Head is spinning! Is there a very simple water recipe? - Page 3

#21: Post by **NelisB** » January 16th, 2020, 3:37 pm

I think it was Mat Perger or one of those guys who said that an equal ratio of Calcium and Magnesium is preferable.

I understand that you need minirals to extract coffee. If you extract with demineralised water you get something looking (and tasting) like (bad-) tea.

January 16th, 2020, 3:40 pm

And if the water is too pure it will attack the metals of your machine. Water does not like to be pure. Overly pure water will try to draw things out of the materials it is in contact with, including the metals of your espresso machine.

-Peter

January 16th, 2020, 4:03 pm

Copy that!

I didn't know that Magnesium forms scale (with carbonate)

January 16th, 2020, 4:40 pm

pcrussell50 wrote:And if the water is too pure it will attack the metals of your machine. Water does not like to be pure. Overly pure water will try to draw things out of the materials it is in contact with, including the metals of your espresso machine.

-Peter

I wonder if using distilled water with baking soda would be enough to stop metals leaching?

Randy

#25: Post by **chipman** » January 16th, 2020, 4:46 pm

I've used Crystal Springs water in my Duetto since 2012. I have never had to descale. Much easier, and actually mostly cheaper, as distilled water is usually more expensive.

#26: Post by **pcrussell50** » January 16th, 2020, 4:52 pm

slipchuck wrote:I wonder if using distilled water with baking soda would be enough to stop metals leaching?

Randy

According to resident HB chemistry professor, Dr. Robert Pavlis (deceased) it is. You can search up his posts under his HB name, "rpavlis" Extremely informative. Backed with plenty of tech.

-Peter

#27: Post by **belegnole** » January 16th, 2020, 4:56 pm

chipman wrote:I've used Crystal Springs water in my Duetto since 2012. I have never had to descale. Much easier, and actually mostly cheaper, as distilled water is usually more expensive.

Bottled water such as Crystal Springs comes from a variety of sources even in one company. Because of that, some areas have more minerals than wanted and others are great. Where I live all of the bottled water had more than I wanted a few years ago. That's why I started a recipe that includes distilled. A gallon of distilled water is under a dollar here, which is acceptable to me.

#28: Post by **pcrussell50** » January 16th, 2020, 5:04 pm

I've bought those 2 1/2 gallon blocks of distilled water for the same price as a gallon, before. When it comes to water, the price of distilled water and a little baking soda or potassium bicarbonate is the cheapest insurance in town.

-Peter

#29: Post by **Carl K** » January 18th, 2020, 10:37 am

I'm not good at remembering recipes. I also am not good at remembering where I wrote down recipes. So, I wrote Dr. Pavlis' recipe on the bottles I use for the concentrate and final espresso water. Hard to lose the recipe now.

And now measuring 38 grams (same as 38 ml) of the concentrate to add to the gallon of distilled water.

#30: Post by **yakster** » January 18th, 2020, 5:57 pm

I put index cards in with the boxes of Epsom salts and baking soda in bags with the recipes for the two party concentrated water additives I was using. The new scale I picked up with 10 mg resolution doesn't seem very consistent, I don't really trust the readings so I may go back to concentrate.