How to Fix Watery Coffee? 7 Ways
A cup of coffee can be the ideal beverage to start a day or the best companion on a cold afternoon. Whatever the reason, you probably have a set idea of how strong your ideal cup of coffee should be. Few experiences are as underwhelming as drinking too weak or watery coffee. So, how do you fix a watery coffee and get the best out of such a situation?
You can fix watery coffee by adding more coffee ground and equivalent sugar to strengthen the coffee flavor. Alternatively, you can add thickeners such as heavy cream, condensed milk, or whipped cream to add richness and creaminess to the brew, making it taste less watery.
Your coffee can turn out too mild for your taste for several reasons. And in this article, we will go over some of the common problems that lead to this situation and how you can go about fixing it. Also, we have an extra section dealing with iced coffee and how you can fix iced coffee that tastes too watery.
How to Fix Coffee that is Too Watery?
Use More Coffee
The coffee to water ratio is the main factor determining how strong your coffee will be. This is true whether you use an espresso machine or make it yourself from the coffee ground. The more coffee you put in, the less watery it will taste.
So, if you find that the mixture is a bit too weak, add a teaspoon of extra coffee ground to the cup and stir. Similarly, if you use an espresso machine, add more coffee beans. You may need to add extra sugar to balance the bitterness of the coffee. This will be down to your preference.
You should look to use 2 tablespoons of beans when making it on a French press as a point of reference. And if you are using a drip brewer, which most offices do, add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of beans. The difference is that the drip brewer extracts the coffee at a much higher temperature. So, you require less coffee to get a stronger taste.
Use Heavy Cream
One way to make the coffee thicker is to add some heavy cream. This will get rid of the watery consistency and make for a richer and creamier cup of coffee.
Of course, if you like your coffee black like the Rolling Stones, this is not the ideal option. But if you do not mind some dairy in your morning blend, a spoon of heavy cream may be a revolution for your palate.
Add Some Condensed Milk
Alternatively, you can try adding condensed milk to the mix if you happen to be short on cream. This will also give you a richer and creamier experience by making the brew taste thicker.
Add Frothy Milk
This is a quick and simple hack to make café style coffee right at home. And it has the bonus of making the coffee taste richer and thicker.
Heat some milk and bring it to a simmer. Now, pour the milk into a mason jar or similar container and close the lid tightly. Then start shaking the jar or flip it upside down repeatedly. Now, pour the milk onto your cup of coffee. This frothy milk will trick your taste buds into thinking more fat is in the coffee. Thus, the coffee will taste less watery and more decadent.
Choose the Correct Size
When grinding coffee beans, you can get different sizes of ground based on the size of the particles. The ground can be coarse or fine, reflecting how strong the coffee flavor will be.
So, if you are making too watery coffee, the problem may lie with the size of your coffee ground. Use a finer grain to produce stronger tasting coffee. This will also have a more pronounced bitter taste. Make sure to taste the blend to see if the sweetness is to your liking.
Whipped Cream
People will normally associate whipped cream on top of hot chocolate. But it works just as well with a cup of coffee. The fat in the cream will counteract the watery taste of the brew if it happens to be too light.
Get the Correct Temperature
The higher the water temperature, the more it will extract the coffee flavor from the beans. So, set the temperature a bit higher than you normally do if the coffee is coming out thinner than you like. Usually, the ideal temperature for getting a nice blend of coffee is between 195 to 200 °F.
Why Does Your Coffee Taste So Watery?
There can be multiple reasons why the coffee is coming out weak. Some of these reasons could be happening simultaneously, resulting in a very disappointing cup of joe. Here, we are going to review some of the more common issues:
Not Enough Coffee
This may seem obvious in hindsight, but this is also the most common cause. The reason you are making watery coffee is as simple as not putting in enough coffee beans or coffee grounds. This is especially relevant when using a coffee maker or espresso machine. You are not loading enough beans in the machine, which results in a weak cup of coffee.
Not Reaching the Correct Temperature
So, how hot the water hits the coffee will determine how much of the flavor will get extracted. So, if your water is too cold, then not enough flavor will come out of the beans. Therefore, the coffee will taste waterier and blander.
The Coffee Beans is Not Roasted Enough
Not all bags of coffee have been roasted to the same degree. And this can impact the taste of the brew that you make with it. So, if you find that the coffee is not strong enough to meet your taste, try to change the beans. Select a bag with a more intense roast to get a stronger coffee taste.
What is the Best Ratio for Coffee to Water?
This will depend on your personal preference and the nature of the coffee. But as a general rule, you can follow a 1:17 ratio for making regular coffee. This means adding 1 tablespoon of coffee to 4 ounces of water.
Is Coffee Stronger with Less Water?
The more coffee there is compared to water, i.e., the higher the coffee to water ratio, the stronger the brew will be. Of course, several other factors will affect the richness and thickness of your blend. But not having enough coffee beans or grounds or having too much water is a good way of ending up with watery coffee.
Why Does Your Ice Coffee Taste Watery?
Cold coffee or iced coffee is a popular variation for enjoying a cup of coffee, particularly in the summer. But a cup of watery iced coffee is no less disappointing than a cup of regular coffee that is also too weak. And the reasons can be similar for both.
If you do not add enough coffee, add too much water, do not use fine enough ground, your coffee will end up tasting more like coffee-flavored water rather than the actual thing. Also, it could be that the beans are not roasted enough to suit your taste. These are some of the things you have to consider when making the perfect cup of cold coffee.
How to Fix Watery Iced Coffee?
Since the reasons behind watery coffee are similar to those leading to watery iced coffee, their fixes are also quite similar. Here are some ways you can spruce up your cup of coffee and make it thicker:
Add More Coffee Ground
If the coffee tastes too weak or bland, add a teaspoon of ground coffee to the blend, along with some extra sugar. Taste to see if the coffee flavor is to your liking or not. If not, add more coffee and adjust the sweetness with extra sugar or milk.
Add Dairy
Most cold coffee recipes will have some form of dairy in them. The dairy will add more fat to the blend, making it taste richer and thicker. So, add some dairy of your choice to the mix, be it heavy cream, condensed milk, or regular cow’s milk. Then put the mixture back in the blender and give it a nice twirl.
Add Less Ice Cubes
You have to remember that you are adding water into the mix on two separate occasions. The first is when you are making the actual coffee blend. Then you add ice cubes to the coffee when you mix it in the blender.
So, if you find that the initial brew tastes too water for your liking, then hold back on the number of ice cubes. If you worry that the coffee will not be cold enough, simply refrigerate it for 10 minutes.
What Kind of Coffee Does Not Taste Watery?
Today, you can find so many variations of coffee on the market, each differing in terms of ground size, degree of roast, cultivation method, etc.; this leads to different tasting coffee once you make it. But there are a few features you can look for if you want a stronger coffee.
First, select a batch with very finely ground coffee. This will ensure more flavor. Second, choose a more intense roast—the stronger the roast, the stronger the flavor or brew.
To conclude, coffee is a very intimate experience. Different people have variations in what they prefer in their cup that appear minuscule on the surface but make all the difference to the individual. Hopefully, now you know some tricks to fix a cup of coffee that is not strong enough.
