Water is one natural source from plants to humans that acts as the perfect carrier of nutrients to cells. But the slight negative charge from Oxygen and slight positive charge from Hydrogen makes water an attractive molecule to bond with. Due to this polarity, our biggest solvent is never found in the purest form unless we make it that way. So for coffee, this issue can be a bit challenging as these elements can cause damage to the coffee machines. This is the reason why you will see people using third-wave water coffee supplements to optimize the water for their espresso machines and drip brewers. But what’s the need? Here in this article, you will learn about the importance of good water when brewing coffee.
The Link Between Water And Good Coffee
You might not know, but if you wish to get the best from your coffee, you need to consider what goes in it, most of which is water. A prepared coffee is between 98% and 99% water. So it makes quite a sense that if you start with bad quality water, you will end up getting a bad cup of coffee. When you consider what makes drinking water bad, you might think that water contains impurities, and there could be a bundle of reasons for that.
But it’s more than that. The brewing itself is a chemical process, so it directly impacts the taste of coffee. This is where pH levels and the hardness of water come into play as they affect the smell and taste of water. In turn also affects the flavor of your coffee.
pH levels and Water Hardness
There are two levels of water, one hard water, and the other soft water. Hard water contains higher mineral content, and on the other hand, soft water has little or no minerals. These minerals, like magnesium and calcium, enter water naturally. Many coffee brewers advise not to choose hard water while brewing coffee, as the mineral content can wreak havoc. Now you might be thinking soft water is the answer.
While it is better than hard water, it is not as good when it comes to having a good cup of coffee.That’s because soft water sometimes contains no minerals, and these minerals help extract flavor from your coffee. Without them, your coffee will become a lifeless drink. Also, soft water is more acidic in nature. Hence it can cause corrosion to your coffee equipment,
The Best Water For Brewing Coffee
As per the set standards, the best water for special coffee should be odor-free, clean, and chlorine free. In addition, it should have a pH of around seven and a calcium content of 50-175 ppm. But how can you check whether your water passes all these parameters? It’s crucial to understand what kind of water you are working with while making a cup of coffee. This way, you can easily compensate for all the parameters.
Filtered Tap Water: One of the easiest ways to get pure water is by putting up water in your machine or attaching it to the tap. A water filter will remove sediments and other chemicals, such as chlorine. In addition, it will help you remove the hardness and pH of your tap water as closely as you want.
Distilled Water: It is the purest option for water, but it is not a good idea when it comes to making coffee. In this water, there are no impurities. But so are the mineral’s unavailability, and they are important to boost coffee flavor. Distilled water also does not have the required pH levels.
You need to understand that the water best for making coffee can rarely be found in nature. Hence, it has to be man-made. You can use third-wave water coffee supplement, or you can use RO water with a TDS level between 5-8 ppm.
Achieving The Balance
In order to achieve the right balance of water to make a tasty coffee and maintain the condition of your espresso machine, water treatment should be done on a site-to-site basis. Also, the water needs to be retested periodically. Because it keeps changing its properties due to the sources it’s coming from. So now you know why it is important to choose high-quality water before putting your coffee into your travel mug 360 lid.
