Overheard a barista say 'the water is too hot' and it made me rethink my whole setup

Andrew Hill · 2026-03-23T11:30:09.551581+00:00

I was at a cafe in Seattle last week and the barista was training someone new. She said, 'You're using water that's too hot, you're burning the grounds.' I always just boiled my water and poured it right away, thinking hotter was better. I looked it up when I got home and found out that for my light roast beans, I should be aiming for about 195 degrees, not 212. I tried it with my Chemex this morning, and the coffee was way less bitter. It tasted brighter, almost fruity, which is what the bag said it should taste like. I feel like I've been making bad coffee for years without knowing why. Has anyone else had a simple tip like that completely change their brew?

henry6046mo ago

Consider how water hardness changes things, not just temperature. My tap water makes everything taste flat no matter what I do.

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the_lily6mo ago

Actually, that temperature thing is huge, but it's also worth remembering that boiling water cools down fast when you pour it. So starting with a full boil into a cold Chemex might already get you close to that 195 range. The real trick is being consistent. And @henry604 is totally right about water, it's a whole other layer. My old apartment had terrible water and a filter jug made a bigger difference than any temp change.

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campbell.elliot6mo ago

Yeah, the "water's too hot" thing got me too... I always thought boiling was the only way to go. Totally changed my morning cup.

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