Blinded taste test: Coffee made with distilled / treated water
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HB
- Admin
I honestly thought this would be easy-peasy, but not so much. Watch the video, laugh at my mistakes, and then try it yourself.
Dan Kehn
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sboplataz
- Supporter ♡
Interesting! Now I'm wondering, would the bicarbonate in Rpavlis water make it stand out more (compared to distilled or TWW)?
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StoicDude
- Supporter ♡
Keep your day job Dan. 
On a serious note, thank you for posting this and sharing. It's always fun to see stuff like this for me.
Please do one with espresso for taste. I'm pretty sure everybody will agree on water quality importance for machine longevity.
On a serious note, thank you for posting this and sharing. It's always fun to see stuff like this for me.
Please do one with espresso for taste. I'm pretty sure everybody will agree on water quality importance for machine longevity.
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yakster
- Supporter ♡
Great video, Dan. I used to add Epsom salts to my reverse osmosis water but stopped. I haven't done a triangle test, but I probably couldn't pick out the outlier either. I also figure that since 99% of what I drink are my own roasts that I'm roasting for best flavor with RO water anyway, making changes to my roast profile based on results in my environment.
I will also admit to making espresso with untreated RO water, plenty of minerals already in the coffee according to Rpavlis.
I will also admit to making espresso with untreated RO water, plenty of minerals already in the coffee according to Rpavlis.
-Chris
LMWDP # 272
LMWDP # 272
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RapidCoffee
- Team HB
Not sure if this is what you're asking, but water is much easier to test than coffee. Inspired by this video, I correctly picked the odd man out twice (once with 1 RO and 2 Pavlis, once with 2 RO and 1 Pavlis). But it was subtle.sboplataz wrote:Now I'm wondering, would the bicarbonate in Rpavlis water make it stand out more (compared to distilled or TWW)?
My partner failed both times, which is interesting, because her sense of smell is considerably better than mine.
John
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sboplataz
- Supporter ♡
More just my first reaction than a specific question. Maybe two separate questions.
With Rpavlis, only potassium bicarb, vs TWW and others, with other electrolyte salts, I've seen the argument (mentioned above) that coffee has plenty of electrolytes in it, so it shouldn't really affect the extraction. I just wondered if that was ever tested.
The other (probably what I was really thinking) would be, does the bump in alkalinity with Rpavlis make a notable difference in the cup for espresso? I seem to recall a variation in the recipe depending on the roast (i.e. less bicarb for darker roasts), but I've never tried to vary the recipe. I like my results with Rpavlis, so no complaints here. I'm more just curious if it's worth exploring (in terms of effect on taste) the amount of bicarb as another variable, or if it's subtle enough to get buried in the limitations of my palate.
With Rpavlis, only potassium bicarb, vs TWW and others, with other electrolyte salts, I've seen the argument (mentioned above) that coffee has plenty of electrolytes in it, so it shouldn't really affect the extraction. I just wondered if that was ever tested.
The other (probably what I was really thinking) would be, does the bump in alkalinity with Rpavlis make a notable difference in the cup for espresso? I seem to recall a variation in the recipe depending on the roast (i.e. less bicarb for darker roasts), but I've never tried to vary the recipe. I like my results with Rpavlis, so no complaints here. I'm more just curious if it's worth exploring (in terms of effect on taste) the amount of bicarb as another variable, or if it's subtle enough to get buried in the limitations of my palate.
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LVD
Add me to the list for people who'd very much like to see this test with espresso!
From a perspective other than taste, I do recall reading here that there are some espresso machines that rely on some kind of mineral content to detect water in the tank. And I also remember reading that distilled water could possibly cause leaching inside the boilers. As much as I'd love to skip mineralizing distilled water if the taste is no different, many are probably stuck with it anyway for the above reasons.
From a perspective other than taste, I do recall reading here that there are some espresso machines that rely on some kind of mineral content to detect water in the tank. And I also remember reading that distilled water could possibly cause leaching inside the boilers. As much as I'd love to skip mineralizing distilled water if the taste is no different, many are probably stuck with it anyway for the above reasons.
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Jeff
- Team HB
Your memory is good -- there needs to be a bit of mineral content so that auto-fill systems work reliably.
The question of "can you taste the difference" will depend a lot on the repeatability of you technique and your gear, as well as the coffee. As a specific example, coffees with little acidity seem unlikely to change flavor a lot in the cup with moderate changes in the amount of alkaline buffer.
The question of "can you taste the difference" will depend a lot on the repeatability of you technique and your gear, as well as the coffee. As a specific example, coffees with little acidity seem unlikely to change flavor a lot in the cup with moderate changes in the amount of alkaline buffer.
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another_jim
- Team HB
I'm a little stunned. I've done about six classes on water, and I always start with blind testing distilled water versus 50 TDS and 150 TDS water. Just about everybody instantly got the distilled water, since it sucks so badly. It was mostly random on the other two. My "secret recipe" is real water, i.e. calcium and magnesium carbonate only. If the tap water is good, I use that; otherwise, it's Evian watered down to the correct level.
I also do steeped brews of a washed East African (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwabda, SL28 or Bourbon) done ot a roast with both acidity and roasty flavors. Pour overs can be inconsistent. And using East Africans assures there's actually lots of stuff there to taste.
Try again with natural water, i.e. carbonates only, and a distinctive coffee.
I also do steeped brews of a washed East African (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwabda, SL28 or Bourbon) done ot a roast with both acidity and roasty flavors. Pour overs can be inconsistent. And using East Africans assures there's actually lots of stuff there to taste.
Try again with natural water, i.e. carbonates only, and a distinctive coffee.
Jim Schulman
Sponsored by Baratza
