and each fruit carries natural fruit acids.

This "acidity" is influenced by both roasting and extraction. Through different roasting conditions, how this "sourness" undergoes subtle changes is also a key factor in appreciating the texture of coffee beans.

The aromatic acidity of coffee can give the sourness richer dimensions. For example: distinctly fresh and pleasant aromas, fruity flavors, or soft, rounded acidity—all indicate that this is a coffee with "quality acidity."

So, Is Black Coffee Always Bitter? Are There Non-Bitter Coffee Beans?

Coffee beans, after roasting, present different layers of bitter flavor—that's an inevitable result of caramelization. If the roasting technique isn't proper, coffee will have a harsh, astringent bitterness. And with stale coffee beans, the extracted bitterness becomes particularly pronounced.

This is because the oils in coffee have undergone oxidation, causing deterioration of the oil quality. The aromatic substances in coffee have evaporated and disappeared, and temperature, humidity, and sunlight have accelerated this deterioration. When this rancid oil quality is extracted, the bitterness becomes more apparent.

If coffee beans are properly roasted and extracted using appropriate tools, you'll find that this bitterness transforms into a sweet aftertaste (what we call "after-sweetness"). The presence of bitter flavors actually adds many different layers of value to a cup of black coffee, making black coffee fascinating and worth exploring!

Next time you have the opportunity to try black coffee, why not give it a try—it will surely help you discover different aspects of coffee—

Recommended Non-Bitter Coffee Bean Brands

FrontStreet Coffee's non-bitter roasted coffee beans: washed Yirgacheffe coffee, Kenya AA coffee, Panama "Floral Butterfly" coffee, and others all have full guarantees in terms of brand and quality. More importantly, they offer excellent value for money. A half-pound (227g) package costs only about 80-90 yuan. Calculating at 15 grams per pour-over coffee, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup costing only about 6 yuan. Compared to café prices that often run dozens of yuan per cup, this represents exceptional value.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online store services 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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