Every coffee beverage is a combination of water and coffee. In fact, water is the most important ingredient in every espresso or filter coffee, accounting for 90–99%. Now, two major players in the water and coffee sector, BWT and Kaffeemacher, are entering into a partnership.
Benjamin Hohlmann, coffee expert and 2014 Brewers Cup Swiss Champion, calls it a "water offensive." Otto Wyss, engineer and water expert at BWT, calls it a "coffee offensive." Both are experts in their field and know well: when water and coffee meet, things get interesting. Because coffee is where the quality of water is revealed. And it is only through water that coffee becomes a beverage.
Good water is a prerequisite
Essentially, every coffee beverage consists largely of water. An espresso is, strictly speaking, a solution of 10% coffee particles and 90% water. A filter coffee, on the other hand, has just 1.35% particles and therefore just over 98.5% water. These numbers alone illustrate the significant role water plays in coffee.
"The importance of water for coffee is often underestimated," says Philipp Meier, a judge at international coffee championships and sensory course instructor at the Kaffeemacher (coffee makers). "On the one hand, water itself adds its own flavor to the coffee beverage. On the other hand, the mineral and organic composition of water also strongly influences its extraction capacity."
And at this point, it becomes clear that making coffee is, strictly speaking, a chemical process that depends on numerous factors. If water contains a lot of minerals, there's not only a risk of calcification in coffee machines, but the water may already be too saturated to absorb coffee particles.
Coffee Water Partnership
"This is precisely where we will start with our partnership," adds Werner Salzmann, Division Manager water+more at BWT. Joint training sessions will demonstrate to private individuals, restaurateurs, and coffee technicians the influence of water on coffee extraction. "We are delighted to be partnering with the coffee makers," says Werner Salzmann. "With their Coffee Academy, their numerous coffee training courses, and their sensory training, they are the perfect partner for us to demonstrate the importance of water."
Coffee maker Benjamin Hohlmann is also optimistic about the collaboration. "With its various filter systems, BWT offers the right tool for every type of water to create perfect water. The partnership is a complete win-win situation. We can learn more about water and thus advance our coffee. BWT learns from us about coffee—a perfect medium for testing water quality."
The alliance's first training courses have already been announced. Three intensive six-hour courses and several 1.5-hour evening training sessions are planned. More information about the course can be found here.
Water and coffee in the media
- Observer Nature: Water as important as coffee
- Coffee water – results and recommendations
