How To Get Used To Black Coffee? 5 Helpful Tips

Coffee enthusiasts are crazy about black coffee. However, this bold beverage may not be your favorite because you prefer a flavored latte.

Some people want to switch to black coffee because it’s healthier. Moreover, drinking coffee this way will enhance your experience.

But how to get used to black coffee? Fear not; this article will share some simple tips and tricks that will help you enjoy the robust flavor of this beverage.

So give up the milk, and let’s follow our guide!

How To Get Used To Black Coffee?

Black coffee is coffee without additives, such as milk, sugar, or cream. It tastes more bitter than flavored coffee, but many java lovers are more into it. One of the reasons for this tendency is the health benefits that black coffee offers.

If you want to get used to the bitterness of black coffee, the following tips will help you speed up.

Reduce additives gradually

You have been familiar with the sweetness of sugar and milk. Hence, you can’t stand the bitterness when suddenly removing it from your java.

So, you can gradually reduce additives instead. For example, if you often put two teaspoons of sugar in a cup of coffee, reduce it to one teaspoon and a half the next day. Finally, you will get used to the flavor of black coffee.

Choose the coffee beans

Coffee beans are the soul of your black coffee. You can choose Arabica or Robusta, each with a distinctive flavor. So, it would be best to try both to decide which suits your taste.

• Arabica

Arabica beans are more common, accounting for up to 80% of coffee worldwide. Despite their popularity, the Arabica plants are delicate because they can’t stand the fluctuations in the environment.

If prepared carefully, Arabica beans can yield a bright flavor and a balanced acidity level. You may also notice the salinity and sweetness of the beans if you sample your Arabica coffee in front of the palate.

• Robusta

The other 20% of the coffee beans produced worldwide is Robuta. Unlike Arabica, Robusta can thrive in dry, hot conditions.

Another difference between Arabica and Robusta is that the latter contains more caffeine. Moreover, Robusta beans have a lower acidity and smoother texture.

If you are new to coffee, Arabica may be more suitable for you because Robusta beans often taste bitter. But when you get used to black coffee, you will appreciate its signature bitterness.

Try different grind sizes

You can make your black coffee taste good by experimenting with different grind sizes. They also affect the acidity and bitterness levels of your coffee.

• Coarse

Coarse grind refers to larger particles so the water can pass through quickly. In addition, the shorter brewing time and smaller surface area lead to less extraction. Finally, you will have a lighter and weaker cup of coffee.

If you don’t like the bitterness of black coffee, coarse grinds will be better. However, do not make it too coarse, or your coffee will taste sour.

• Fine

Unlike the coarse grind, this grind style has tiny and tightly packed particles. Hence, water will pass through them slowly, giving you an increased extraction. The result is richer and more bitter coffee.

Choose the type of roast

How can green coffee seeds turn out aromatic and consumable? That’s how roasting contributes to your coffee-making process.

We roast coffee beans at high temperatures to bring out coffee smells and tastes. There are four roasting levels, from light to dark roast:

• Light roast

As the name implies, light roast coffee beans have a light flavor. Moreover, because of the least roasting time, you can’t see oils on the surface of the beans.

Light roast beans are popular for their mild flavor and cinnamon color. As a result, if you’ve just started to drink coffee, go for this light roast.

• Medium roast

American people love this roast style so much that it has another name, “American roast.” With this method, you can see little oil on the beans, which gives them a balanced acidity and flavor.

Medium roast beans typically have a dark brown hue. But you should care more about their bittersweet taste.

• Medium-dark roast

When brewed, medium dark roast beans have more oil and a slightly bittersweet flavor. Meanwhile, their acidity is minimal, but you can enjoy more aroma.

• Dark roast

Dark roast coffee beans have the most oil that can even form an oily sheen. They are also the most bitter without any hint of acidity.

Decide on the brewing method

The last factor that affects your black coffee taste is the brewing method. You can brew your coffee in multiple ways, such as:

As you can see, the five methods work differently. Hence, they will yield coffee with different tastes. For example, cold brew yields the least bitter taste because cold water extracts fewer compounds and acids in the coffee.

On the other hand, espresso gives you the most bitter coffee due to the high-pressure extraction.

This video will reveal more brewing methods and interesting facts about them. So please check to discover other ways to prepare your black coffee:

Benefits Of Drinking Black Coffee?

If you want to quit, consider the following benefits of drinking black coffee. Then, you will feel motivated again.

Health

If health is your top concern, you may want to switch to black coffee. Unflavored java offers many health benefits, including the following:

• Fewer calories

Plain black coffee contains fewer calories because there is no sugar or milk. On the other hand, a teaspoon of sugar adds up to 16 calories.

• No dairy products

Those who are lactose intolerant will skip all dairy products. If you belong to this group, switching to black coffee can be a good idea for your busy day.

• Reduced risk of diabetes

Consuming sugar and milk regularly will increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. So if you don’t want to compromise your health for the sweetness, learn how to love black coffee.

• Other benefits of drinking coffee

No matter which type of coffee you drink, you will get these benefits:

• Energy boost: A cup of coffee has about 94 mg of caffeine. And when caffeine travels across your system, it will boost your concentration level. Moreover, you can stay awake because caffeine has blocked the adenosine receptors.
• Weight loss: Coffee can help suppress your appetite, making it a nice choice for your weight loss diet.
• Reduced depression: When drunk in moderation, coffee can prevent depression.
• A bunch of nutrients: Aside from caffeine, coffee also contains essential nutrients, such as niacin, potassium, manganese, and magnesium.

Money

Black coffee is cheaper since you don’t have to buy additional ingredients, like cream or milk. Those additives will add up the cost of your beverage quickly.

Impressing friends

Real coffee lovers prefer black coffee. So if you want to join this community, think about drinking it.

Then, you can share your knowledge and experience to impress your friends. It would be exciting to talk about the coffee origins, roast levels, and other things you have learned to get used to black coffee.

How Much Black Coffee Can You Drink A Day?

The amount of black coffee to consume safely daily depends on multiple factors. For example, you have to consider your age, weight, and health in this case.

The key is the caffeine content in coffee. As a general rule, you shouldn’t consume more than 400mg of caffeine a day. So, drinking three to four cups of black coffee would be best.

However, if you are sensitive to caffeine, reduce the amount of coffee. The symptoms like anxiety and trouble sleeping will tell if you can tolerate caffeine.

Tips For Making Black Coffee Less Bitter

If the biggest challenge for you is to overcome the bitterness of black coffee, this section must be what you need. Here are some steps to achieve a lighter java:

• Use high-quality beans because stale and low-quality ones will produce a bitter taste.
• Too hot water will extract more bitter compounds in the coffee grounds. Meanwhile, too cold water will result in under-extraction. So, you should aim for a water temperature range from 195 to 205°F.
• The coffee-to-water ratio is important. For a light coffee, the ratio should be 1:15 or 1:18.

Conclusion

Black coffee is a good choice for your health. To get used to it, you should learn how to prepare a cup of coffee properly. Then, adjust it to suit your taste.

We also shared some tips to make black coffee less bitter for beginners. So try them, and feel free to experiment with your own recipes.

Thank you for reading!