We often mention how important it is to consider the water you use when brewing coffee, especially when you consider that water makes up roughly 98% of a typical filter coffee and about 90% of an espresso shot.

With that in mind, it is no wonder that the topic of water for coffee was tackled by coffee expert and UK barista champion Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood, author of The Coffee Dictionary and The Business of Specialty Coffee with the help of University of Oregon Professor of Chemistry, Dr. Christopher H. Hendon. This is actually the second edition of Water for Coffee which we've been able to bring to South Africa with the help of Scott Rao Publishers. Since its original publication in 2015, Dashwood and Hendon have updated their book with revised theories and all-new insights. It introduces key chemical concepts which have practical implementations for the coffee you brew at home, in the café or on the competition stage. Put simply, Water for Coffee is an in-depth exploration of coffee preparation variables to establish how the mineral content of water affects the way your coffee tastes. The authors hope to empower you with the knowledge to manipulate your water to make better coffee. 

About the authors Maxwell Dashwood & Christopher H. Hendon

Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood is an author, three-time UK barista champion and coffee business founder based in the United Kingdom, where he owns and runs Colonna Coffee. An experienced and respected figure in the industry, Dashwood has written academic articles on the role water plays in making coffee.

Dr. Christopher H. Hendon is a computational chemist and associate professor chemistry at the University of Oregon. He has written numerous peer-reviewed articles on coffee and presently, he leads a laboratory studying the chemical activities involved in coffee beverage production.

Notes on Scott Rao Publishers

Scott Rao is one of the most accomplished and respected consulting professionals in the specialty coffee space. He has been making an impact on the industry for decades on multiple platforms, from his blog to his books, and most recently on YouTube. He is perhaps best known for his print publications which have served as handbooks for the industry since the 2000s, whether that is for roasting, brewing or making espresso.

Scott has continued to publish his own works but has also expanded his remit and helped to publish books about coffee from other respected authors. All of them aim to help coffee professionals improve their craft, but will also provide great value to passionate consumers and lovers of specialty coffee who want to dive deeper into the workings of the industry. We feel privileged to have partnered with Scott to make his entire selection of publications available in South Africa.

Water for Coffee by Maxwell Dashwood and Dr Christopher H Hendon book format

• Hardcover
• 156 pages
• Dimensions: 250 x 190 x 18mm
• Weight: 530g