When you’re brewing coffee at home, it’s easy to focus on the beans, your grinder, or which brew method you’re using. But there’s one ingredient we often forget about—water. Since coffee is mostly water (over 98% of your cup!), the water you brew with plays a huge role in how your coffee tastes.
Why Water Quality Makes a Difference
Think of water as the tool that pulls flavor out of your coffee grounds. If your water is balanced, you’ll taste sweetness, clarity, and complexity. If it’s not, the flavors can come out dull, bitter, or just “off.”
Good brewing water has the right amount of minerals—not too much, not too little. Too soft or distilled water can make your coffee taste flat and sour, while overly hard water can make it bitter and heavy. The best water is clean, fresh-tasting, and somewhere in the middle.
So What Should You Use?
Tap water: If it tastes good on its own—no chlorine, no strange aftertaste—it can work well for coffee.
Filtered water: A simple filter pitcher (like Brita) is an easy upgrade that removes chlorine and odd flavors.
Bottled water: Some spring waters are great for brewing, but avoid distilled or “purified” waters that have no minerals at all.
Here’s a quick test: if you enjoy sipping your water straight from the glass, it’s probably good for coffee too.
Small Change, Big Impact
Making just a small change in your water can totally transform your coffee. Next time you brew, try using filtered or spring water and see if you notice brighter, sweeter flavors. You might be surprised at how much more alive your favorite coffee tastes.
Try It Out with These Coffees
If you want to see just how much of a difference good water can make, try brewing with two of our favorites:
Sabra Blend – Our go-to everyday blend, smooth and balanced with notes of chocolate and caramel. It’s delicious no matter how you brew, and with great water you’ll notice just how sweet and clean it can taste.
Uganda Ladies Lot – A standout single origin produced by a women-led cooperative in Uganda. It’s vibrant and complex, with juicy fruit notes that really shine when brewed with fresh, clean water.
You can find both at alabastercoffee.com/shop. Brew them side by side with different water sources—you’ll taste the difference right away.