When you are a regular coffee drinker, you often detect any slight change in the taste of your favorite cup. The worst sip is when your coffee tastes metallic, instead of the much-awaited pure bliss. You may question why it tastes that way and wonder how to fix the metallic taste in your coffee.

Coffee tastes metallic because of dirty machines, stale coffee beans, poor roasting, wrong grind size, temperature, brew time, ingredient ratio, and water. You can fix the problem by buying quality beans, using the right ingredients, and correct brewing procedure.

Also see: Why Does My Coffee Grinder Have Static?

10 Reasons Why Coffee Tastes Metallic

Several factors contribute to the metallic taste of your coffee. Luckily, they are problems you can understand and fix by yourself. Thereafter brew a tasty cup again. They include:

1. Poor Quality And Stale Coffee Beans

You make a perfect cup of coffee using high-quality coffee beans. However, if the coffee beans have stayed for too long, possibly they are not fresh. In that case, brewing with them can result in a metallic taste of your coffee.

The moment you open a bag of coffee, the flavors and aromas start to escape. So the more your coffee stays open and unused, the more it loses its flavors.

And that’s why I often recommend using whole coffee beans. They tend to retain the aromas and flavors for a longer time than already ground coffee.

2. Poor Roasting Of The Coffee Beans

Some people prefer roasting their coffee beans themselves. Therefore, make some mistakes during the process. Even top-notch coffee roasters do make mistakes. So, if that happens, the resulting coffee grind can have an unpleasant aroma and taste.

3. Over-extraction Of The Coffee Beans

Most often, if your coffee is too bitter, it is a sign of over-extraction. In this case, the main culprit is often the grind size. If you set your coffee grinder to produce a coffee grind that is too fine, the chances of over-extraction become so high.

Besides, if the metal blades in your grinder are too close to each other, they tend to heat up, thus, resulting in a metallic coffee taste.

4. Under-extraction Of Your Coffee Beans

If your brew has a watery appearance with no crema, it is under-extracted. In most cases, your coffee may taste acidic. Common causes include coarser grind size, using fewer coffee grounds, or inadequate tamping.

5. Low Quality Coffee Brands

Cheap coffee from poor-quality brands usually has an unpleasant aroma and taste. Besides, some brands use Robusta coffee beans, which tend to be lower in quality than Arabica beans. Moreover, how the coffee brand roasts the beans can also cause a metallic taste in your coffee.

6. Wrong Temperature Setting

The ideal temperature for a perfect brew is 205^oF (96^OC). Too high temperatures tamper with the flavors and oils of the coffee beans. Again, extremely low temperatures ruin what could have been a perfect shot.

7. Dirty Coffee Machine

The metallic taste in coffee can result from the unclean coffee machine and poor hygiene. Failure to clean your appliance makes debris and other materials build up inside it. After some time, they start affecting the taste of your brew.

8. Your Water Isn’t Great

Using tap water can mess up the taste of your coffee. Though it may look clean to you, tap water contains particles and elements that alter your coffee taste.

9. Improper Brew Time

When you set a wrong brew time, your coffee tends to extract longer or shorter than the normal range. In the process, it ruins the taste of your brew.

10. Wrong Ingredient Ratios

If you miss it on the coffee grounds to water ratio, you also get a weird-tasting brew. Besides, you can still make a mistake during the brewing process, which may lead to you getting a different taste in your coffee.

Related: Why is My Breville Coffee Grinder Not Working?

How To Get Rid Of The Metallic Taste In Coffee

As I said, most problems related to coffee taste are easy to solve. You have to make a few adjustments, and thereafter, enjoy your heavenly sip again. Below are 9 easy fixes that work;

1. Opt For Quality Coffee Beans

Premium coffee beans are often fresh with perfect quality. Besides, the coffee beans undergo a proper roasting process. Therefore, they cannot produce a metallic taste in your coffee.

2. Buy Coffee Beans From Reputable Brands

Always avoid brands selling cheap, poor-quality coffee beans. You can check the coffee brand reviews before buying. Some of the best brands include death wish coffee, Kona coffee, and the kicking horse coffee.

3. Use Filtered Water To Make Your Coffee

Filtered water undergoes a filtration process to remove any unwanted materials. Therefore, it is the most ideal for coffee.

4. Clean Your Coffee Machine Regularly

Cleaning and descaling your coffee machine help remove germs and materials that can pile up in your brewer. For best results, descale your brewer using vinegar and baking soda.

5. Maintain The Correct Temperature

The ideal temperature for your coffee is 96^oC. It yields a perfect coffee taste and aroma. Anything more or less can ruin your coffee drink.

6. Adjust Your Brew Time

If your coffee is taking too long to brew, you can reduce the time. And again, if it is brewing so fast, you can increase the time a little to enable it to extract fully. Just ensure you maintain the right amount of time when brewing.

7. Proper Ingredient Ratios

Depending on the type of coffee, you are making, make sure you use the exact ingredient proportions. The best way to achieve this is to measure. Use a scale to weigh your coffee grounds and also measure your water.

8. Use The Correct Grind Size

First, understand which grind size goes well with your brewing method. For espresso, use a fine coffee grind. If brewing regular drip coffee, a medium-coarse grind size will do perfectly fine. The correct grind size helps avoid over-extraction and under extraction.

9. Clean Your Coffee Mugs And Cups Properly

New coffee cups and mugs can make your coffee taste metallic. That’s especially when you fail to clean them. Thus, it is vital to clean your coffee cups thoroughly before use.

Read: Why is My Espresso So Bitter?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Final Thoughts

It is common for coffee to have a metallic taste, and most of us have experienced that at some point. But many can’t tell why and how to fix the problem. Luckily for you, metallic taste in coffee won’t be a problem anymore. You now have all it takes to produce a crispy, sweet, and tasty cup of coffee.