This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and a partner of other brands, I get a small commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost from you.
Ok, I get it, a medium brew is not enough for you. You want to know how to make coffee stronger and tastier.
You want the coffee to taste like the one you buy from your favorite coffee shop.
I’m also a huge fan of strong coffee. The stronger it is, the better for my tastebuds!
So, if you’re one of them who likes to enjoy the strong taste of your favorite drink while still adding some milk or creamer into it then you’re at the right place.
I will be telling you about 10 ways to make your coffee stronger without making it bitter.
But before we jump into how to make it stronger, let’s talk about what makes a coffee strong in the first place.
What Makes A Coffee Strong?
A strong coffee is something that packs a punch. Generally, this punch is in the form of a bold flavor. That’s why strong coffees taste so good and distinct.
Simply put, a strong coffee is one that has bold flavors and aromas that you won’t be getting from your regular shop-bought coffee.
Now, we know what makes the strongest coffee possible but we’re yet to figure out how to make it stronger without making it bitter just like our regular serving.
I am sure you are aware of the different aromas of coffee. But what exactly do these aromas give to your drink?
It turns out there are more than 25 aromas of coffee. Aromas are present in many different foods, fruits, and beverages.
They all have unique scents and flavors. It is the reason we associate certain things with certain aromas and flavors – or we can simply call it our preference over other people.
To better understand the difference in the aromas and flavors of coffee, you will need to read up on its preparation and brewing.
But to make a long story short, here is a list of the different and most popular aromas present in your coffee:
Now that you know what aromas are present in coffee, just know that these are what affect the taste and strength of your coffee.
And the stronger the taste the more of these aromas will be present in your coffee.
Now that you know what to look for in stronger coffee, let’s talk about how to make your coffee stronger in just a few simple steps.
How to Make Coffee Stronger in 14 Easy Ways
1. Adjust Your Brewing Method
Adjusting the brewing method you use to brew your favorite coffee recipe can be the easiest and the most effective hack that you can try out.
If you like bolder roasts then go for cone filter or pour-over brewing as they tend to give a bolder taste than other brewing methods such as Aeropress, French Press, Chemex, etc.
Also, pre-infusion in cone filters and slow pouring will make your lighter roasts taste stronger as well.
2. Use The Right Grind Size
The grind size is something that you should not compromise with.
The grind size should be equal to the coffee-to-water ratio you are using.
If your brewing method allows for fine grinding then go for finer grain coffee.
If it doesn’t, then coarsely grind your beans.
While grinding you might want to keep in mind that an even finer grind will give you a weaker brew (remember, that’s what makes your coffee stronger).
3. Don’t Overbrew
The over-infusion of water will make the taste of your cup dull and weak.
You might have noticed that you need to brew much more than what is required to create an optimal flavor.
So, to make your coffee stronger, try to limit the infusion time by using a coarser grind size.
4. Use Stronger Beans
If you are using a darker roast then it is time for you to go for a blend that is made with stronger beans.
The stronger the coffee bean, the more flavor it will lend to your brew.
The best way to do so is by buying whole beans and roasting them at home.
5. Add More Grounds To Your Brew
The most common way to make your coffee stronger is by adding more grounds. I am sure you’ve heard the term “double shot” before.
Many people are using it to refer to their regular morning brew.
The most important thing in making your coffee stronger is how much coffee grounds you are using for your brew.
It’s not really the double shot that makes the drink stronger but how much coffee per cup is being used.
So, here is what you should do if you want to make your brew stronger, just use more grounds for each cup of water you are using.
You can use a different ratio every time depending on how strong or bitter you want it to be.
The ratio recommended for this is 4 to 1.
So if you usually use 5 grams of coffee for your brew, then use 15 grams of coffee each time you are brewing.
6. Finely Grind Your Beans
If you want your coffee to be strong, you need to use the right amount of grounds for better extraction.
But if you are using a fine grind, then there will always be more grounds in each cup.
So instead of having a bitter cup of coffee because there is too much ground coffee in it, try using a coarser grind.
Using a finer grind will extract more from the beans allowing less bitterness and more strength.
You can determine whether you are using a fine or coarse grind by checking how finely the grounds become powdery.
A finely ground coffee will be the same color as the rest of the coffee grounds, but it will have a finer consistency.
This sort of fine grind is what most people are using now.
But there are also some reports that claim that using coarsely ground beans is giving better results.
You can try using either one, but remember the finer the grounds, the stronger the coffee will be.
7. Use A Better Quality Coffee Beans
As I have said over and over again, it’s all about the grounds that you are using for your brew.
But the other factor that should be taken into consideration is the coffee beans.
Using better quality beans for your brew will not only result in stronger coffee but also give you a fresher cup.
When you buy coffee beans, you will just need to look out for several things.
For example, you can look at where they are grown or roasted, what’s in them, and how much money the company is spending on their bean.
All these factors play an important role in determining how much strength your drink will have by adding these factors to your consideration list when buying them.
Therefore, another easy way to strengthen the taste of your coffee is to use better quality coffee beans.
8. Make Sure To Grind Your Coffee Beans Before Brewing
It’s not an uncommon practice for some people to grind their coffee beans just before they are brewing.
If you do this, then you are basically ensuring that your coffee grounds will be strong and full of flavor after brewing, giving you a fresher taste than if you were using old coffee grounds.
Grinding your beans ahead of time gives the flavors more time to mix with the air which makes it drier.
Eventually, stale results in what some call “old-tasting” or “stale-tasting” brews.
9. Double-Brew
If you want to make stronger coffee, then the easiest way to do it is by doubling the amount of ground coffee you are using in your cup.
The strong smell and taste of this brew is not caused by the type of beans but rather what’s in them.
The best way to make this strong coffee is to use two tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces (three cups) of water that you are using.
10. Brew With Salt
If you are looking for a stronger brew, then try adding salt to the coffee grounds before it brews.
The more salt you add, the stronger your coffee will be.
Don’t worry, though. You can still use more ground coffee to balance out the salt taste.
When you add salt to your coffee grounds, they will be able to extract it better than usual.
That’s why the salty taste of the water is more pronounced than usual, making your brew stronger.
11. Use The Right Water Temperature
Although this suggestion doesn’t really pertain specifically to “making coffee stronger” but rather to “making a great cup of coffee”, you will find that brewing at a higher temperature will generally result in better-tasting and stronger brews.
You should always use water that is at a temperature where you can easily bring out the flavor of your coffee without it being too overpowering.
Another common misconception is that the warmer the water is, the stronger the coffee will be.
But this is not really true at all, as most people believe. In fact, if your water temperature is high enough, you will be able to bring out more of your coffee’s flavor without it tasting too strong or bitter.
If you find that brewing coffee at a lower temperature leads to a bitter taste, then try brewing with water that has been boiled for around five minutes.
This will make sure that the coffee will brew evenly and give you a stronger taste in your cup.
Final Thoughts on How To Make Coffee Stronger
If you’ve learned how to make coffee stronger, you won’t need to look for that next cup of coffee.
Now you can enjoy stronger coffee that will give you that kick that you were looking for.
The good thing about knowing how to make coffee stronger is the fact that it’s very simple to do, and it’s also very easy to customize your brew even further.
This will not only make it easier for you to get the kind of flavor, strength or consistency that you want out of your coffee but there are also cheaper ways to do it than buying the next variety of branded beans.
So if you are on the hunt for the best way to make coffee stronger, then give brew quality beans or double-brewing a try.
You will find that making coffee stronger is not hard at all. With these tips, you can begin enjoying stronger brews of coffee right away.
