My stubborn refusal to filter water for espresso finally cracked after a blind taste test

I always dismissed water quality as overhyped for my morning espresso, thinking tap was perfectly fine. A barista friend set up a blind tasting with filtered versus unfiltered, and the difference was undeniable. The filtered brew highlighted floral notes in my Ethiopian beans that were completely masked before. Now I’m meticulous about using a simple carbon filter for every pull. It sounds minor, but it’s revolutionized how I appreciate my daily ritual. I was totally wrong to ignore such a basic factor lmao. Honestly, it’s the best adjustment I’ve made to my setup in years.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_daniel1mo ago

Wow, one small tweak revealing all that hidden flavor is a total game changer for your whole routine!

fiona_thompson1mo ago

Your barista friend must have set up a rigorous blind test to convince you. What was the most surprising part, besides the floral notes in the Ethiopian beans? Did you notice any change in the mouthfeel or aftertaste with the filtered water? It's crazy how something as basic as water can hide or highlight so much in coffee, right? Now that you're using a carbon filter every time, do you think you'd ever go back to tap, or is the difference too big to ignore?

the_xena1mo ago

Actually, the blind test proved the opposite for me. The difference was so small I almost missed it. My tap water is fine, and I'll probably just use it when the filter runs out.