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The most important ingredient when it comes to coffee brewing is not spoken about much. This component of coffee makes it possible to put it in a cup and enjoy the flavors and taste. Without it, you only have high-quality coffee beans or grounds you can’t turn into a beverage. Water is the special ingredient in coffee making.
Many questions are asked about the type of water to use when brewing coffee. Different coffee machines and people have different preferences regarding the amount and type of water that they use. Different types of water will affect your coffee maker, and, the taste of your coffee differently.
Do You Have To Use Filtered Water In A Keurig?
In the original Keurig, filtered water was the only type of water to use. If you used any other type, the machine would not work. Subsequent versions of the Keurig now work with all types of water, eliminating the need for filtered water.
There are several types of water you can use to make coffee. With coffee machines accepting any type of water you add to it, which is the best type of water to make coffee?
What Is the Best Type Of Water To Use In A Keurig Coffee Maker?
Filtered Water
When making a cup of coffee, filtered water is the best type of water you can use. Filtered water is free of impurities and other minerals and trace elements.
These impurities and elements will spoil both your coffee maker and the taste of your coffee. Minerals and elements in unfiltered water leave a residue in the Keurig that leads to clogging. You will thus be forced to clean it thoroughly every day to prevent this.
You can buy your filter to add to the one in the Keurig. A water filter will take away the impurities that may mask its real taste and destroy your coffee maker. You can easily purchase water filters for your Keurig.
Many coffee maker manufacturers and baristas recommend the use of filtered water for the best coffee brewing results.
Tap Water
Tap water is the easiest type of water to use when making coffee. The use of tap water to brew coffee even has a name. Lazy brewing. This is because all you need is to add the tap water into the coffee maker.
However, tap water isn’t the best type of water to brew coffee in a Keurig with. Most often, tap water is hard water. Hard water contains large quantities of impurities and trace elements. Often, these impurities and elements will need to be filtered from the water to make it safe for use.
Many coffee makers have filters within them for the lazy brewers. However, these are not enough and you will have to buy external filters online. Make sure to buy only carbon-based external filters for your Keurig. Also, remember to change the filters every 30 to 45 days.
Bottled Water
Bottled water is much better than tap water. The water bottling process includes filtering which makes bottled water appropriate for coffee brewing.
There is only one setback when it comes to the use of bottled water. Plastic water bottles are the worst pollutants in the environment. If they are not in a landfill, they are suffocating whales in the seas. When you have to use a bottle of water for every cup you brew, you will have contributed towards a polluted environment.
Distilled Water
While distilled water is cleaner than tap water, it isn’t advisable to use for coffee brewing purposes. Distilled water contains similar trace elements to those in tap water. These are likely to corrode and deposit residue in your coffee maker.
Another reason you should not use distilled water to brew coffee is its flat taste. It will only ruin the taste of your coffee and you will not enjoy it.
For all the types of water you can use to brew coffee, it is agreed that filtered water is the best. It is clean and doesn’t harm your coffee maker. Many coffee makers including the Keurig come with internal filters for when you use tap water. However, these are not sufficient and you may always have to add external filters.
Tips To Make The Best Coffee With Your Keurig
- Always use filtered water. Filtered water is good for both your coffee maker and your coffee. You will get a great tasting coffee when you use filtered water.
- Clean your Keurig thoroughly. Ensure that you clean your Keurig after every use. This makes sure that the next cup of coffee you brew is fresh. That it doesn’t have the taste of stale coffee from the previous brew. Also, remember to clean the entire coffee maker at least once a month to remove any residues from coffee grounds and water minerals. Open up all parts that can be opened and wash them with warm water and soap. Check all sprayers for clogging, and clean them up well.
- Use the right proportions of water and coffee. The recommended water to coffee ratio is 16 parts water to 1-part coffee. You can then use this ratio for the amount of coffee you need to brew. Using the correct proportions leads to a great-tasting cup of coffee.
- Change the Keurig water filters regularly. After some period of use, you may notice that your Keurig is not drawing water effectively. This means that its filters may be clogged with residue from the water used to brew coffee. When this happens, you will need to purchase new water filters for your Keurig.
- Buy Keurig compatible filters. These filters, specifically made for the Keurig, improve the quality of your water. Subsequently, the quality and taste of your coffee also improve.
What Do You Need For The Best Brewed Cup Of Coffee?
- Filtered water. This is water that has undergone a cleaning process. It does not contain any impurities. Filtered water absorbs the flavors and oils from the coffee grounds easily. It then delivers the best in taste as it does not contain impurities or elements. These impurities in water mask the taste of your brewed coffee.
- The brewing tools. Get a high-quality coffee maker to make a high-quality cup of coffee. Also depending on the type of coffee you want to make, there are different machines and coffee equipment you may use. If you are going to grind your beans, ensure you have a grinder that will produce a fine coffee powder.
- High-quality coffee beans. Make sure that you buy freshly roasted coffee beans. Grind your beans only when you are ready to brew your coffee. This makes sure that you enjoy a fresh cup of coffee for every brew. Use your beans within a month of purchase.
- Clean coffee maker. Always clean your preferred coffee maker after every use. When you start doing these, you will notice a change in the quality and taste of the coffee you brew.
- Time. You need time to sit and enjoy your freshly brewed cup of coffee. Take small sips as you take in all the flavors and taste of your coffee. When you take coffee in a rush, you will never get to know the difference between good and bad coffee.
Conclusion
You can use any type of water you want with your Keurig. However, you may not enjoy your coffee as much. The Keurig has internal filters to filter your tap water if you choose to use it. These internal filters need to be changed regularly for the proper functioning of the Keurig. Keurig prefers purified water as it does not corrode its coffee-making system. Purified water absorbs as many flavors in the coffee grounds you use. This leads to a great-tasting cup of coffee.