Water Treatment for Espresso and Coffee

When excellent coffee is your goal, it is imperative that you control the variable that makes up 98% of coffee beverages – water.  It’s all about quality and consistency.

Water chemistry is complex. Chemical characteristics of water such as hardness, pH, alkalinity and total dissolved solids (TDS) have a significant impact on coffee quality and consistency, and are often the cause of equipment problems and costly repairs.

Let’s look at four types of contaminants that can be problematic and the OptiPure water treatment technologies used to deal with them:

1.  Dirt & Sediment
Fine silt, dirt, rust and other debris causes wear on parts and can damage solenoids, valves and other fittings. Particulates settle as sediment and provide a catalyst for scale build-up.

OptiPure Filtration systems utilize gradient density-depth filtration.  
The larger dirt particles are trapped in the outer layers of the filter while smaller particles are trapped in the deeper layers as the gradient becomes denser. These gives OptiPure filters high dirt-load capacity and longer filter life without compromising water pressure and flow to equipment.

2.  Chlorine Taste & Odor        
Chlorine presents two problems. First, it imparts an unpleasant taste and odor which can ruin coffee beverages. And second, chlorine can be corrosive to boilers, heating elements and other wetted surfaces which increases maintenance costs and reduces equipment life.

OptiPure filtration systems include high quality activated carbon to reduce chlorine.
The rating (gallons/liters) for OptiPure NSF Certified Systems indicates their “capacity” for chlorine reduction. OptiPure AMS systems take out chlorine and the majority of dissolved minerals that can cause corrosion.

3. Hardness (Scale)

The formation and accumulation of scale from hardness minerals (calcium and magnesium) is the #1 cause of water-related problems with coffee equipment. Over time scale build-up impedes efficient heat transfer, diminishes beverage quality, increases maintenance frequency and can reduce equipment life by years.

TDS is made up of an array of contaminants (primarily minerals) that are dissolved in water. Hardness minerals are a common part of TDS along with others such as sodium and iron. The type and amount of dissolved solids affects espresso and coffee quality and water-related equipment problems.

There are two fundamental ways to deal with Water Hardness and TDS.

First, OptiPure can effectively eliminate problematic minerals by removing them.
AMS (Advanced Membrane Separation) technologies are specially designed reverse osmosis systems that remove problematic minerals. OptiPure BWS models allow precise blending pure water with specially filtered water to achieve a desired TDS and mineral balance for coffee.

OptiSoft (Ion Exchange Softening) technologies protect espresso machines against scale through a process that trades hardness minerals for sodium. Not recommended for coffee brewers.

Second, OptiPure can reduce the scaling tendency by inhibiting problematic minerals.
ScaleX2® – a non-chemical scale inhibitor technology that protects against scale without removing calcium minerals is recommended with high volume coffee brewers and espresso equipment.
IsoNet® – a patented scale inhibiting technology that helps protect against scale and corrosion at low to moderate hardness levels with coffee brewers. Not recommended for espresso machines.

The system that you select must meet your equipment and usage requirements.

To enjoy the benefits of water treatment with your coffee brewer and/or espresso machine it is essential that the capacity (in gallons/liters) and flow rate (gallons/liters per minute) of the filtration system meets your real-world water usage requirements. OptiPure offers a range of water treatment systems with different performance characteristics to meet the demands of any coffee or espresso equipment.
 
A system’s ‘rated capacity’ is typically based on its ability to reduce chlorine, taste and odor. OptiPure systems for coffee and espresso applications are designed with the right ‘balance’ of treatment technologies. This means that, along with chlorine reduction, the integrated scale treatment technology is engineered to perform for the rated capacity of the system as well; assuring complete protection for the period between filter changes.

Our goal is to help you make the best decision about water treatment for your applications.

For a detailed guide to understanding water-related problems with espresso machines and coffee brewers and how to select the best system for your application, click here and request The OptiPure Espresso & Coffee Water Filtration Application Guide

The OptiPure System Application Guide & Product Catalog provides basic information about OptiPure Water Treatment Technologies and an easy-to-use system selection guide. Fountain beverage systems and ‘combination’ applications explained in detail. Contact your OptiPure Dealer or OptiPure for assistance with your application requirements.