The Key Role in Coffee and Tea Extraction
You may have thoroughly explored the origins of coffee beans, roasting curves, or the provenance and processing of tea leaves — yet these contribute only about 20% to the overall flavor of your beverage. The silent carrier of all flavors — water — determines the soul of that cup, making up 98% of the liquid. Research from World Brewers Cup champions and PhD chemists all point to one fact: water is the key to unlocking perfect flavor.
The Overlooked Element: The Science of Water Extraction
Water is not simply a neutral medium; through its dissolving capacity, it becomes both the transporter and the sculptor of flavor. Mineral ions in water — such as calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), and bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) — play pivotal roles:
Magnesium (Mg²⁺): This active ion binds strongly with flavor compounds in coffee and tea, especially aromatic molecules and oils, enhancing coffee richness and creating a fuller, more rounded tea body.
Calcium (Ca²⁺): Also aids in extracting oils and specific flavor substances, contributing to a richer mouthfeel.
Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻): Acts as an effective pH buffer. Higher concentrations, common in "hard water," can amplify certain vegetal notes in coffee and tea, but may also introduce bitterness, especially in bright, lightly roasted coffees.
Purified Water vs. Mineral Water: The Flavor Battle
Purified water, such as reverse osmosis (RO) water, is close to a "blank slate." While it can faithfully present the coffee bean's character, the flavor complexity is often lacking, with lower aroma and body — like an actor without refined costumes or makeup.
Mineral water, on the other hand, offers a rich, ever-changing canvas:
High-quality low-mineral water: Featuring low sodium and a total mineral content around 150mg/L (as recommended by SCA), with balanced magnesium and calcium and moderate bicarbonates, this water is a dream partner for coffee and fine tea. It enables the extraction of rich aromas, clear fruit acids, and a smooth, lingering finish with excellent balance.
Over-mineralized water: Excess hardness (excessive magnesium and calcium) can cause cloudiness, over-extraction, and bitterness. Water high in bicarbonates may result in a dull and coarse aftertaste.
The Chinese saying "Tea is 80%, Water is 100%" resonates not just with tea aficionados but has also been widely adopted in professional coffee circles — a concise testament to water's power in shaping flavor.
Precision Water Formulation: The Secret of Champions
Whether it's 2016 World Brewers Cup Champion Tetsu Kasuya or Australian legend Matt Perger, both consider custom water formulas a core competitive advantage. Matt shared his approach post-victory: using purified water as a clean base, then precisely adding electrolytes like sodium bicarbonate (for buffering) and magnesium sulfate (to enhance extraction) to maximize flavor performance.
Scientific research supports this: Dr. Christopher H. Hendon in Water for Coffee demonstrated with data that water's chemical composition — especially magnesium concentration and bicarbonate content — significantly impacts the final taste. Yet, the ideal water formulation remains as mysterious and nuanced as the Mona Lisa’s smile.
The Timeless Golden Rule of Water Quality
Across time and the realms of tea and coffee, humanity’s standards for good water remain surprisingly consistent. In the Classic of Tea, Lu Yu outlined five criteria for good water: "Clear" (pure), "Light" (low mineralization), "Sweet" (pleasant aftertaste), "Cold" (refreshing), and "Lively" (fresh and flowing).
Modern coffee authorities like the SCA recommend a total mineral content around 150mg/L, with calcium at about 68mg/L, magnesium in proper proportion, and sodium ideally below 10mg/L.
Whether ancient wisdom or modern science, the core goal is the same: water that is clean, low in overall mineral burden (especially sodium), with a balanced presence of essential minerals like calcium and magnesium — capable of extracting flavors fully without introducing off-notes or harsh bitterness.
ETERNAL WORLD Porcelain Spring Filter Media (P-LSR Technology) Solution
For everyday coffee and tea enthusiasts, long-term manual water formulation is impractical. The demand for water with a clean, pure taste and precisely optimized mineral content for daily drinks is growing — and ETERNAL WORLD Porcelain Spring Filter Media with P-LSR technology provides the solution.
By using purified natural minerals and controlled-release technology, it efficiently "awakens" the vitality of water after RO filtration:
Releases essential minerals like calcium and magnesium in a near-natural ionic state.
Aligns water composition closer to SCA standards and Lu Yu's ideal of "light" water.
Optimizes the extraction process to deliver balanced, rich flavors while avoiding the flatness of purified water or the inconsistency of natural sources.
Whether installed as customized mineralization cartridges for RO systems or integrated into water pitchers, this filter media fits most household drinking scenarios — offering Chinese consumers a refined tea aroma and a complex coffee experience that purified water alone cannot achieve.
Tea becomes fresher, sweeter, and more vibrant with a lasting aftertaste; coffee reveals elevated aromas, brighter acidity, and a longer finish — the subtle energy of minerals manifesting in the art of tea and coffee.
As China's coffee industry rides a wave of rapid growth (with the market surpassing 300 billion RMB in 2020), the country’s natural mineral water resources resemble hidden treasures — rich in low-sodium, low-mineral, soft water sources scattered across the land. When these premium waters meet modern precision mineralization technologies like P-LSR, we quietly stand at the forefront of a taste revolution.
A cup of coffee or tea with a clear soul and full body is not just a treat for the palate — it is our modern answer to the ancient connoisseurs of water along humanity’s thousand-year journey in search of perfect water.
