Nav: Home > Coffee >

Black Coffee: Pure Black Coffee Brewing Methods & Black Coffee Bean Recommendations

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, When it comes to black coffee, many people's first reaction is bitterness and astringency, or what comes to mind is Americano coffee. Indeed, Americano seems to have become synonymous with black coffee. A few years ago when the specialty coffee market hadn't yet developed, the quality of coffee beans used to make Americanos was generally poor, resulting in extracted Americano coffee that was bitter and astringent, with virtually no distinguishable flavor. In recent years, with the development of specialty cof

When it comes to black coffee, many people's first reaction is bitterness and astringency, or perhaps they can only think of Americano coffee. Indeed, Americano coffee seems to have become synonymous with black coffee. A few years ago, when the specialty coffee market hadn't yet developed, the quality of coffee beans used to make Americanos was generally poor, resulting in coffee that was bitter and astringent with no discernible flavor. In recent years, with the promotion of specialty coffee, the coffee beans used for Americanos have improved significantly, and more specialty single-origin coffee beans have come into everyone's view. There are now many methods for making black coffee on the market, and this time FrontStreet Coffee will discuss what methods are available for making black coffee.

What is Black Coffee?

Black coffee refers to coffee made without any sugar or milk, using only coffee beans and potable water. Because the brewed coffee liquid has a dark color, it's commonly known as black coffee. There are now many varieties of black coffee on the market, and FrontStreet Coffee currently offers espresso, Americano, pour-over coffee, and cold drip coffee.

Is Black Coffee Better When It's More Bitter?

The taste of coffee includes several dimensions: acidity, sweetness, bitterness, aftertaste, and body. Coffee beans from different origins produce different tastes when brewed. Besides these inherent unique characteristics of black coffee beans, factors such as the degree of roasting, the fineness of the coffee grind, water temperature, brewing speed, and technique all determine the flavor of a cup of coffee.

Coffees from some origins, such as Mandheling, are known for their full body, with a very pronounced bitterness in taste. On the other hand, African beans tend to be more acidic, with bitterness being less prominent.

How Do We Choose Black Coffee Beans That Suit Us?

FrontStreet Coffee offers two types of black coffee beans: single-origin coffee beans and espresso blend coffee beans. Single-origin coffee refers to coffee produced from a specific origin, region, or plantation, possessing a unique flavor that reflects the local terroir. Espresso blend coffee beans, also known as composite coffee, mix various single-origin coffee beans to fully leverage the strengths of each individual coffee bean. Blend beans are made from coffee beans of different origins to create a more balanced flavor.

FrontStreet Coffee currently uses a blend of sherry barrel-processed coffee beans and natural-processed Yirgacheffe Red Cherry Project coffee beans to make espresso. Sixty percent Honduran sherry barrel coffee beans provide flavor and body to this blend, while forty percent natural Yirgacheffe contributes more aroma and acidity.

FrontStreet Coffee's Espresso Making Method

FrontStreet Coffee's Espresso Extraction Parameters:

Grinder: Feima 900N
Grind Size: 1.6
Pressure: 9 bar±2
Temperature: 90.5~96°C
Time: 20~30 sec
Dose: 20g (double espresso)
Extraction Yield: 40ml

Espresso Flavor: Smooth texture, moderate body, with noticeable fruity acidity accompanied by subtle berry aromas, whiskey fragrance, rich chocolate flavors, and a distinct aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee's Americano Making Method

After extracting espresso using the method described above, FrontStreet Coffee makes iced Americano by mixing espresso with ice water at a 1:7 ratio, which means 40ml of single espresso mixed with 280ml of ice water. For hot Americano, the ratio is also 1:7 - 20ml of single espresso with 140ml of hot water, or 40ml of double espresso with 280ml of hot water.

FrontStreet Coffee's Pour-over Coffee Making Method

This time, FrontStreet Coffee uses washed Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Gedeb for the pour-over demonstration.

Region: Yirgacheffe Gedeo Zone
Altitude: 1900-2300m
Variety: Heirloom
Processing Method: Washed
Grade: G1

Dripper: HARIO V60
Water Temperature: 90-91°C
Grind Size: BG#6m (fine sugar size)
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Technique: First, pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom. Then, pour 95g more (scale shows around 125g), completing the pour in about 1 minute. When the water level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed, pour the remaining 100g (scale shows around 225g), completing the pour in about 1 minute and 40 seconds. The dripping finishes between 1'55" and 2'00". Remove the dripper to complete extraction.

Yirgacheffe Gedeb Brewing Flavor: Bright citrus acidity, full-bodied berry juice, with a distinct oolong tea sensation.

FrontStreet Coffee's Cold Drip Coffee Making Method

Cold drip coffee is a type of coffee brewed over time. The taste of the coffee varies depending on the water temperature used, and the astringent substances in coffee are less likely to be extracted at low temperatures. Cold extraction involves long contact between water and coffee grounds at low temperatures, where only smaller flavor molecules such as floral and fruity aromas are extracted, while larger flavor molecules like smoky and roasted flavors are difficult to extract. Therefore, cold brew coffee allows you to taste the inherent flavors of coffee beans, with smooth texture, distinct layers, and noticeable aftertaste.

Using ice water for long extraction, then placing it in the refrigerator for fermentation after extraction is complete. The cold drip coffee that has undergone slight fermentation has a subtle fermented aroma, and the texture becomes richer.

FrontStreet Coffee's Cold Drip Making Parameters

Ratio: 1:10 (60g coffee grounds to 600ml ice water)
Ice Water Preparation: 1:1 ratio of edible ice to potable water
Grind Size: Coarse sugar size (slightly coarser than medium roast pour-over grind)

FrontStreet Coffee's Cold Drip Coffee Making Steps

1. Place a circular filter paper at the bottom of the coffee chamber, wet it with water to adhere to the chamber wall, add 60g of ground coffee, then level the coffee surface. You can also use the weight of the tamper to lightly press the coffee bed to make the surface even.

2. Place a filter paper on top of the coffee grounds. Because the tension of the filter paper allows water to distribute evenly across the surface of the coffee bed for extraction. Without filter paper, long-term water dripping would create a hole in the coffee bed.

3. Use ice water to moisten the entire coffee bed. This step is similar to the bloom in pour-over, which can improve extraction efficiency and consistency of the final product.

4. Add a 1:1 mixture of ice water to the drip bottle and adjust the dropping speed. FrontStreet Coffee suggests a dripping speed of 7 drops every 10 seconds.

5. After production is complete, pour into a clean, sealed bottle that is free of water and oil, and place it in the refrigerator for oxidation. This allows the flavor molecules of the cold drip coffee to be released before tasting.