It’s Not Just the Beans: Why Water Matters More Than You Think

When people think about great coffee, they usually think about the beans.

Origin, roast profile, processing… all important. But there’s another ingredient that makes up more than 90% of your cup and often gets overlooked: water.

At Bean There Co., water is not an afterthought. It’s something I’ve spent time understanding and refining, because it directly shapes how every coffee tastes.

Why tap water isn’t enough

In the Netherlands, tap water is clean, safe, and high quality for drinking. But “safe” doesn’t always mean “ideal for coffee.”

Water contains minerals like calcium and magnesium, which play a key role in extraction. These minerals help dissolve the flavor compounds from coffee. Too little, and the coffee can taste flat and under-extracted. Too much, and it can become bitter, heavy, or unbalanced.

There’s also bicarbonate (alkalinity), which affects how acidity is perceived. High alkalinity can mute brightness and make coffees taste dull.

So even though Amsterdam’s water is excellent, it’s not naturally optimized for brewing coffee.

The impact on your cup

Coffee is a delicate balance of acids, sugars, and aromatic compounds.

Water that isn’t properly balanced can:

flatten acidity, mute sweetness, exaggerate bitterness, hide clarity and complexity

In other words, the same coffee can taste completely different depending on the water used to brew it.

Why I work with Akvo Water Systems

To make sure every cup reflects the coffee at its best, I work with Akvo Water Systems.

Their filtration and optimization systems allow me to control the mineral content and consistency of the water used in the café. This means I can fine-tune the water to support better extraction, highlight clarity, and bring out the intended flavor profile of each coffee.

It’s not about making water “perfect” in a generic way. It’s about making it right for coffee.

A more intentional cup

Just like sourcing coffees carefully or dialing in espresso, water is part of the process.

It’s one of those invisible details that you might not notice directly, but you definitely taste the difference.

So next time you’re having a coffee at Bean There Co., you’re not just tasting the beans.

You’re tasting the water too.