Found out my water temp was killing my pour over flavor for 6 months

I was using boiling water straight off the kettle for my V60 and wondering why my light roasts always tasted bitter and flat. Finally grabbed a cheap $15 thermometer last week and realized I was brewing at 212 instead of 205. Letting it sit 45 seconds after boil fixed everything, the fruity notes actually came through now. Anyone else make this mistake or have a different sweet spot for water temp?

2 comments

2 Comments

julia_fisher281mo ago

Oh, I went through something similar but it was with my French press. I kept wondering why my coffee had this weird burnt taste, almost like ash. Turns out I was letting the water sit way too long after boiling, like two or three minutes, and it dropped down to around 175 degrees. The coffee came out weak and bitter at the same time. Now I pour right at 195 for my press and it's like a completely different drink, all the smooth chocolate notes finally show up.

ninasanchez1mo ago

Wait, 175 degrees water actually ruined the whole taste that much? I've definitely let water sit way longer than that and honestly couldn't tell the difference.