Water filtration systems are required by most all commercial brewers and pro-sumer espresso machine makers. Without the proper water filtration systems, these machines will eventually experience component failures and expensive repairs. Why risk it?
Filtered / R.O. water is better than regular tap water for brewed coffee. However, R.O. systems and most filtered water is pH imbalanced to the acidic side of the scale. We have the same challenge with bottled water available to us from our local grocers. In order for water to obtain the best extraction of soluble fibers in ground coffee, water should maintain a balanced pH. Calcium and magnesium must exist in the water. We target about 150-170ppm of hardness in our water to achieve proper extraction. Without a BWS (Blended Water System) filtration
setup in your kitchen, dialing in that “perfect coffee water” formula becomes pretty difficult. Installing a BWS under the kitchen sink is possible, just a bit cost prohibitive for most. These systems are often seen in upscale coffee shops.
A simple R.O. system in the home with a post-filtration cartridge adding calcium and magnesium back into the water can be a great option. We will continue to explore other options in our search for great coffee water solutions in our next post in the water series…
