Why Your Pour Over Tastes Sour, Bitter, or Weak
Why Pour Over Coffee Tastes Sour
Sour pour over coffee is almost always the result of under-extraction. This means the water
passed through the coffee grounds too quickly and didn’t pull out enough of the sugars and
balancing compounds.
Under-extracted coffee highlights sharp acids without sweetness, which creates that thin,
puckering sour taste. The most common causes are grinding too coarse, using water that isn’t
hot enough, or ending the brew too early.
To fix sour pour over coffee, grind slightly finer so the water has more contact with the
grounds, and make sure your water is hot — ideally just off the boil. Small adjustments go
a long way toward unlocking sweetness and balance.
Why Pour Over Coffee Tastes Bitter
Bitter pour over coffee is usually caused by over-extraction. This happens when water stays
in contact with the coffee grounds for too long and pulls out harsh, drying compounds.
Common causes include grinding too fine, pouring too slowly, or extending the brew time past
the recommended range. When this happens, bitterness overwhelms the natural sweetness of
the coffee.
To fix bitter pour over coffee, try grinding a bit coarser or shortening your brew time.
Keeping a steady, controlled pour helps prevent excessive extraction and keeps flavors
balanced.
Why Pour Over Coffee Tastes Weak
Weak pour over coffee usually means the brew is under-strength rather than under-extracted.
In this case, the coffee may taste flat or watery instead of sour.
This often happens when too little coffee is used, too much water is added, or the coffee-to-water
ratio isn’t properly balanced. Even a well-extracted brew can taste weak if the ratio is off.
To fix weak pour over coffee, increase your coffee dose slightly, reduce the amount of water,
or adjust your ratio closer to 1:15 or 1:16. Small ratio tweaks can dramatically improve body
and flavor.
