With this you can ensure delicious creations from your fully automatic coffee machine
The coffee’s bitter or watery taste does not give pleasure. There are many reasons why your coffee from your fully automatic machine doesn’t taste the way you imagine it to be. For example, it can be bitter or watery. Below is a checklist that you can safely use to improve the taste of your coffee.
Table of Contents
Checklist for a phenomenal coffee taste from the fully automatic coffee machine
A fully automatic coffee machine is a coffee machine in which the coffee is made “fully automatically”. The water is drawn in through a water tank with a flow heater. The coffee powder is then produced in the bean container with the help of a grinder. The brewing process then takes place in the so-called “brewing group” so that the finished coffee can run into the cup. In the brew group, the previously ground coffee powder is automatically pressed into an opening. After this process, the water is pressed through the grist at a pressure of often 15 bar.
1. The texture of the beans
The quality of the beans is of course of crucial importance for the quality of the later taste. Bad quality means a drink that doesn’t taste good. This also applies to preparation in a fully automatic coffee machine, because aromatic coffee can only be made with high-quality beans. As for storing your coffee, it is advisable to keep it in a dark, cool and dry place. Incidentally, we strongly advise against storage in the refrigerator! Because if you store the coffee incorrectly, it not only lacks aroma, but the drink can also taste rancid. In case you haven’t sealed it airtight coffee can even take on strange smells and taste variations. If the coffee beans are too old, most of the aroma has already been lost. A coffee clip is particularly suitable for closing the coffee packaging.
2. The degree of grinding
Another factor for the successful preparation of the coffee is certainly the degree of grinding, since the coffee tastes watery or bitter if the setting is incorrect. If this is set too finely, too many bitter substances can be released from the coffee grounds. The result is an uncomfortably intense taste that can even taste bitter or burnt. If the grinding degree is set too coarsely, on the other hand, it leads to a weak, watery taste, as the surface is smaller than with fine grinding. This means that only a few aromas can be released from the coffee powder. It is also advisable to make sure that the grinder is not too hot . If this happens, there is a possibility that the coffee grounds will burn and you will end up with an almost inedible drink.
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3. The quality of the water
Since coffee consists mainly of water, the quality of the water used naturally plays a major role in coffee preparation. Therefore, you should find out about the degree of hardness in your residential area. You can easily determine this with special test strips, which you can get by mail order but also at the pharmacy. Briefly dip the strip in cold water. After a while, it changes color. Based on the extent of the discoloration, you can now determine the range of water hardness of the water. Most test strips have 4 or 5 areas, although strips with up to 10 areas can be purchased from stores. Up to 8 degrees dH (= degree of hardness) the water becomes soft, from 8 to 12 degrees dH as medium-hard and above as hard.
If the water is too hard, the coffee develops a foreign taste. With fully automatic coffee machines, it is advisable to insert a filter in the water tank. The temperature also plays a role, because if the water is too hot, the drink tastes bitter and burnt. In such a case, change the setting on your coffee machine. If, on the other hand, your coffee tastes sour, it could be that the temperature was below 92 degrees Celsius. Because the recommended temperature for a fully automatic coffee machine is on a scale between 92 degrees Celsius and 96 degrees Celsius.
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- The functions of your fully automatic machine : correctly set the coffee machine
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4. Any contamination of the machine parts
Another cause of bitter or watery coffee from the fully automatic coffee machine can be contamination of the machine parts. For example, bean oils can go rancid if you don’t remove them regularly. Affected elements can be the bean container, grinder, sieves, pipes and outlets. It is therefore absolutely advisable that you clean your fully automatic coffee machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. The roasts
As with the grinding degree, there are roasts that are not suitable for all types of preparation. As a rule of thumb, roasts that have refined the beans using the drum roasting process provide a better taste quality. Short-term roasts, on the other hand, quickly taste bitter because the beans are roasted irregularly. Many manufacturers, such as Lavazza, Gorilla or illy, indicate on the packaging whether the respective varieties are suitable for use in a fully automatic coffee machine. The coffee from the fully automatic machine tastes pretty intense. If you have just bought a new fully automatic coffee machine, it may therefore be advisable to start with a mild roast.
Conclusion: bitter or watery coffee taste
Many factors can be the cause of a bitter or watery taste from the fully automatic coffee machine. It is essential to observe the following criteria:
- The quality of the beans
- The correct setting of the grinding degree
- The hardness of the water
- The regular cleaning of individual machine parts of the coffee machine
- The degree of roast
