Nothing is worse than sipping burnt coffee. Instead of giving you a coffee boost, you end up getting disappointed by the taste of burnt coffee.
If you are a Keurig user and are suddenly brewing burnt coffee, it can be frustrating if you don’t know the reason behind it. Since you are used to the flavor of your favorite K-Cups, brewing burnt coffee may come as a surprise.
Well, there could be several reasons why your Keurig is suddenly producing burnt coffee. In this article, I will talk about some of the reasons why your Keurig Coffee tastes burnt. I will also talk about some things you can do to help prevent having burnt coffee with a Keurig.
In this article:
- Stale or Expired K-Cups
- Too Much Buildup
- Brewer is Broken
- Temperature Is Too High
- Water Quality
- Use of Darker Roast
Stale or Expired K-Cups
One of the primary reasons your Keurig coffee tastes burnt might be because of stale or expired K-Cup pods. While they last longer than your typical coffee grounds because of the airtight seal on the pods, they can still go stale.
You can still use the K-Cup pods if the seal is not broken. However, stale K-Cup pods, even regular coffee grounds, will taste burnt when brewed. It’s not something you can avoid as the aroma and flavor of the coffee can lessen over time.
Make sure to keep track of your K-Cups and their expiration or “best before” date. You can see them stamped on the box or the coffee pods itself. When buying K-Cups, try to use them within 6 months of purchase to ensure their freshness.
If you are using a reusable filter and your own coffee grounds, make sure that the coffee grounds are stored in an airtight container and placed in a cool, dry place to maintain their freshness.
Also, consider using high-quality coffee grounds if you plan on using your own coffee grounds on a Keurig. If you can get your hands on coffee from a quality roaster that grinds coffee beans, that would also be great.
High-quality coffee grounds are just fresher and have more flavor than low-quality coffee grounds.
Related: The Best Keurig K Cup Storage Drawer For You (With Pictures)
Too Much Buildup
If your K-Cups or coffee grounds are not stale or expired, it could be that the problem lies with your Keurig. Over time, coffee oils and mineral deposits build up inside coffee makers, including Keurigs, if not cleaned regularly.
The coffee residue and other mineral deposits can cause your coffee to have a burnt taste. To prevent this from happening, you have to descale your Keurig once every 3 to 6 months to prevent the buildup from accumulating.
To descale a Keurig, you have to use a descaling solution and run a water-only brew cycle a couple of times. If you don’t have a descaling solution, you can use equal parts water and white vinegar as an alternative solution.
Brewer is Broken
Another reason why your coffee tastes burnt is that your Keurig is broken. A broken Keurig can cause an improper brewing process which can affect the taste of your coffee.
The water may become too hot or the brewing time can be compromised. If you suspect something is broken with your Keurig, make sure to call Keurig support immediately.
If your Keurig is still under warranty, you can ask for a replacement unit or have them repair your Keurig.
Temperature Is Too High
If there is no problem with your Keurig, it could be that the brewing temperature may be too high. Water that is too hot can cause the extraction time to become faster which extracts more of the bitter flavor of the coffee.
Brewing coffee quickly can lead to over-extraction which results in a burnt taste.
Now, most Keurigs don’t have a feature where you can adjust the temperature. But, if your Keurig model has a temperature control, adjust the temperature accordingly.
If your Keurig model does not have an adjustable temperature feature, it brews coffee at a temperature of 195° to 205° F. This is also the ideal brewing temperature if you were to brew coffee using other brewing devices.
If it suddenly has a hotter brewing temperature, you might have to call Keurig customer support and ask for help.
Water Quality
You may not give a thought to the water you put in the reservoir when using your Keurig but the water quality can definitely affect the taste of your coffee. You can definitely use any water you want but Keurig recommends using bottled water or spring water for a better tasting coffee.
Tap water can have hard minerals and other impurities that can affect the flavor of your coffee and have a burnt taste. Aside from using bottled water or spring water, cleaning your Keurig regularly can also help improve the taste of your coffee.
The hard minerals from tap water can cause mineral deposits and as I mentioned earlier, this can cause a burnt taste in your coffee.
Use of Darker Roast
If you use a reusable filter and your own coffee grounds, you may have been using darker roasts. If you are not used to darker roast and accidentally bought dark roast K-Cup pods, the coffee might be too strong for you and give you a burnt taste.
But, it shouldn’t have a bad taste in your mouth if brewed properly. If you don’t like darker roasts, you can always switch to light or medium roasts.
You can experiment with different coffee blends or K-Cup flavors and try adjusting the temperature setting (if your Keurig has one!) and see how it fits your taste preference.
Final Thoughts
There are several reasons why your Keurig coffee has a burnt taste. It could be your choice of K-Cup flavor, you are using stale or expired K-Cup pods, or your Keurig is dirty.
If you’ve tried changing the flavor of the pods or descaling your Keurig and the burnt taste is still there, you can call Keurig’s customer support and relay your issue. They can offer assistance and help you troubleshoot your machine to get it working properly again.
If all else fails and troubleshooting does not work, they can repair or replace your unit for free if it is still under warranty. If not, you’ll probably have to say goodbye to your Keurig and buy a new one if the problem of burnt coffee still persists.
