Do you care about the difference in water when brewing coffee?
As a barista myself, I began to be concerned about the differences in water after brewing at various shops.
As a barista myself, I began to be concerned about the differences in water after brewing at various shops.
When I actually brewed the same brand, I realized that the taste could be different depending on the location of the brewery. (Maybe the water quality differs depending on the store...)
In recent years, in extraction competitions such as WBrC, more and more athletes are creating their own custom water and participating in it, and it has become common to use water with a different mineral composition.
Due to this, the ``difference in water'' when extracting coffee has started to attract attention.
In this project, I would like to think about the differences in taste depending on water.
In the first part, we will look at the difference between "soft water" and "hard water."
In recent years, in extraction competitions such as WBrC, more and more athletes are creating their own custom water and participating in it, and it has become common to use water with a different mineral composition.
Due to this, the ``difference in water'' when extracting coffee has started to attract attention.
In this project, I would like to think about the differences in taste depending on water.
In the first part, we will look at the difference between "soft water" and "hard water."
Taste changes depending on the type of water
First of all, why does water change the taste of coffee?
Two factors are involved: "hardness" and "pH."
Hardness is an indicator of how much minerals are contained in water.
In general, water with calcium carbonate content of 60 mg/L or less is soft water, water with 60 to 120 mg/L is medium hard water, water with 120 to 180 mg/L is hard water, and water with calcium carbonate content of 180 mg/L or more is soft water. It's called hard water.
In fact, coffee has the property of easily reacting with minerals, so if you use hard water that is rich in minerals, the reaction with the coffee will progress and the taste will tend to change. The texture also changes, which has a variety of effects on the taste.
On the other hand, pH indicates the hydrogen ion index of water.
Many people may imagine that water is neutral (pH 7), but water contains various substances dissolved in it, and even the same water can have various pH values.
Coffee beans are an acidic substance, so it is said that the taste changes depending on the pH of the water.
Two factors are involved: "hardness" and "pH."
Hardness is an indicator of how much minerals are contained in water.
In general, water with calcium carbonate content of 60 mg/L or less is soft water, water with 60 to 120 mg/L is medium hard water, water with 120 to 180 mg/L is hard water, and water with calcium carbonate content of 180 mg/L or more is soft water. It's called hard water.
In fact, coffee has the property of easily reacting with minerals, so if you use hard water that is rich in minerals, the reaction with the coffee will progress and the taste will tend to change. The texture also changes, which has a variety of effects on the taste.
On the other hand, pH indicates the hydrogen ion index of water.
Many people may imagine that water is neutral (pH 7), but water contains various substances dissolved in it, and even the same water can have various pH values.
Coffee beans are an acidic substance, so it is said that the taste changes depending on the pH of the water.
"Soft water" has a refreshing taste, "hard water" has a strong taste.
So, what is the difference in taste between soft water and hard water?
In the case of soft water, the content of minerals is low, and chemical reactions caused by minerals hardly occur, so it is easier to enjoy the original taste of coffee beans.
In the case of soft water, the content of minerals is low, and chemical reactions caused by minerals hardly occur, so it is easier to enjoy the original taste of coffee beans.
It has a mellow texture and makes it easy to create a refreshing atmosphere.
On the other hand, hard water has a lot of minerals, so the reaction between minerals and coffee tends to progress, making it easier to extract various components, resulting in a strong flavor.
Neutral water is recommended
pH is expressed as a numerical value from 0 to 14, and is classified into ``acidic'', ``neutral'', and ``alkaline'' depending on the numerical value.
Acidic: pH < 3.0
Weakly acidic: 3.0 ≦ pH < 6.0
Neutral: 6.0 ≦ pH ≦ 8.0
Weak alkalinity: 8.0 < pH ≦ 11.0
Alkalinity: 11.0 < pH
Roasted coffee beans are said to have a slightly acidic acidity of around 5.0 for medium roasts and around 5.6 for dark roasts.
Therefore, if you use acidic water, the acidity will stand out more and the coffee will tend to have a stronger sour taste.
On the other hand, if you use highly alkaline water, the acidity will be less likely to appear, but at the same time it will also cancel out the fruit-based acidity that coffee naturally has, which is said to tend to disrupt the balance of flavor. Alkaline water is also delicious, but strongly alkaline water is not suitable for coffee.
Neutral water is recommended to bring out the potential of the brand in a well-balanced manner.
The taste of coffee is determined by various factors, such as the potential of coffee beans, extraction equipment, and the extraction environment, so it cannot be said that just because the water is soft, it will give you a refreshing taste, but there are some differences. It has such an impact.
In the future, I would like to dig deeper into the differences in taste depending on water, such as extraction reviews using various types of water and custom water.
In the future, I would like to dig deeper into the differences in taste depending on water, such as extraction reviews using various types of water and custom water.
2023.05.08
Hiroto Usukura
