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Calling all coffee aficionados — it's time to brew a better cup.

Until a few years ago, my coffee routine was a work in progress. I had to experiment with different coffee beans, grind sizes, and water temperatures until I finally landed on the perfect preparation of a creamy latte (at least, perfect in my opinion). But throughout this process, I found myself asking the same question: “Why does my coffee always taste bitter?” My beans were described on their bag as having flavor notes of fruit, caramel, or chocolate — yet each sip was still sour. In search of answers, I spoke to a few coffee experts, who told me exactly how to brew a cup of java that turns out much tastier.

The answer to this question starts with the science of coffee beans. “Caffeine and trigonelline, which are present in brewed coffee, contribute up to 10 to 30 percent and one percent of coffee bitterness, respectively,” says medical toxicologist Kelly Johnson-Arbor, MD. “But there are other compounds present in coffee that add to its bitter taste (decaffeinated coffee also tastes bitter, so it’s not just the caffeine that does this). [These] are compounds that are generated during the roasting process of coffee beans, such as furfuryl alcohol and diketopiperazines.”

So, roasted coffee is naturally acidic and sharp in flavor. However, the way you prepare it can heighten its unpleasant taste — hindering the coffee’s sweet, nutty, and fruity notes. Tom Saxon, co-founder of Batch Coffee, says one of four factors (or a combination of them) is likely to blame for your bitter cup:

Nunzio Ross, founder and CEO of Majesty Coffee, adds that a dirty coffee machine can affect the drink’s taste as well. “Coffee oils can block the machine’s net showers and group head assembly, which causes uneven extraction and adds more bitter flavors,” he says.

Despite the many factors affecting coffee’s flavor, it’s easy to brew a smoother-tasting cup at home if you know the right steps to follow. Celeste Gucanac, owner of Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters, shares these simple suggestions for using a clean coffee machine to produce a delicious cup:

These tips deliver a morning latte or French press coffee that’s rich and full-flavored without excess sharpness. Think it sounds too good to be true? Take it from Jovana Durovic, editor-in-chief at HomeGrounds.co, who offers a final word: “Brewing coffee is an art — treat it with patience and care, and deliciousness will often follow.”

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