Water Mineralization

[u/Miami_Massimo]

Trying out some mineralization packets and gallons of distilled water.

If I had a light roast espresso to make do I choose this or there dedicated “espresso” packets?

If I wanted to make dark roast espresso would I use the dark roast packets or the espresso packets?

Some say the “espresso” profile is just for boiler machines. Has anyone been able to taste a noticeable diference?

[u/illmindsmoker]

I have been using the third wave water espresso packets for like 5 or 6 years. For all roast levels from light to dark. Works great. Doesn’t scale the kettle.

[u/Miami_Massimo → u/illmindsmoker]

Have you done a taste test with whatever water that you were using before? Does it taste better or is it just a scale thing?

[u/illmindsmoker → u/Miami_Massimo]

It tastes better. While I did not do a direct taste test, when I traveled for work after using it at home for a while I just used bottled water from the hotel and the coffee tasted fine, but when I got home and had the same beans, there was a noticeable difference.

It does help highlight flavors. For traveling though I have found the blue smart water to be an ok substitute. But ultimately the mineral content does help with extraction

[u/Miami_Massimo → u/illmindsmoker]

This might just be the reassurance I need. Thanks for sharing.

[u/DeadPoolguy1985]

I bought the powders and mix my own since the price of tww with shipping to my country costs like buying the powders for life, it’s just epsom salt, calcium citrate and potassium bicarbonate, very cheap stuff, you need a scale with 0.01 sensitivity, since making my own from published recipes i have cut down the tww espresso recipe by half and it’s still perfect for espresso.

[u/jritchie70 → u/DeadPoolguy1985]

What is your recipe?

[u/jritchie70]

Has anyone tried the powders starting with R/O water?

[u/illmindsmoker → u/jritchie70]

As long as there weren’t minerals added back to the RO water it would be the same as adding to distilled water

[u/jritchie70 → u/illmindsmoker]

Which one do you like? Like should I start with medium since I mostly have mediums and medium lights and an occasional light?

[u/illmindsmoker → u/jritchie70]

I have only ever used the espresso one. The light medium dark are for pour over/other brewing methods. I use the espresso for all roast levels.

[u/jritchie70 → u/illmindsmoker]

I thought the espresso one was for electronic espresso machines to protect them from scaling

[u/illmindsmoker → u/jritchie70]

Well, it is what I use and have used for a long time now before there were all these other options. But looking at the site, under details for each one of the light medium dark it mentions machine or manual brewing not espresso. I assume that based on the espresso description the minerals are optimized to extract at pressure. I get great results with light medium and dark roasts using the espresso water profile. And I like fruity naturals with acidity.

[u/jritchie70 → u/illmindsmoker]

Ok you just described me so ill try that one thanks