Water, extraction, and the limits of both
Journal
Four pieces on what water does to coffee — written against the literature rather than around it.
- What we don't claim about water and coffeeOur blend recommendation is our judgement, not a published finding. Here is exactly where the evidence stops and our opinion begins.3 min read
- Softened water is not soft waterA sodium ion-exchange softener removes hardness and leaves alkalinity untouched. For coffee, that is the opposite of what people expect.2 min read
- What the SCA Water Chart actually saysThere is no SCA water standard. There is a handbook and a chart, and the chart is more useful than the phrase people keep misquoting.2 min read
- Hardness and alkalinity are not the same numberMost coffee writing treats hard water and alkaline water as one thing. They are two independent measurements, and they do opposite jobs in the cup.3 min read