Water for coffee

Is it okay to brew with tap water?

Tap water is not recommended to brew with. First of all, it has some components that are not desired when brewing coffee. This often includes heavy metals and chlorine (not to be confused with chloride). Most people dislike drinking tap water and describe it using negative words such harsh, rough or dirty. Water consists of approximately 98.5% of your filter brew or 90% of your espresso. If the water you brew with is not enjoyable to drink, your brew has a higher potential to be not enjoyable. It’s also good to understand that your municipal water source is only concerned about the water being safe to drink. Chlorine levels vary based on need. The mineral composition will rarely be consistent. It will likely be challenging to brew with consistency if your water is changing regularly. Lastly, the mineral composition of your water determines the potential for limescale buildup in your equipment. Your equipment is too expensive to allow this to happen.

What’s the easiest way to brew better coffee at home?

There’s a great product on the market that’s designed to brew coffee at home. Third Wave Water sells mineral packets. Add a packet to distilled water and it makes water that can be curated to your preferences. They have packets for espresso, light roast, low acid and more. Don’t like buying distilled water from the grocery store? Try ZeroWater to turn your tap water into distilled water.

What are the recommended characteristics for water for coffee?

These are the recommendations from the SCA:

Clean

Chlorine free

General hardness: 50-150ppm

Carbonate hardness: 30-50ppm

pH: 6-8

Recommended Product: Third Wave Water

Recommended Course:  Testing The Waters