When you want to make a good cup of coffee, you typically try to get the cleanest brewer, the perfect grind size, the right coffee-to-water ratio. Have you ever considered changing your water?

Water makes up 98% of a cup of coffee. It plays such a vital role in extracting flavor compounds. Therefore, the quality of the water is crucial to proper extraction. With Good quality water, you can achieve a balanced cup, while with poor quality water you get a negative effect on aroma and flavor. Whether you own a coffee shop or simply make coffee at home, a few changes can help ensure proper coffee extraction and potentially the best cup of coffee.

What kind of water should you use for coffee?

The most commonly used water is tap water from your faucet. Depending on where you live, the water from the tap could be perfect for brewing coffee — or if you are like us, living in the Texas Hill Country, the water from the tap is conducive to scale buildup & isn’t the best for brewing coffee. It’s best to use filtered water for coffee to ensure that there is a good balance of minerals. Filters can help lower the mineral content of your water which will result in less scale buildup in your coffee maker & a better-tasting cup of coffee.

Soft or hard water?

While we don’t typically think of water as being anything but wet — Water hardness describes the number of dissolved minerals water contains, particularly calcium and magnesium. The water out of your faucet will contain minerals and compounds. It will and can vary drastically depending on location and source. These compounds come from the soil, water treatment facilities, and water supply systems.

Does Distilled Water make good coffee?

Nope! Distilled water doesn’t contain the proper amount of minerals. to make a good cup of coffee. If you used distilled water for your coffee, it will result in a bitter, harsh tasting cup that is fairly unpleasant.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) filtered tap water for coffee

Filters and water additives are the most popular methods for attaining high quality water. Installing filters like reverse-osmosis is a more costly route, but depending on the system, you can really tweak your water how you like.

Unless, you’re ready to make a significant investment for an RO filtration, then using distilled water & an additive like Global Customized Water A&B Formula is the less costly method. There are a number of companies that work simply and is very popular among coffee aficionados and travelers who need that morning coffee. It is simple to purchase distilled water at the local supermarket and then you add the minerals to make your “coffee water” wherever your travels take you or simply to enjoy at home!

What role does Calcium & Magnesium have in my coffee?

Together, calcium and magnesium play a role in the extraction of flavor from the coffee. These two minerals are needed to make a good cup of coffee. However, an improper balance of these minerals can lead to under or over-extraction. At high levels, magnesium can cause over-extraction because of its affinity to oxygen-containing compounds.

What is the ideal PH range for brewing coffee?

The amount of carbonates or bicarbonates present in the water also plays a role in hardness. They act as acidity buffers for coffee by controlling the pH balance of water. The ideal pH range for brewing coffee is between 6 and 8.

For optimal brewing conditions, the SCA recommends using clean water with a total hardness of 50 and 175 parts per million (ppm – a measurement of milligrams per liter). Carbonate hardness should be between 40 and 75 ppm.

How does water really affect the taste of coffee?

Do you ever wonder why water tastes so different from place to place? Well, while there are many factors, water quality and hardness differ based on the topography and geology of the area around the water source.

Water treatment systems can vary and thus the process of treating water varies, which adds different compounds to the treated water. Some differences in water are even manmade. Compounds like chlorine or chloramines are used for disinfection. While agricultural and industrial run-off contaminants can also find themselves in a water source. Either way, these compounds can have an adverse effect on the flavor of coffee or damage equipment.

What about the water pH and how does it affect my coffee?

Water is neutral with a pH of 7. However, due to different molecules dissolved in water, it can also be slightly acidic & harsh. This is important to know because acidic water is bad for extraction but good for flavor. You do want some alkalinity that keeps the pH stable in order to balance the flavor of the coffee.

Too high of alkalinity will prevent the sensation of pleasant acidity even though it is there in the coffee. The taste is dull, flat, and earthy. On the other hand with too low alkalinity, coffee will taste vinegary and sour.

How is your water?

So now that you’re probably wondering if you have good or bad water for your coffee, rest assured knowing that you can do a lot for very little expense to get some answers. You can start by checking the overall content of your water source. If you’re using water from a public water supply, it is easy to check from the local water plant what does the water in the main water pipe actually contain. If you’re using water from your own well, you need to get an analysis on the water at your own expense.

There are also different types of test sets that are readily available for purchase online or at your local hardware store. Once you have the analysis or test results, you are able to choose the correct method for adjusting your water setup and start making the best cup of coffee possible!

Conclusion

So now you’re wondering is this all worth it? Well, that depends on you, my friend! If you’re wanting to brew the best cup of coffee possible at home and limit your visits to your favorite coffee shop (who should have an RO system) then, yes! It is definitely worth the extra work, steps, or financial expense to know how to achieve that amazing cup of coffee. Trust me, you can taste the difference and once you do, you will wonder why you didn’t do this sooner. You may even use less coffee than you usually do because you're getting better extraction and flavor at a lesser amount!

Water is such an overlooked component in coffee that we take it for granted! In reality, it’s the most important component when brewing coffee and we should put a bit more emphasis on the quality of it. So I hope you enjoyed the reading and hopefully it was able to provide you a little insight into the importance of water for coffee.