The Why of Water

Have you ever wondered why you can get a perfectly satisfying cup of tea or coffee at some establishments and be sorely disappointed at others? Of course the obvious culprit is the quality of the tea leaves or coffee beans, however you can expose some incredibly beautiful tea leaves or coffee beans to water, shall I say, that lacks purity. This will quickly ruin your investment and mood. I use bottled or filtered water at home. At Out of the Fire I have a water filtration system that makes a perfect companion to brewing a wonderful cup of tea or coffee. I made a choice 11 years ago (time flies when.........) that the restaurant would need a filtration system-town water would not be a friend to leaves, beans and body for that fact! I must admit that my palate is extremely sensitive, I am a self-proclaimed water snob. However, you don't have to be a water snob to take note of the effect that water has on the quality of your beverage.
I had some customers from the UK share with me that they were extremely disappointed with the quality of coffee and tea that they were being served at the very expensive Inn that they were patronizing. One would think that an establishment of a certain caliber would pay attention to that very important detail, water, especially since it is a relatively simple and direct fix. They asked me why they couldn't get a decent cup of tea or coffee in America. My response was, "you can, but you have to start with good water!" To prove my point (a patriotic move!) I made them a French Press. They left the restaurant fully satisfied and enlightened! I must add that my coffee beans are roasted the day I order them. They are also fair-trade and organic. The blend is called "Out of the Fire" Blend (big surprise to all, I am sure!) which is 80% Guatemalan, 10% Peruvian and 10% Mexican. However, good water can mask the inadequacies of a substandard bean or leaf!
To sum it all up, water is 98% of your coffee or tea so it is better to bask your beans and leaves in good water. Below is what I could have said in a few sentences:

It is necessary to use high-quality, filtered water without chlorine. The hot beverage can be vastly improved by the use of a simple Brita or Pur filter, which eliminates chlorine and diminishes greatly the water's TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) content. A bottled spring water with a pH of 7 and TDS of 30 PPM or below is ideal.

The motto of Out of the Fire is: "Enjoy life, enjoy each other, eat well and don't forget: Life is too short to drink bad wine." However in this case "life is too short to use bad water!"We all know there is nothing better than a great cup of coffee or tea and great conversation!

Enjoy!

Amy