Slightly off topic but within the water regions! I couldn’t believe the difference in the cup using different water to make up the americano. In work the last 2 days, bringing in my pre made espressos and topping up with water. Yesterday I threw out what I had left after making the first one- I thought I had made it all wrong, was like pear drops jumping out of the cup. Today I ensured to cut the shots shorter (on a medium to light roast atm) and had one at home using osmio water to top up as I always do and it was very nice. Just had a cup in work and again it’s crazy fruity, so, has to be the water in work from the burco boiler. Amazing the difference it makes (for the worse like). Dunno if it’s just the water spec here or a build up of scale within the burco that would do this? Think it would be a step too far if I start to bring in my own water too!!

    JahLaza

    This is exactly the reason im trying to understand the water thingy in coffee. It’s making a lot of difference if water switched from one to another.

    Thanks for sharing.

      Well coffee is 80% water 😁

      Decent De1pro v1.45 - Niche Duo - Niche Zero - Decent is the best machine ever made -

        Cuprajake very true, but whatever the composition here, it enhances the ‘fruityness’ like crazy. Or perceived fruityness. Just thought it interesting whatever chemistry is going on!!

            Ibrahim Well the other way would be to remove the thermocouple and use a syringe to remove the water. I wouldn’t personally want to be doing that.

            For the service boiler I remove the anti-vacuum valve and use a syringe to get water in and out, which is what I mean by manually. The alternative, possibly easier and safer way is to drain through the hot water tap and fill using the pump and reservoir. My anti-vac valve is fitted with PTFE and is just a little more than finger tight so no risk of snapping threads off or anything - not everyone is so lucky. And I personally find it easier and less faff than emptying and refilling the reservoir, though with the Bianca that might be easier….

                Rob1

                Then following the easy path will be for emptying the service boiler.

                So I’ll be using rpalvis recipe until i become confident with machine, then might ask you later on in depth about your recipe.

                Plus refilling service boiler with distilled water every few weeks or days to ensure no scale build up.

                And lastly will be using lelit filter 70l as a guarantee also.

                • Rob1 replied to this.

                    Ibrahim no, not clarity just an exaggerated ‘fruity’ taste/note from the coffee, as if a drop of fruit concentrate was added or something!

                        JahLaza

                        So fruitness is just like a flavor profile

                        And clarity is the ability to distinguish between two or more flavor profiles and their popping in coffee.

                            Ibrahim I think so. I may not be using the correct olfactory descriptive terms but that’s the best way I can describe

                                JahLaza

                                As long it’s a delicious coffee, then it doesn’t matter.

                                  Ibrahim If you’re remineralising to a spec don’t use a filter, it makes no sense. The filter will just alter the water in a way that is inconsistent. If you just use the bicarb recipe to get 40-50mg/l alkalinity then don’t bother with the distilled water step as you can’t get scale from bicarbonate alone.

                                      JahLaza could be higher alkalinity - which buffers the acid and maybe makes the acids more balanced with the sugars (i.e fruity), whereas lower alkalinity may make the coffee ‘bright’ rather than fruity. The opposite could also be true (i.e now fruity because previous acids were too subdued).

                                        Rob1

                                        R pavlis recipe has alkalinity of 50 mg/L CaCO3 equivalent (full strength r pavlis).

                                        In this case i can Remove distilled water step (i mean refilling service boiler) like you said and no need for filter.

                                        Perfect!

                                          13 days later