bitter coffee

[buglebe]

My morning coffee has started tasting bitter. I'm extremely picky about my coffee. The best coffee I ever tasted was the coffee where I used to work. I would have 1 or 2 cups while getting my assignment in the morning. It was always consistently good. It was made with the pre measured packs. I wonder if I need to clean the pot with something more than dish detergent and water. Has anyone tried putting vinegar through their coffee pot? What about the commercial product for cleaning the coffee pot? Any other suggestions as to why it would be tasting bitter?

[jasmine]

I have never heard of using soap for cleaning one out, I always use vinager in mine and it comes out really well. I have never tried the cleaners for one in a store though, never wanted to waste the money when I had the vinegar at home.

[pepperpot]

I stopped drinking Foldgers several years ago because whatever they did (possibly switch beans suppliers, processing???) I could no longer tolerate their coffee.

Did you try different brands or only this one? Maybe it's not coffee pot/maker but the coffee? :shrug

[buglebe]

Pepperpot, Yes I wondered if it could be the coffee. But I have some Gevalia and even it was bitter. Jasmine, how often do you run the vinegar through it and do you dilute it 4 to 1. I looked it up. It says afterwards to run water through it and do another pot. I don't know what is the longest I've had a particular pot but I've never cleaned it with anything other than dish detergent and hot water. Thanks.

[jasmine]

he he, I have a cheater coffee pot, a light comes on that says clean when it needs cleaned LOL. I usually just use straight vinegar maybe about 6 cups worth, send it through 2 or three times, then use straight water, send that through a couple of times.

woops, just wanted to say, I use half and half vinegar and water

[buglebe]

Thanks, I'll try the vinegar today. Does it matter if it's white vinegar or not?

[jasmine]

I have always used white

[Jolie Rouge]

I tried using CLR which was touted as a cleaner for the coffee pot - ruined the coffee maker. EVERYTHING was tainted with a nasty chemical flavor ... I tossed the whole thing out. Since then I have also used the half and half vinegar solution with no problems.

[Eyore]

If it something like a Mr Coffee you have, I used to run a quart of vinegar through it, then pour the hot vinegar back in the reservoir and let it sit for like a half hour. Then run the vinegar through again. Once the vinegar was run through I would run like 2-3 pots of plain water through it to get the vinegar rinsed out good.

[Quaker_Parrots]

If it doesnt work, try adding a pinch of salt to your coffee before you brew it. It will help kill the bitter.

[DBackFan]

I seem to end up with so many coffee pots I rarely clean them and I am very picky about my coffee also. Your taste buds could also be to blame. Whne we are sick or stressed our bodies give of chemicals that change the taste of things we normally love.