Brilio.net - Black coffee is a drink that is loved by many people because of its strong taste and distinctive aroma. For coffee lovers, a cup of black coffee in the morning is irreplaceable because it can provide a boost of energy and freshness to start the day. Therefore, many people choose to consume black coffee before starting their activities.
But despite being known for its distinctive bitter taste, it is not uncommon for brewed black coffee to taste very bitter. This certainly reduces the enjoyment of drinking coffee.
The excessive bitterness in black coffee is often caused by several factors. One of them is the use of over-roasted coffee beans.
Coffee beans that are roasted too long tend to have a dominant bitter taste because the chemical compounds in them undergo drastic changes. In addition, improper brewing techniques, such as brewing for too long or water temperature that is too hot, can also produce coffee with an unbalanced bitter taste. Grinding coffee beans too finely can also cause over-extraction, which ultimately increases the bitter taste.
To reduce the bitterness of black coffee, many people then choose to add sugar directly. In fact, sugar in black coffee will change the taste. The addition of sugar will make the coffee sweeter. If you don't like sweet coffee, this sugar can certainly ruin the taste.
Instead of adding sugar, you can add other more potent ingredients. Reported by BrilioFood from Instagram @tinissn_ on Wednesday (11/20), she actually uses salt. Yup! This salt is used to reduce the excessive bitterness of black coffee.
photo: Instagram/@tinissn_
How to use it is quite easy. You only need to prepare brewed coffee. Then take a pinch of salt and put it in a glass containing black coffee. After that, stir until smooth. That way, this black coffee is ready to drink.
"The sodium compound in salt can block the bitter taste receptors on the tongue, so the coffee tastes more balanced," said Instagram @tinissn_.
photo: Instagram/@tinissn_
Adding salt to black coffee is a simple trick that can help reduce the excess bitterness in the drink. Salt has the ability to neutralize the compound that causes bitterness, chlorogenic acid, which is formed during the roasting process of coffee beans. When salt is added in small amounts, the sodium ions contained in it will interact with the bitter taste receptors on the tongue, reducing the intensity of the bitter taste perceived.
Apart from that, salt can also increase the natural sweetness and strengthen the overall taste of coffee without the need to add sugar or other sweeteners. Thus, a pinch of salt can be a practical solution for enjoying a cup of black coffee with a more balanced and delicious taste.