Many coffee lovers like to try new brands of coffee to serve their taste buds in a different way. If you’re one of those people and ended up buying cheap coffee that tastes bad, you don’t need to dump it in the garbage.
That’s because you can make some changes in your brewing method and add additional ingredients to make it taste better. In this article, I’ll discuss different methods that will help you learn how to make cheap coffee taste better.
How to Make Cheap Coffee Taste Better
The following are some of the most effective ways that you can use to improve the taste of cheap coffee.
Use Different Brewing Methods
Poor brewing is one of the most common reasons why your coffee tastes bad. It can even ruin the taste of the highest quality coffee. Using different brewing techniques will allow you to enhance the flavor profile by improving the extraction you get from your coffee.
You can try using a French Press to brew your cheap coffee for a better taste. A French Press will help you squeeze out all the oils present in coffee as it uses a lot of pressure. If you have already tried this device, consider using the pour-over brewing method that steeps the coffee grounds with hot water.
Using an espresso machine will help you create more concentrated coffee to make espresso shots. A drip coffee maker can also help you brew your cheap coffee with a better taste. It drips water slowly over the coffee grounds to offer a strong and bold taste. You can easily make a red-eye coffee with this method.
Increase Brewing Time
One of the biggest problems with cheap coffee is that it’s not roasted evenly and offers poor flavors. Other than using different brewing methods, you can also increase the brewing time. It will provide coffee with more time to extract, which can improve its flavor profile. It’s especially true if you use an immersion brewing technique like a French Press.
Add Cinnamon or Other Spices
Adding cinnamon or other spices such as ginger or nutmeg can improve the taste of your cheap coffee. In addition, these spices are also nutritious and make for a better option than most sweeteners. They have fewer calories and a strong aroma for a refreshing coffee drinking experience.
I recommend you try different spices and stick to the one that suits you the best. Make sure that you add just a pinch of any of these spices or your coffee will become overly spicy.
Add Flavored Syrup
Adding a flavored syrup to your cheap coffee is a great way to improve its taste. You can use vanilla, or caramel flavored syrup for this purpose. These syrups will add a new dimension of flavor to your coffee in order to hide its poor flavors.
You can also add some whipped cream to your coffee or pour the drink over a glass of ice to make your own custom flavor. Experiment with different syrups and cheap coffee to find out the flavor that serves your taste buds the best. Usually, one teaspoon of flavored syrup per coffee cup is enough to elevate the poor taste.
Add Dairy and Sugar
Adding milk, cream, or sugar to a cup of coffee is a tried-and-true method to improve its taste. The sweetness of sugar and fat in dairy products can alter the natural yet poor tastes of cheap coffee.
Your coffee will offer an overall sweeter and milder taste after getting mixed with these ingredients and the undesirable flavors will become nonexistent. The ideal milk to coffee ratio is 1 to 2 and you can add sugar according to your preferences.
Use Filtered Water
Water influences the overall taste of your coffee significantly. Consider using a water filter to filter your tap water before using it to make cheap coffee. It will remove all the contaminants from water that can ruin your coffee drinking experience. You should also use a water filter for your drinking water to support your and your family’s health.
Add Coconut Oil or Butter
Adding coconut oil or butter to coffee is becoming increasingly popular, thanks to bulletproof coffee. Not only will it improve the taste of your cheap coffee but it will also provide you with an opportunity to experience an entirely new flavor.
All you need to do is to add one tablespoon of butter or coconut, a pinch of pink salt, and 12 ounces of hot brewed cheap coffee to a blender. Then start blending all the ingredients until they’re fully combined and have a smooth consistency. It’ll create a satisfying and hearty flavor that you can enjoy at any time of the day.
Add Chocolate
There are several coffee drinks, such as Mocha, in which chocolate is added for a better flavor. You can add it to your cheap coffee to enjoy a rich and more intense taste.
You can use chocolate in the form of powder, syrup, or even melted blocks for this method. The flavor and aroma of coffee compliment the flavor of chocolate. Additionally, this method will also allow you to mask the bitter and harsh taste of your cheap coffee.
Make sure that you don’t add more than 5 grams or 1.5 teaspoons of coffee to 8 ounces of coffee. You can also use sweetened chocolate in your coffee if you have a sweet tooth.
Keep Your Equipment Clean
Using unclean equipment is one of the most common reasons why coffee tastes bad. If you don’t clean your coffee maker after brewing, it’ll lead to the buildup of lime and calcium deposits. Resultantly, your equipment will make less extracted coffee that’ll offer a muddy taste. That’s why cleaning your equipment regularly can help you improve your coffee taste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here’s a list of the most common questions that people ask about making cheap coffee taste better.
Is Cheap Coffee Safe to Drink?
Yes, cheap coffee is safe to drink because the only downside is the unpleasant taste. If you’re a coffee lover and like to start your day with a cup of coffee, you should always buy high-quality coffee. However, if you have mistakenly bought cheap coffee that offers a poor flavor, you don’t need to throw it in the garbage. Use any of the methods discussed in this guide to make your cheap coffee taste better.
Why Does Cheap Coffee Taste Bad?
There are multiple reasons why cheap coffee tastes bad. The most common one is the use of low-quality base green beans. Additionally, they’re often unevenly roasted because of poor-quality roasting equipment and bad techniques.
The combination of coffee beans selected to make a particular blend can also be incorrect. A great example of this would be when you purchase a pack of Breakfast Blend coffee that was sub-par. All these reasons add up and make cheap coffee taste bad.
What is the Flavor of Cheap Coffee?
The flavor of cheap coffee can vary from product to product. However, cheap coffee usually offers less flavor complexity and tastes overly bitter with a single note. You also don’t experience any pleasant aftertaste that quality coffee offers.
Final Words
The best way to enjoy an ideal coffee taste is to buy high-quality coffee in the first place. Freshly roasted coffee that’s ground just before the brewing process produces the best results.
But if you already have bought cheap coffee, use the methods mentioned in this guide to make it taste better.
Keep in mind that these methods won’t make your drink taste as good as high-quality coffee like brewed Kopi Luwak, but they’ll improve its flavor profile significantly.
