I spent 3 months trying to dial in a pour over before realizing my tap water was the problem

Last spring I bought a nice V60 setup (you know, the whole thing with the fancy kettle and scale) and I could not get a good cup to save my life. Everything tasted either sour or bitter no matter how I changed the grind size or water temperature. I tried different beans from three different roasters in town, watched maybe a dozen YouTube tutorials, and even bought a new grinder after I blamed my old one. It took me three full months of frustration before a buddy at a local cafe asked what water I was using. Turns out my city's water is super hard and it was completely messing with extraction. I picked up a simple jug filter for $30 and the very next morning my coffee went from tasting like cardboard to actual fruit and chocolate notes. Has anyone else dealt with water issues destroying their brew for way too long without realizing it?

2 comments

2 Comments

oscarcooper1d ago

Yeah I used to be one of those people who thought water was water and it didn't matter that much. I figured as long as it was clean and drinkable it was fine for coffee. Then I got really into espresso and hit the exact same wall you did. Everything tasted flat or harsh no matter what I did. Switched to bottled spring water and it was like someone turned on a light switch. Now I keep a jug of filtered water on the counter just for brewing. It's wild how something so basic can be the thing holding you back the whole time.

sam_anderson20h ago

WAIT, you're telling me FILTERED water still isn't good enough?!