Water in HoReCa

Only the best water is good enough for perfect coffee.

The basis of good coffee, tea or any drink is water. Good water. Is all water good? Of course not. But any water can be good. It would seem that the beans and the method of preparation are responsible for the taste of coffee. Owners of cafes, restaurants and even individual users attach a lot of importance to the choice of a coffee machine.

However, even the best professional coffee machine is not enough. It is water that affects the extraction of coffee - it can increase or decrease its ability to extract flavor. The taste of the same coffee may vary depending on the water used to brew it. It is water, or rather its composition, that affects the sweetness and acidity of coffee. That is why it is so important to pay attention to the quality of the water, which is the basis of coffee.

What about the minerals in the water? They are necessary. However, it is important to keep their proper proportions. Below is a brief overview:

1. Calcium (Ca2 +) helps extract the full flavor of coffee. In combination with bicarbonate particles, calcium is responsible for the formation of scale.

2. Magnesium (Mg2 +) is the most important mineral for coffee lovers, the flavor carrier. A mineral which should be present in the water in the right amount because its excess leads to equipment rusting .

3. Sodium (Na +) has the opposite effect to magnesium, making it difficult to brew coffee.

4. Bicarbonates (HCO3-) are responsible for stabilizing water pH at the desired, neutral level. The amount of bicarbonate affects the taste and can make the coffee too flat or too acidic.

Baristas agree that a well-chosen filtration system is of great importance for the taste of coffee, but also affects the trouble-free operation of gastronomic equipment: coffee machines, boilers, kettles, taps or even hot water spouts. It is worth remembering that the water filter not only affects the quality of water, but also protects the devices against limescale deposits, reducing the efficiency and quality of operation of individual devices. The result is more frequent servicing and therefore higher operating costs.

So what should the water be like?

Several parameters are important:

GH - general hardness

KH - carbonate hardness / buffer

pH - the acidity or alkalinity of the water

TDS - conductivity,i.e. the total amount of compounds extracted from coffee beans

What water will be perfect?

GH – 50-110 ppm

KH – 40-70 ppm

pH – 6,5-7,5

TDS – 100-170 ppm

Good water is free from impurities, has an ideal pH and a good degree of mineralization.

Can water in every gastronomic establishment reach such parameters?Yes. It is enough to choose the appropriate filtration system. Are there perfect solutions? Unfortunately not.It all depends on two things:

•              • the quality of available water,

•              • the expected water quality after filtering.

Therefore, the first step should always be water testing : checking its total and carbonate hardness, pH and conductivity.

You can do it yourself or use a professional laboratory test. Of course, you can use the available data from your local water works, but these should be double-checked at the intake.

The next step is to decide what water parameters we want and choose a filtration method based on these expectations.

Bluefilters Professional offers solutions adapted to even the most demanding and "difficult" water, which can be successfully used in professional coffee machines.

Bluefilters Professional offers to its professional customers water filtration systems, water filters, cartridges and other accessories as well as water softening solutions. Our filtering systems are designed to provide pure drinking water in restaurants, cafes and hotels. Bluefilters provides solutions tailored to local needs, depending on the application and scale of drinking water filtration.

Water in your restaurant - is water filtration and softening a necessity?

Water is present at every stage of the functioning of a restaurant, cafe, bakery or hotel. Meals are prepared on the basis of water, water is the basis of hot drinks served. These are the most obvious places.

But water is also responsible for crystal-clear dishes, efficiently functioning appliances such as dishwashers, ovens, coffee makers and more.

Chefs will probably say that the basis of good cuisine is a good product, a creative crew and ... reliable equipment. When running a restaurant or a café, the owner spends a lot of time on the right choice of gastronomic equipment: maximizing functionality while ensuring high efficiency and durability.

Does water affect the operation of these devices and, if so, how? Hard water causes limescale build-up, which in turn leads to inefficient operation and overuse of the device. This can damage the equipment and equipment service may be required more frequently. Damaged devices mean downtime in serving patrons and a reduced number of guests served. Consequently, it increases the cost of running a restaurant.

The solution is to install appropriate water filters for gastronomic devices.

And so, appropriate systems are offered for various types of devices:

•              • for gastronomic dishwashers and steamers - water should be free of calcium and magnesium cations, preventing limescale buildup in those devices,

•              • convection ovens,

•              • coffee machines and other devices for preparing drinks - in the case of water filtering systems for professional coffee machines, boilers, kettles, it is necessary not only to soften the water, but also to properly mineralize it.

Depending the quality of water available on the premises, the optimal solution should be selected to achieve the desired effect.

Bluefilters Professional offers solutions ideally suited for the HoReCa industry. Water filtration systems for professionals, adapted to the place of use and the quality of the available water, can be successfully used in all kinds of catering establishments.