This Is The Ideal Water Temperature To Brew Coffee

You can get a nice cup of coffee by simply adding coffee and water, right? While that’s not entirely wrong, chances are you won't have that perfect brew you’re looking for. Many factors determine how your coffee tastes including the type of roast and coffee beans used. That’s not all. Water temperature plays a major role too. Unfortunately, this is often overlooked and many people do not know how this impacts the taste of their coffee.

Learn about the best water temperature to brew coffee and why this is important.

The Best Water Temperature

Many coffee professionals will agree that the ideal water temperature for brewing coffee is between 195 to 205°F. Let us explain further.

Coffee brewing requires you to perform a balancing act. You’ll get bitter-tasting coffee if you extract too much flavor from your coffee grounds. If you extract too little, your coffee will taste sour. Water temperature plays a huge role during extraction. It determines how fast the flavors are being extracted. Hotter water means you get faster extraction and cooler water gives you slower extraction.

Hence, if your water temperature drops below 195°F, you’re not getting the optimal extraction speed. On the harder hand, if your water temperature exceeds 205°F, you are speeding up the extraction. Using water with a temperature range of 195 to 205°F is best for extraction. And it works well for different brewing methods.

Controlling Water Temperature

You now know what’s the ideal water temperature for making coffee. But how do you know you’re not using water that’s too hot or too cold? There are several strategies you can use.

A thermometer is the best tool to measure water temperature. A regular thermometer or infrared laser thermometer are both good choices. Take note of how long it takes for your water to drop below 205°F after it has boiled. Do it several times to check the timing. Let’s say you realised this takes 2 minutes to happen. From then on, you just need to let your water sit for 2 minutes after boiling before you use it to make coffee.

Depending on what you’re brewing, you may need to increase or lower the temperature. If you’re making a light roast, you can try using water with a slightly higher temperature to speed up the extraction. When brewing a dark roast, using water with a lower temperature will prevent over-extraction and reduce your odds of getting bitter flavors.

Another tool you can consider investing in is an electrical gooseneck kettle. Find a model that lets you program specific temperatures to have complete control over your water. Furthermore, a gooseneck kettle gives you better control over the flow rate when you’re adding water to your grounds. Adding water tactically is also an essential step in making the best coffee. You might need a little upgrade to your tools if you want to achieve that perfect brew.

Is this all a little too much for making your morning cup of joe? You might change your mind after tasting the difference in your coffee.