Update: My local cafe keeps brewing their light roast way too hot
It makes the coffee taste super bitter and acidic, which I confirmed with my own thermometer last Friday. Has anyone else had this happen, and how did you bring it up without sounding rude?
Wait, you brought your own thermometer to check? That's some serious dedication (and also kind of amazing). I would never have thought to do that. What temperature did it actually read?
It read 212 degrees which is way too hot for good coffee. I keep a little digital thermometer in my bag now because I got tired of burnt-tasting drinks. Some places just set their machines way too high and don't even know it.
My old local shop was the worst, always serving at like 208. I started asking for "not quite boiling" and they'd just stare. Finally showed the barista my thermometer after a truly awful cup. They recalibrated the machine that week. It's wild how much a few degrees can turn a good bean into bitter water.