YOUR WATER MATTERS

How does water temperature change the flavor of coffee?

Most coffee professionals around the world agree that the best coffee water temperature is between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Coffee made in this range simply tastes better. If you do not have a way of measuring the temperature of your water…. about 15-30 seconds off a boil should put you in the right range.

Brewing coffee is a balancing act. Extract too much flavor from the coffee grounds and you’ll end up with bitter, dull coffee. Extract too little and you’ll get sour, thin coffee.

Water temperature impacts how quickly the flavors are extracted from the grounds.

• The hotter the water = the faster the extraction

• The cooler the water = the slower the extraction

When your water temperature falls below 195 degrees, you don’t achieve an optimal extraction speed. You could increase the brewing time to try and make up for it, but it’s difficult to pull off.

When your water temperature goes above 205 degrees, you start extracting things way too fast. You could try to balance it out by brewing in less time, but once again—not easy.

But between 195 and 205—that’s when the brewing speed is just right for most coffee makers. Most consumer coffee makers fall flat in this area and never come close to these temperatures.

Just remember, the right water temperature may be important, it will not make a bad bean taste good. Always go with the freshest roast you can find.

… and don’t forget, at altitude, water boils at different temperatures. Here in Denver, water will boil at about 202 degrees due to the lower air pressure at such high elevations. Keep this in mind if you are not using a thermometer.

Additionally, always take into account the high level of influence that water chemistry has in your brewing. Experiment with using different bottled waters.