
What kind of water for the coffee machine and why not use bottled water for espresso? If you desire the perfect taste of coffee, you must use water with an optimal composition. Read this article to find out if your water is suitable for making coffee.
What kind of water to use in the coffee machine?
Do you know what is the secret ingredient of the tastiest coffees? Roasted coffee and also water – plain water. Yes, water also plays a key role in preparing the perfect espresso . Its quality affects not only the taste of the resulting drink, but also the lifespan of your coffee machine. What parameters should we focus on when using water for the coffee machine?
- Hardness water : it is given by the amount of dissolved minerals, especially calcium and magnesium. Water that is too hard can cause scale formation in the coffee machine and affect the taste of the coffee. Water that is too soft can be too aggressive and cause corrosion.
- pH : determines whether the water is acidic, neutral or alkaline. The ideal pH for coffee preparation is around a neutral value of 7.
- TDS : Total Dissolved Solids (total content of dissolved substances) indicates the amount of all dissolved substances in water. A high TDS value can lead to a mineral taste in coffee.
- Chlorides : high content can cause salty or spicy coffee taste.
- Iron : can cause a metallic taste in coffee and a rust color in water.
Measure the water you use in the coffee maker
You will need BWT test kit to find out the specific values of your water. Next, a sample of your water, which you usually use in the coffee machine. Then a very simple laboratory game awaits you. Don't worry, it's really easy. In the water testing kit, there are bottles of solution that you will drop into a water sample and count how many drops need to be added before the color of the water sample changes. Everything is clearly explained in the attached instructions and you can also take a look at our video instructions below.
The hardness of the water in the coffee machine and its effect on the taste of the espresso
- total water hardness above 150ppm: harsh and too bitter coffee taste
- total water hardness below 90ppm: flat and unpleasantly acidic coffee