Water in Coffee, Part 1: Chemistry and Standards
Guides / Water in Coffee, Part 1: Chemistry and Standards
Water is 98–99% of a filter coffee, and its minerals shape the cup as much as the bean or the grinder. What each ion does, why alkalinity matters more than pH, and the SCA target ranges.
By Saam Kzad
10 min read
Water is roughly 98 to 99% of a filter coffee and about 90% of an espresso, so its mineral content shapes taste as much as the bean or the grinder does. Two waters with the same total dissolved solids (TDS) can produce a sour, thin cup and a sweet, balanced cup from the same coffee, because the individual ions and the buffer (alkalinity) matter more than the total.
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Water in Coffee, Part 2: Treatment, Recipes and Safety
