Water 101 • 7 MIN READ
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The ultimate goal of your morning coffee ritual is to create a perfectly balanced cup—with rich aroma, full-bodied taste, and just the right amount of caffeine. But what happens when your coffee tastes flat, hollow, bitter, or vinegary?
Most people blame the coffee beans or brewing process—but there’s a hidden culprit: your water.
Yes! Over 98% of your coffee is water—which means the quality of your water has a massive impact on the taste of your coffee. Even if your water looks clear, it can contain invisible contaminants, solubles, and dissolved solids that alter the flavor and affect brewing.
Even "clean" water can still contain unpleasant substances that make your coffee taste flat, sour, or metallic—in addition to a range of contaminants linked to health concerns.
To brew great coffee, you need clean, fresh, and properly balanced water.
Despite being transparent and odorless, water isn’t just H₂O. It contains:
✅ Beneficial minerals (like magnesium, calcium, and bicarbonate) that can enhance extraction
❌ Harmful contaminants (like Chromium-6, Mercury, and Arsenic) that can affect both flavor and health
❌ Chlorine, chloramine, and hypochlorite are added to disinfect public water supplies—but they can also make coffee taste flat and chemical-like.
❌ Copper, iron, and lead from aging pipes
❌ Pesticides, herbicides, and radiological contamination from environmental pollution
❌ Some water can contain bacteria, cysts, and radioactive particles that shouldn’t be in your coffee—or your body.
Even so-called "clean" water may contain substances that negatively impact your coffee’s taste and quality.
When water flows through carbonate rock, it can pick up magnesium, calcium, and bicarbonate ions. These minerals can be beneficial—but only in the right balance.
A balanced amount of these minerals improves extraction and enhances flavor. But too much—or too little—can ruin your coffee.
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) measure all dissolved substances in water.
This includes both beneficial minerals (like magnesium and calcium) and harmful contaminants (like Chromium-6, Mercury, and Arsenic) that can negatively affect taste.
Groundwater typically contains higher TDS levels than surface water due to longer exposure to minerals.
Here's how TDS levels can directly affect coffee taste:
❌ Too low (soft water) → Coffee can taste vinegary, sour, and weak
❌ Too high (very hard water) → Coffee can taste dull, flat, metallic, or overly bitter
Magnesium can extract more flavor from coffee beans because it binds well with flavorful compounds.
Calcium can also enhance extraction. On the other hand, calcium can also form limescale deposits, requiring frequent descaling of coffee equipment.
The goal? A balanced mineral content that brings out the best flavors—without clogging your equipment.
Carbonate hardness (KH) refers to bicarbonate and carbonate ions in water. This directly affects the pH level of coffee and how flavors develop:
High carbonate hardness neutralizes coffee’s natural acidity, potentially making it flat and dull.
Low carbonate hardness can lead to overly sour, vinegary coffee.
In simple terms, balancing total hardness and carbonate hardness is key to
Aside from magnesium, calcium, and carbonates, water can contain:
Chromium-6, Mercury, Arsenic – Toxic heavy metals that should never be in drinking water.
Nitrate & Nitrite – Linked to metallic, harsh flavors.
Chloride & Sodium – Can cause corrosion in coffee equipment over time.
The bottom line? Coffee brewing water can benefit from certain minerals—but should be free from harmful contaminants.
Most tap water contains too many unwanted substances, making it either too hard or too contaminated for great coffee (while also putting your health at risk).
Clearly Filtered’s Affinity® Filtration Technology offers a unique advantage:
✔ Removes hundreds of harmful contaminants others can't (like Chromium-6, Mercury, and Arsenic).
✔ Does NOT target beneficial minerals (like Magnesium & Calcium). This can help support better flavor extraction.
✔ Helps to optimize water hardness & pH levels. This can enhance coffee quality.
Most standard filters (like PUR and SOMA) don’t remove harmful contaminants—only odors and taste.
Meanwhile, Reverse Osmosis (RO) and ZeroWater strip everything from water, including healthy minerals—leaving “dead” water that lacks minerals that are potentially essential for brewing.
Clearly Filtered provides the best of both worlds—clean, safe water with the right balance of minerals for great-tasting coffee.
The ideal Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) for brewing coffee is approximately 120–160 parts per million (ppm).
The right level depends on:
The type of coffee maker (Espresso machines require slightly harder water than drip coffee)
The beans & roast level
Your personal taste preferences
Clearly Filtered’s filtration optimizes TDS levels naturally—our water consistently hovers around 120-135 ppm in Southern California, making it ideal for coffee brewing.
The secret to a perfect cup of coffee isn’t just high-quality beans or an expensive brewer—it’s your water.
To brew better coffee, use water that:
✔ Is free from chlorine, heavy metals, and other harmful contaminants
✔ Contains essential minerals (like magnesium and calcium) for extraction
✔ Has a balanced hardness & pH to enhance flavor
Clearly Filtered is the only filtration system that removes up to 99.99% of hundreds of dangerous contaminants—without targeting healthy minerals.
☕ Ready to elevate your coffee game?
