Water is not a coffee additive. It is its main ingredient. When you drink espresso, over 90% of the drink is water. With pour-over coffees? Even 98%. So if the water doesn't taste good on its own - don't expect it to extract the full flavour from your beans.
Bad water can dull the aroma, add unwanted bitterness or knock out acidity. Conversely, well mineralised water will boost notes of sweetness, fruit and chocolate. Therefore, if you want to drink better coffee - start with the tap.
What does 'good water' mean?
Good coffee water is water that has the right level of minerals, a balanced pH and moderate hardness. Sound like chemistry? Relax - we'll explain it all in a moment. Mineralisation - how much is 'just right'?
The mineral content of the water affects flavour extraction. The ideal mineralisation for brewing coffee is within the range of 75-250 mg/l (ppm).
💡 Comparison: Imagine a soup without salt (not enough minerals) and a soup over-salted (too much). In both cases - something is wrong. It works the same way in coffee.
What about espresso?
Espresso likes a slightly higher level of mineralization - approximately 100-150 ppmbecause more intensive contact between water and coffee requires a solid base for extraction. More mineralisation lowers the acidity in the coffee, resulting in a more perceptible sweetness.
And water for coffees overflow?
This is where lower mineralisation - approx. 75-120 ppm. It allows the softer floral, tea or citrus notes to be better extracted from the beans.
Hardness is nothing more than the calcium and magnesium content. It has a direct impact on the taste of the coffee, but also... on your coffee machine.
✅ Optimum overall hardness: 50-100 mg/l CaCO3.
💡 Tip: Water filtered in BRITACH, BWT or filter jugs is a good start, but it is worth checking their real-world performance.
pH is an indicator of acidity - the lower it is, the more acidic the water.
Water that is too acidic (pH 8) can kill all the subtleties and make the coffee simply... bland.
💡 Comparison: As with wine - some acidity is desirable, but overdoing it spoils the fun.
It depends on the city. In Warsaw or Wrocław, sometimes a jug filter is enough. But if you live in a place with very hard water - it's worth investing in a filter cartridge, e.g. a water filter. BWT Best max or Brita Purity C. A reverse osmosis system or ready-made blends like Third Wave Water will also work well. What if you don't have or don't want any of the previous options?
You can also buy good coffee water in the shop. Primavera and Zywiec Zdrój have a mineralisation of around 200 ppm. Historically, the favourite water of baristas was Krystal Zywiecki, which had 80-90 ppm, but for some time the composition has changed and the total mineralisation is similar to the previous two waters.
What do the professionals do?
And what can be done at home?
If you want to go a step further - try mineral blends like Perfect Coffee Water.
Take care of the water and coffee will return the favour.
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