Better water equals better coffee!
When most people savor a cup of coffee, they think about the beans and aromatic grounds and pay no heed to the water they add to their brewer. But did you know that water makes up about 98% of coffee and espresso drinks? Water is an often underappreciated aspect of coffee making that affects how extracts and oils come out of the beans, the taste of the coffee in your cup, and even the health of your brewing machine. Follow the five tips below to improve your water and get the most out of your cup of coffee!
1. Know the content of your water.The chemicals, elements, and minerals in your water affect its taste and may overpower the flavor of your coffee. We recommendtestingyour water so you know the contaminants you’re dealing with and can choose the most effective and efficient water treatment system.
2. Remove chlorine from your water.If you use municipal water in your home or coffee shop, your water undoubtedly contains chlorine or chloramines. Chlorine and chloramines impact the taste of your water and coffee but can be reduced byactivated carbon filtersorreverse osmosis systems.
3. Manage mineral content.When there aren’t enough minerals in the water, coffee tastes flat due to low extraction. If you're using a reverse osmosis system, be sure to include a remineralization filter. The ideal water for coffee making has a TDS level between 75 and 250 ppm.
4. Prevent limescale buildup in machines.You can clean limescale from your coffee machine with distilled vinegar. If you have hard water, it’s best to address the source of limescale (too much calcium and magnesium in water) with awater softener.
5. Choose the best system for your specific needs. There is no one-size-fits-all water treatment system for the best cup of coffee. It all depends on the chemistry of the incoming water, which brings us back to tip number 1!
Keep reading our coffee and espresso guide to learn more, and check out some of our popular coffee water treatment systems below!
