Watched a guy at the diner in El Paso add salt to his grounds and it hit me how wrong I've been doing this

Brooke Walker · 2026-10-16T08:35:05.251887+00:00

I've been brewing coffee at home for about 6 years and I always thought I had it pretty dialed in. Last Tuesday I grabbed breakfast at a little diner off Montana Ave in El Paso and the old guy behind the counter was fixing his own cup. He scooped in a tiny pinch of salt right on top of the grounds before pouring the water, maybe a quarter teaspoon for the whole pot. I asked him why and he just said bitterness comes from the brew, not the bean, and salt cuts it without hiding the flavor. I went home and tried it the next morning with my usual medium roast and I could not believe the difference, it was smoother and I could actually taste the chocolate notes I'd been reading about on the bag. Here's the thing though, I had been over-pouring for years thinking more grounds meant more flavor, and that was making everything taste harsh. So now I'm wondering, how much salt is too much before it just tastes like soup? Has anyone else messed with this or am I late to something everybody already knew?

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Watched a guy at the diner in El Paso add salt to his grounds and it hit me how wrong I've been doing this | Coffee Enthusiasts - The Community Guide