Water for Coffee Brewing

Water plays a crucial role in coffee brewing, as coffee is made up of about 99% water. The quality of the water can significantly affect the taste of your brew. For instance, water hardness influences extraction, while alkalinity impacts acidity. Understanding the key aspects of water quality can help you brew better coffee at home.

How to Determine Water Quality

The quality of water for brewing great coffee can be measured using several objective parameters:

• Good water should be colorless and odorless. This is a fundamental rule for clean water, not only for coffee but for any beverage.
• Water must be chlorine-free. Chlorine leaves an unpleasant taste and smell, which can ruin your coffee.
• The ideal range for total hardness is 50-175 ppm (CaCO3). Hardness outside this range can affect coffee extraction, and tap water usually doesn’t meet this standard.
• High alkalinity lowers coffee’s acidity, impacting the overall flavor. The recommended alkalinity is 40 ppm (CaCO3), with an acceptable range of 40-75 ppm (CaCO3).
• A low pH increases acidity, making the coffee taste sour, while a high pH can result in bitterness. The ideal pH is 7.0, but anywhere between 6.0 and 8.0 is considered optimal for brewing.
• TDS measures the total concentration of dissolved substances in the water, such as minerals, salts, and metals. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) recommends a TDS level between 75-250 ppm, with 150 ppm being ideal for coffee brewing.

Measuring Water Quality at Home

To assess water quality at home, you can use a TDS meter and a pH meter. These tools will give you a clear understanding of whether your water is suitable for brewing coffee.

Be cautious when using bottled water, as the listed characteristics on the label may not always match the actual water quality. It’s a good idea to test it with your meters to ensure accuracy.

Choosing the Best Water for Coffee Brewing

If you brew small amounts of coffee at home, bottled water can be a good alternative to the expensive filtration and mineralization equipment often used in coffee shops.

However, avoid using distilled water, as it lacks essential minerals that are important for coffee extraction. If you’re into experimenting, you can create custom water for coffee by adding special mineral concentrates to distilled water. Barista Hustle’s water recipes are an excellent resource if you want to explore this method.

For an easy and affordable solution, consider using a water filter jug with softening and mineralizing modules. These filters remove impurities from the water while adjusting its mineral content to the right level for brewing great coffee.