Why Does Airplane Coffee Taste So Bad?

Above, enjoying a cup of good coffee in Tokyo. Photo by Denise.

Have you ever wondered why airplane coffee tastes so bad?

Do they filter it in dirty socks? In a jock strap?

The answer is no. But if you want to find out why, Travel + Leisure has an article explaining why.

It begins with:

Weak and slightly sour—it’s how you feel after a sleepless red-eye… and what that in-flight java tastes like. So what’s mucking up your cup?  

The beans aren’t really to blame. In fact, a number of airlines now get their grounds from popular brand name roasters like Starbucks (Delta) or Dunkin’ Donuts (Jet Blue). The real culprit: the H20 used in airplane brew. 

I have never complained about airplane coffee. To me, it tastes better than vending machine coffee.

But, if you want to read more details on airplane coffee, go here.