Bitterness is an essential part of the overall taste of coffee. A certain amount of bitterness rounds off the taste of coffee and balances the other flavour elements.
You might hear the terms “fine”, “smooth” or “well-balanced” bitterness being used to describe the bitterness of coffees.
What makes some coffees more bitter than others? There are several factors. First, comes the bean; Robusta is more bitter than Arabica. Then comes the roasting; generally, a darker roast increases the bitterness of the coffee. A third factor is the brewing method, which is why espresso coffee tends to have a more bitter taste.
The next question is: how bitter should your coffee be? “Not too bitter,” or “Really bitter!” you’ll say. And quite rightly, because your preference in bitterness is a personal matter, like your choice of coffee.
However, we have to admit that the taste for bitterness is not a purely personal matter. To a certain extent, liking bitterness in food and drink is a cultural thing. Chinese and Italian cuisines, for example, use many bitter ingredients.
And tastes do change, as has been shown by the recent trends for dark “bitter” chocolate and espresso coffee. Sometimes bitter can be better.