Found out my cold brew was bitter because of one dumb mistake

I kept getting this harsh, bitter cold brew from my mason jar setup for like 2 months. Tried different beans from Starbucks and a local roaster in Portland but nothing helped. Finally realized I was grinding the beans way too fine, almost like espresso grind. Switched to a coarser grind on my Baratza Encore at setting 22 and the difference was night and day. Has anyone else struggled with grind size for cold brew and found a setting that works?

3 comments

3 Comments

lily3941mo ago

Lol is this really a big deal? Its cold brew, not rocket science. You just let it sit in water for 12 hours and it turns out fine. I've been making mine with grocery store pre ground stuff and its never been so bitter I had to adjust a whole grinder setting. Maybe you just had bad beans that time. People act like you need a whole chemistry setup to make coffee at home. Try a different brand first before messing with your grinder that much.

skyler_white951mo ago

Totally agree with you there @lily394, I've gone down that overthinking rabbit hole before and it just makes things worse. Sometimes it really is just the beans being inconsistent (especially with grocery store stuff) rather than a grinder problem. People need to chill and try the simple fix first before diving into gear adjustments.

haydenp958d ago

Grind setting 22 on a Baratza isn't coarse enough for cold brew, so you probably just got lucky.