Preparing a conventional coffee seems to be a simple matter for most. However, if you want to experience the perfect coffee experience, then you should consider several things.
Proper coffee also requires the right water. “The ideal hardness range is between five and eight carbonate hardness levels,” says coffee specialist Thomas Steinke. This is where the flavors come into their own.
Softer water lets the acids dominate in the coffee, harder water pushes the bitter substances to the fore, explains the head of the coffee academy at the Dinzler coffee roastery in Irschenberg, Bavaria.
Thomas Kraft from the German Barista School in Fürstenfeldbruck says a carbonate hardness of 3 to 6 and a pH between 6.5 and 7.5 are ideal.
Water supplier informs about degree of hardness
Now not everyone has a professional water filter and descaler at home, but normal flow-through filters from the trade can also help. “It’s definitely better than taking the water out of the tap,” says Steinke. And it’s not just the coffee that benefits from the filtered water – the machine doesn’t calcify as quickly either.
Barista Thomas Kraft recommends a permanently installed filter system at the water extraction point. “These filters offer significantly more convenience and are also cheaper in the long run than table filter systems.”
The local water suppliers tell you what degree of hardness the tap water has in your own place of residence. Either directly on their website or on request. If you want to know exactly, you can also have a sample analyzed in the laboratory.
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Take fresh water
Also important: the water must be fresh. So if you have a fully automatic machine with a large tank, it is better to change the water regularly. Portafilter machines with a larger brewing kettle also benefit from regular water changes.
Some swear by bottled mineral water: “That’s an option,” says Thomas Steinke. Especially in areas where the water is chlorinated. But: “I have to keep in mind that there is lime in it, too.” Regular machine cleaning is therefore not spared with a water filter or mineral water.
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