Water is the heart and soul of a good cup of coffee. The finest beans, ground to the perfect consistency, and brewed with the latest brewing gear, will not do justice to your coffee without good water. In this little coffee tale, we'll dive into why the water you choose for your coffee journey matters, and how to pick the right one to make your brew sing.
Water is the unsung hero of coffee; it comprises up about 98% of each up. It's like the stage on which the coffee bean performers dance. The water carries with it minerals, tiny chemical dancers, and sometimes unwanted impurities that can either make your coffee shine or cast a shadow on its flavors. Some of these elements play well with coffee, enhancing its taste, while others could be the party poopers.
The ideal water for your coffee should have a balanced mineral content, a friendly pH level, and just the right amount of hardness. When we talk about mineral content, we mean the little dissolved solids like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and bicarbonate that waltz with the coffee compounds, helping to unveil the flavors and aromas. Just like dancers on a stage, however, too many or too few dancers could lead to an over-crowded or an underwhelming performance, making your coffee taste bitter or sour. The pH level is like the mood of the water, and you'd want it to be neutral, around 7, so it doesn't turn the coffee sour or flat. And hardness? It's about the calcium and magnesium levels which, if too high, could leave a chalky residue on your coffee machine's heart and hinder its performance. Aim for a soft to moderately hard water, around 50 to 175 parts per million (ppm), to keep your coffee machine pumping happily.
Now, the key to having the perfect stage for your coffee performance is to use fresh, filtered water. Fresh water is like a clean, empty stage, free from any lingering odors or flavors, while filtered water has been through a rehearsal, removing any unwanted chemicals like chlorine and chloramine. You can use a carbon filter, a reverse osmosis system, or a distilled water machine to hold these rehearsals at home, ensuring that the water is ready for the grand coffee performance. There are many inexpensive water kits available for the home.
Embracing fresh, filtered water for your coffee brewing is like having front row seats to a mesmerizing coffee ballet. You'll get to experience the true essence of your beans, unmasked and unaltered by unwanted substances in the water. The quality of water is a love letter to coffee, ensuring that each sip you take is a testament to the beautiful narrative between water and coffee.
Pairing Skeleton Brew with fresh, filtered water is an ode to the art and culture embodied in every roast we craft. It's about brewing not just a cup, but a narrative rich with flavors, aromas, and the promise of a beautiful day ahead. With Skeleton Brew and filtered water, you're not just brewing coffee, you're crafting moments, one exquisite sip at a time.