MANLY VALE, Australia – Seven Miles Coffee Science and Education Centre (CSEC) in Manly Vale (Sydney), Australia, is teaming up with the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to discover the ideal water conditions for a perfect cup of coffee.
The composition of water varies from country to country, state to state. Hard water which contains minerals such as calcium and magnesium, and is what causes limescale on kettles, tastes different to soft water which only contains sodium and can be salty.
Dr Adam Carr, the head of CSEC, is putting his PHD in chemical engineering to the service of Australian coffee culture.
“I did a doctorate in high pressure, high temperature water technology which usually has applications in oil and pharmaceutical industries, but espresso machines operate under the same kind of conditions,” he said.
Science pervades the coffee industry
“Science pervades the coffee industry all shapes and forms, from growing to roasting and extraction, so why not water?” His ambition is to create a new kind of espresso machine that will automatically adjust the compounds in water to create the perfect water for coffee making.
“Certain kinds of water extract better flavours. We are working on putting treatments in a coffee machine to get the water right. It’s fun times,” he said.
The project with UNSW is expected to be completed by November.
