It's an often-repeated statistic, but a crucial one: coffee is about 98% water. This means that the water you use to brew your coffee has a massive impact on the final taste. You could have the best beans and the perfect grind, but if your water isn't right, your coffee will never reach its full potential.

Key Water Components and Their Effects:

1. Minerals (Hardness):

   • Magnesium: Helps extract fruity and sweet flavors.
   • Calcium: Contributes to body and creaminess.
   • Too little mineral content (soft water) can result in flat, lifeless coffee.
   • Too much mineral content (very hard water) can lead to over-extraction, muted flavors, and scale buildup in your equipment.

2. Alkalinity (Buffer):

   • Alkalinity refers to water's ability to neutralize acids. It's primarily composed of bicarbonates.
   • Proper alkalinity helps balance the natural acids in coffee, preventing it from tasting too sour or sharp.
   • Too low alkalinity can make coffee taste overly acidic or sour.
   • Too high alkalinity can neutralize too much of the desirable acidity, resulting in dull, flat, or chalky coffee.

3. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS):

   • This is a measure of all organic and inorganic substances dissolved in water. It includes minerals, salts, and other compounds.
   • The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) recommends a TDS range of 75-250 ppm (parts per million), with an ideal target of around 150 ppm.

4. pH:

   • The SCA recommends a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Water that is too acidic or too alkaline can negatively affect flavor.

5. Chlorine/Chloramine:

   • These are often added to tap water for disinfection. They can produce very unpleasant medicinal or chemical flavors in coffee. Always filter these out.

How to Improve Your Water for Coffee:

• Filtered Tap Water: A good quality activated carbon filter (like those in Brita pitchers or more advanced faucet/under-sink systems) can remove chlorine, sediment, and some organic compounds. This is a good starting point for many.
• Third Wave Water / DIY Mineral Packets: These packets contain a precise blend of minerals (like magnesium sulfate, calcium citrate, and potassium bicarbonate) designed to be added to distilled or reverse osmosis (RO) water to create ideal brewing water.
• Bottled Spring Water: Some bottled spring waters can be good for coffee, but their mineral content varies widely by brand. You might need to experiment. Avoid distilled water on its own (it lacks minerals) and "purified" water that might also be too low in minerals.
• Reverse Osmosis (RO) System with Remineralization: RO systems strip almost everything out of the water. For coffee, you'd ideally want a system that adds back some beneficial minerals.

What to Avoid:

• Unfiltered Tap Water (especially if hard or chlorinated).
• Distilled Water (on its own): Lacks the minerals needed for proper extraction, leading to flat, uninteresting coffee.
• Softened Water (from typical salt-based softeners): These exchange calcium and magnesium ions for sodium ions. High sodium content is generally bad for coffee flavor.

Experimentation is key. If your coffee isn't tasting its best, consider your water as a primary suspect!