Every coffee beverage is a combination of water and coffee. In fact, water accounts for 90 – 99 % of the most important components in every espresso or filter coffee. Now BWT and the coffee makers are entering into a partnership as two key players in the water and coffee sector.
Benjamin Hohlmann, coffee expert and 2014 Swiss Brewers Cup 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 in coffee, the quality of water shows itself. And it is only through water that coffee becomes a beverage.
Good water is a prerequisite
Basically, every coffee beverage consists largely of water. An espresso is precisely a solution of 10 % coffee particles and 90 % water. Filter coffee, on the other hand, has only about 1.35 % particles and accordingly just over 98.5 % water. These figures alone demonstrate how significant the role of water is in coffee.
"The importance of water for coffee is often underestimated," says Philipp Meier, judge at international coffee championships and sensory training instructor at the coffee makers. "Water itself contributes its own flavor to the coffee beverage. On the other hand, the mineral and organic composition of water also greatly influences the extraction capability."
And by now it becomes clear that making coffee is precisely a chemical process that depends on numerous factors. If water is very mineral-rich, there is not only the risk that coffee machines will scale up, but also that the water is already too saturated to absorb coffee particles.
Coffee water partnership
"This is exactly where we will focus with our partnership," says Werner Salzmann, Division Manager water+more at BWT. Joint training sessions will show private individuals, gastronomy professionals, and coffee technicians the influence water has on coffee extraction. "We are very pleased about the partnership 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 also looks forward to the collaboration with optimism. "With its various filter systems, BWT offers the right tool for every type of water to create the perfect water. The partnership represents an absolute win-win situation. We can learn more about water and thus advance with our coffee. BWT learns from us about coffee – a perfect medium to test the quality of water."
The first training courses of the alliance have already been announced. Three intensive six-hour training courses and several 1.5-hour evening courses are in the planning. More information about the course can be found here.
Water and coffee in the media
- Beobachter Natur: Water as important as coffee
- Coffee water – results and recommendations
