Good reason for replacing reservoir water?

#1: Post by **sonicd0012** » March 8th, 2015, 6:08 pm

Is there a good reason as to why I need to be doing this ? I have perfectly fresh water in the reservoir however this quote is mentioned. How can perfectly fine clean water need to be replaced every other day. I dont see the need for this.

Reminder: In addition to replacing the water in the reservoirs of pourover machines every other day

Espresso Machine Cleaning - Why, How, and When

#2: Post by **boar_d_laze** » March 8th, 2015, 7:35 pm

sonicd0012 wrote:Is there a good reason as to why I need to be doing this ? I have perfectly fresh water in the reservoir however this quote is mentioned. How can perfectly fine clean water need to be replaced every other day.

Because a liter or two of water in a loosely covered container doesn't stay "perfectly fresh ... [and] clean" for more than a couple of days. It not only goes flat, but supports interesting bacterial colonies.

I dont see the need for [frequently changing the water and washing the reservoir]

You're hardly alone. Take the Chairpersons of the United States House and Senate Science Committees. Please.

Rich

#3: Post by **brianl** » March 8th, 2015, 7:35 pm

Make sure you wash with soap once a week at the minimum

#4: Post by **LukeFlynn** » March 8th, 2015, 8:26 pm

This is one benefit to having a small tank, IMO. After 6 espressos/steaming the water is gone, the whole soap thing though.. I have no idea how I would do that - the hole is too small to properly rinse it out. I do however, give it a good rinse every week.

#5: Post by **EspressoForge** » March 9th, 2015, 11:43 am

Keeping things as clean as possible never hurts. But if you're concerned, why not taste a bit of the reservoir water after a week and see?

Personally I try to refill the reservoir based on my demand, so if I'm not going to be using the machine much, just filling half-way or pouring a liter or so in helps to keep water from being in there too long. Or fill what about what I'll use before each use.

I also think it's a good idea to wash out the reservoir regularly (or soak it in a mild cleanser if you can't get a brush inside), as mentioned, algae and bacteria can grow depending on the environment unless you also treat your water with something. Though normal tap water from a city is much less likely for this to happen as it's already been heavily treated usually.