Water Quality - Ascaso BIG DREAM User Manual

2 - WATER QUALITY

• In this section we want to stress the importance of water quality when it comes to
making coffee. Given that the water content of an espresso coffee is over 90%, its
quality has a huge influence on the end result and flavour of the coffee.
• The elements that have the greatest influence on water flavour are calcium
carbonate and chlorine. A high mineral content can also accelerate the build-up
of lime scale in the machine's components, while a lack of minerals will give the
espresso an insipid taste and could even damage the boilers.
• As a general rule, the total dissolved solids in water (TDS) should be:
• Of these solids, calcium and magnesium are the ones that indicate water hardness.
• We recommend that the water hardness falls between:
• If you use ion exchange water descaling systems, these add sodium to the water
so you will need to install an active carbon filter to get rid of any impurities that may
subsequently affect the flavour of the coffee.
• The pH of the water should be as close as possible to neutral (pH = 7), as with a pH
value lower than 6.5 you might notice a touch of acidity in the espresso, while with a
pH value higher than 7.5 the espresso will start tasting insipid.
• The other element to be avoided in water used for coffee making is chlorine. This
element is highly corrosive when it comes into contact with the metal parts of the
machine and even stainless steel, and it also has a major influence on the flavour of the
espresso.
• All water treated with chlorine should be filtered through an active carbon filter pre-
installed in the coffee machine.
We recommend analysing the water to determine the correct filter system to in-
stall in the coffee machine, along with regular analyses to check that the machine
is working properly.
The use of the correct filtration
system and regular maintenance
are both essential for the product
warranty to remain in force and to
ensure the perfect operation of your coffee machine.
8
100-150 mg/l
3 - 5° dH (German degrees) or
4 - 7° fH (French degrees)
TDS
Hardness
pH
Optimum values
100-150 mg/l
3 - 5° dH / 4 - 7° fH
6.5 - 8.5