Page 24 - BSA_Something's Brewing_MARAPR 2026 (2)

AIMERS BSA Member

A

R
A
T
S
I
W
WATER IS ANN
E
INGREDIENTT
I N G R E D I E N

Understanding the most important

ingredient in brewing, with
Tim Sturk

About 15 years ago, a lovely man from
one of the leading water filter
supplier/manufacturer companies asked WHY WATER
me this question: Who looks after your CHEMISTRY MATTERS

water filters?
Coffee is ~98–99% (for filter) and
At the time I was the in the early stages of ~89–91 %water (for espresso), and
my coffee career, and was the Coffee extraction is basically a controlled
Specialist with the UK’s largest chemical process. The minerals in
independent contract caterer. Too put this water determine:
into context, we had coffee machines,
kitchen steamers, water boilers, etc., in What gets extracted (acids,
over 900 locations around the UK. So sugars, bitterness)
when I was asked this question, the only How balanced the cup tastes
response I had was, ‘Gosh, I don’t know How your equipment behaves
that. Is it important?’ over time (limescale vs corrosion)

I realised then that I had some learning to The three key parameters of total
do! hardness and alkalinity (carbonate

Water quality isn’t just important for hardness)—are the big levers.
coffee—it’s foundational. You can use
excellent beans from a top roaster, dial in
your grinder perfectly, and still end up
with flat or harsh coffee if your water
chemistry is off.

Let’s break it down clearly.

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MAR/APR. 2026 | ISSUE 47