10 Common Home Brewing Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Even with good beans and decent gear, your coffee can still fall short. In most cases, the problem isn’t your equipment — it’s small mistakes that sneak in over time. The good news? They’re all easy to fix.

Mistake 1: Using stale beans

Coffee goes flat fast. Old beans lose flavour and aroma.

Fix: Use beans within 2–8 weeks of roast. Store airtight, cool, and dark.

Mistake 2: Grinding too early

Ground coffee stales in minutes.

Fix: Always grind just before brewing.

Mistake 3: Wrong grind size

A single grind doesn’t fit all brew methods.

Fix: Coarse for French press, medium-fine for pour-over, fine for espresso.

Mistake 4: Bad water

Poor water = poor coffee, no matter your beans.

Fix: Use filtered water. Or in Singapore try Polar or Volvic bottled mineral water.

Mistake 5: Eyeballing your ratio

Inconsistent coffee? You’re probably guessing.

Fix: Use a scale. Start with 1g coffee to 15–17g water.

Mistake 6: Water too hot or too cold

Boiling water burns coffee. Cool water under-extracts.

Fix: Brew between 90–95°C. Let kettle sit 30 to 60 seconds after boiling.

Mistake 7: Skipping the filter rinse

Paper filters can add off flavours.

Fix: Rinse your filter with hot water before brewing.

Mistake 8: Not blooming the coffee

Fresh coffee traps gas. If it doesn’t bloom, it won’t extract well.

Fix: Pour a little water to let it bloom 30–45 seconds before brewing.

Mistake 9: Messy pouring

Pouring too fast or unevenly causes bad extraction.

Fix: Pour in slow spirals or pulses. Stay consistent.

Mistake 10: Dirty equipment

Old oils = bitter or muddy coffee.

Fix: Rinse after every use. Deep clean grinders and machines weekly.

Final Pour

Better coffee starts with better habits. Fix just one or two of these, and you’ll taste the difference in your next cup. Great brewing isn’t complicated — it’s intentional.

Not sure what’s going wrong with your coffee? Book a Home Barista Workshop or a Setup Consultation. We’ll walk you through your brew, step by step.

Explore our workshops here or drop us a message. We’re here to help.