Coffee and soft water question.

[Foyle]

We just moved to a new apartment that has a water softening system in the building. It's been great for my shaves as the lather is better than ever and I need to use far less product, but the quality of my morning coffee is really suffering. I seem to need to use much more coffee in order to get a decent cup. When I use my normal amount it comes out thin, more like black tea. I was always under the impression that soft water used less coffee, not more. Am I wrong on this?

[whavens]

I am not sure on the amount used, I just know I hate coffee made with soft water.

[Foyle]

Yeah, I'm not liking it myself. I think I may get some bottled water to make coffee.

[Gustav Halbach]

Foyle,

When I moved to a soft water location I too was frustrated with the taste of coffee. Other people thought I was craze but, having grown up in the Midwest with really hard water, I was used to high mineral content in my water. I even toyed with the idea of bringing gallons of water home water after visiting my parents house still in the Midwest. In the end, my solution was to start making/drinking espresso. I seemed to only way to make the coffee strong enough for me.

The end of the story is that I now live again where there is an acceptabe mineral content to my water.....good coffee again.

-G

[MilesTeg]

When we visit the beach, we typically get lots of gallon jugs of water for drinking, cooking, and coffee. The water down there has a sulfurous odor that is just intolerable (for me). And the coffee suffers in strength and flavor when I try to make it, so that's our answer. It costs more, but is so worth it!

[Foyle]

Gustav, my folks have a water softener in their house but they have a separate faucet on the kitchen sink that dispenses un-sofetned water for drinking. If you're a home owner that may be an option for you.