Let’s talk about water. Coffee water. Coffee science water.
What Problem Does Coffee Water Try to Solve?
We’re spending hundreds of dollars on the most incredible coffee equipment and beans, yet many times the water we use to brew the coffee is an afterthought.
We need minerals like magnesium and calcium in our brew water to pull the desired flavors out of the coffee grounds—without them our coffee will taste dull and flat.
A lot of it comes down to how much alkalinity is in our water. This is the ability of the water to resist an acid—even a weak acid like coffee. Too much alkalinity flattens coffee and too little adds unwanted bitter and sour notes. The SCA recommends an alkalinity of 40-70 ppm (CaCO3).
Coffee Water Options
There are a lot of options out there for coffee water, so find the one that works best for your needs. Here are a few of the options:
Third Wave Water
First up, Third Wave Water. TThey’ve been around the longest and have the most robust product set with specific options for light, medium or dark roasts and espresso, cold brew & low acid. They come in convenient little packets of minerals that you mix into water, shake and brew with right away.
Lotus Coffee Water
Next, Lotus Coffee Water. Newer to the scene, Lotus lets you be the chemist and add the appropriate mixture of minerals based on your preferred recipe. From light & bright to simple & sweet, you can add the magnesium, calcium, sodium & potassium to the water in the quantity that aligns with your preferences.
Aquacode
Third, Aquacode. It’s a liquid concentrate of minerals vs. a powder that you mix with distilled water. They have a single recipe of minerals, but offer it in 7L or 1L concentrates.
Perfect Coffee water
Fourth, Perfect Coffee Water. This is another powder mineral packet you simply mix into your water. They have a single recipe that is designed specifically for filter brewing.
Other
Finally, there are starting to be more niche and custom products like these drops from Simon Gautherin and Apex Coffee which expand the landscape even more.
Conclusion
Don’t let bad water be an excuse for lackluster coffee anymore. Spend a few dollars on some a coffee water solution and up your coffee water game.
