Water for coffee

[3crows]

This is my first post and I have searched several forums and I am not really understanding the affect of the water upon the finished product. Assuming a drip pot (just bought a new Bunn Phaser Brew and have pour over sets, French Press and a Kuerig B145 for mostly my wife) should we simply install a facet purifier, purchase bottled drinking water or continue to use our (hard) tap water straight?

A little background, both my wife and I are from Louisiana, she from the Crescent City and we both had coffee in the bottle as babies. We drink coffee, we are quite tolerant and yet claim in no way to be a coffee connoisseur. We just know what we like and we like coffee the color of the muddy Mississippi with creme (cafe au lait) or straight with non fat milk or sometimes my wife likes it simply as brewed. Our favorite brands are Community and Eight O'Clock, thought we will buy Sumatra or specialty beans or the bag of French Roast blend etc.

Having lived many places we have had all sorts of water though the water we have now is the hardest, it leaves spots on the car and will etch paint so it has some salt or chlorides. In the past I have not liked coffee from bottled water. Do we need to adjust out tastes to the bottled water or what? How do you get a consistent brew that is the flavor of the coffee, not the flavor of the water? Or do you want the flavor of the water, for lack of a better way to ask?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Mhippo]

I use a water filter for all drinking water, and on my espresso machine I added a water softener in the tank. I don't know the faucet purifier, I use a Brita.

 

[Bacchus]

I've lived in the south (although not in LA) where the water was horrible. It stank of sulphur and would turn silver jewelry black. I would most definitely use some sort of filtered or purified water to make my coffee if I were you. Just my humble opinion.....

 

[peterjschmidt]

As far as your water affecting the taste of your coffee, you're the only one who can determine what's good or not. You'll have to do some experimenting. If you enjoy what you're drinking now, then you're home free.

As far as your water affecting your equipment, that may be the main reason for filtering your water.

Bottled water is a pain to drag home, but you may try some for a month, and see how it changes the coffee and how much residue is left inside your coffee maker. Or, buy a Brita. I use a reverse osmosis system for drinking and brewing.

 

[3crows]

As far as your water affecting the taste of your coffee, you're the only one who can determine what's good or not. You'll have to do some experimenting. If you enjoy what you're drinking now, then you're home free.

As far as your water affecting your equipment, that may be the main reason for filtering your water.

Bottled water is a pain to drag home, but you may try some for a month, and see how it changes the coffee and how much residue is left inside your coffee maker. Or, buy a Brita. I use a reverse osmosis system for drinking and brewing.

Thanks, I think I will look into an under sink or mechanical room RO system for supplying water to the kitchen sink for potable needs. One with a re-mineralization function, I think there is such a thing.

 

[peterjschmidt]

Yes, there are re-mineralization cartridges you can add as the last stage... I have a few, but haven't motivated myself to plumb one in. The thinking is that the correct amount of minerals will improve the taste of the coffee. I just wonder if most of our palates will discern the difference.

 

[Musicphan]

For home use, filters like the Brita/PUR will do just fine. I have used a standard Brita w/ my Ms. Silvia for 11 years without an issue. Regarding re-mineralized winner - yes you can definitely tell the difference between that and standard RO w/o. Without the mineral content it will taste a bit flat... I can't say its significant but the average/good coffee pallet will be able to tell.

I should add that our water quality in Kansas City is decent and doesn't require a lot of filtration.. mileage may be different in other areas.

 

[peterjschmidt]

I should add that our water quality in Kansas City is decent and doesn't require a lot of filtration.. mileage may be different in other areas.

Milwaukee water is very good too, every since the criptosporidium problem 20 years ago. All the things they check for are way below the federal requirements. But... there's lots of stuff they don't check for, and even the stuff that's within the accepted limits, I don't want that in my water. Because they draw the water from Lake Michigan, there are slight amounts of prescription meds in the water that makes it past the water treatment plant when the city sanitary sewers supposedly cleans the water and sends it back to the lake.

 

[3crows]

Is there a recommendation on a reliable (and cost effective) RO under sink system? Our water is not so bad that I need whole house but it does have a high mineral content. My house actually has a dual water system, well water and rural water system. Kind of did that when I installed a whole house power generator.

 

[JerryB]

Hello 3crows,
i got a Reverse Osmosis system from Home Depot (about $130.00) that we have really enjoyed and not only for our coffee water needs. We too have hard water issues here in Utah, some areas worse than others. Ask around your neighborhood and/or at your local home improvement store to see what others are using.

Cheers,
Jerry

 

[louisan]

Always filter water for any home usage. I've moved around too much to install systems, but always have pitcher filters which are cheap to maintain and easy to use/clean. HomeDepot for the pitcher, but Amazon has the same stuff online with reviews... Good luck on finding something for you!

 

[doddsy]

I would definitely use a filter

 

[thCapn]

Here in Portland, Oregon our water source is snowpack runoff via underground lava tube springs. It is so soft and mineral-free it could almost count as distilled. It makes great coffee and I have to add a little mineral content when brewing beer.

When I visited my folks in Mexico I took my hand grinder, pour over, and some top shelf, freshly roastedd, whole bean. I struggled with poor results for two days, when I remembered that the city water (Mazatlan) comes from a desalination plant and the home water system uses filtration, UV treatment and a heavy dose of softening agents.

I made coffee with bottled water and voilà, great results ala Portland.