A cup of coffee is about 98 percent water, so water quality has an outsized effect on taste. These are the targets baristas aim for.
| Attribute | Target |
|---|---|
| Total dissolved solids | 75 to 250 ppm, ideal near 150 |
| Hardness | 50 to 175 ppm as calcium carbonate |
| pH | Close to neutral, 6.5 to 7.5 |
| Chlorine | None |
| Odor | None |
Getting the water right
Minerals in water help extract and carry coffee flavor, so distilled or heavily softened water tastes flat and dull. Very hard water, on the other hand, mutes acidity and scales your equipment. Filtered tap water usually lands in the sweet spot and removes chlorine.
Filter, do not distill. Use clean, filtered water with some mineral content. Avoid distilled water, which makes coffee taste lifeless, and very hard tap water, which dulls it.
See the Coffee Strength Formula and the Coffee Brewing Troubleshooting.