Why does my coffee smell?

[10G]

This has been an ongoing problem for us for a while now.

Sometimes while away, when we make coffee, it smells like the water is burnt.

The water comes from home. It's been stored in a flexible poly type bladder, a hard black poly tank, and the clear poly type water containers.

We've used an aluminium and stainless billy.

Times we've boiled the water for up to a minute so it's bloody hot and other times turned off the heat just as bubbles start forming on the bottom of the billy.

We're having trouble trying to work out why the water ends up smelling burnt.

If you drink the water cold it smells OK.

Any ideas?????????

[Cuppa]

A mystery. Doesn't sound like it is the water storage, the water or the billies you've boiled the water in.

Assuming you are boiling the billy on a fire - have you tried doing so on your stove at home?

Only thing I can think of is that either the smell is somehow coming from the fire or that your billies have somehow been contaminated?

Are the billy lid knobs burned/melted. Have the billies ever boiled dry?

Boiling the water from your storage in a different saucepan at home may point to the bilies being the problem?

[PeeBee]

I think you need to look in detail at the materials. The bladders are generally made from a 'food grade PVC' material, whereas tanks are from Polyethylene or even polypropylene.

The PVC will have volatiles that release int the water - they taint the water but not enough to cause harm in the eyes of the FDA and similar. PE and PP materials are closed cell elements and they dont have the volatiles to release, however if you open a new container it still may have a slight whiff of solvents that were released during the manufacturing process and remained inside when the lid was screwed on. Metal tanks, SS can have residual manufacturing lubricants left in the 'roughness' of the surface. I have spent 30 yrs in the food/dairy/pharma industry and we need to wash food processing plant and equipment very thoroughly to remove these micro spots - even on nano polished surfaces there are still inclusions that retain contaminants. Aluminium is similar and remember this material instantly oxidises so there is a residue on the surface. When you add your water, which is a cocktail of all sorts of different chemistry, you get reactions taking place.

You have two choices. Use only distilled or demineralised water - apparently there is a difference but its beyond me, or run your water thru a filter system of high removal efficiency. Dont dehydrate the coffee to the point it cakes on the inside of the coffee pot as you will have a very hard time removing the residue unless you add 'something' to abrade it off - then you run the risk of getting that trapped on the surface.

Its a minefield especially with our tastebuds. I would look at the filtration solution, and if you want to continue with the bladder, ensure it has activated carbon as one media pack. Its probably the best all round solution as you are filtering just prior to use. Hope this helps

[10G]

Thanks Cuppa and Phil for some great info and ideas.

I remembered while reading the replies, we recently bought a caravan, it has a galvanised tank and we get the smelly coffee out of that as well, the water is still from home.

We just use Nescafe, nothing special.

I also just remembered we used to get smelly coffee at home, but that hasn't happened for a few years now. I wonder if it is the water?????

Living in south west Vic we don't have great water, the kettle gets a build up of brown crap in it. I often wonder if it's this brown crap that when boiled to a certain temp it's the stuff that makes it stink???

[PeeBee]

The brown stuff is mineral deposits that cake to the inside of the jug, only a filter and a very good one will remove that or a reverse osmosis system or using only distilled water. Generally its not an element that gives the taint as it has already bonded with the surface of the jug, its they free elements that remain.

[10G]

its they free elements that remain.

Thanks Phil.

They'd have to be free, you'd never pay for 'em ;-)

I think what we'll do is .... buy some water from a supermarket and carry that. When we make a smelly cup of coffee, chuck it out and use the supermarket water and see if it still smells. If it does, it's not the water. If it doesn't, the hunt will continue.

[Cuppa]

We have always used a solid carbon block filter (1 or 0.5 micron) just before the tap. It filters out most unpleasant flavours from water as well as protecting against various nasties which can make you sick. We bought in bulk & either change them annually or sooner if they have stood unused for lengthy periods. If unused just for a few weeks a back flush suffices.

With limited space the filter types use for fridges & water bubblers are a good option & fitted using 'click on' connectors.

eg. https://waterfilterforfridge.com.au/k-series/1940-omnipure-k2520-bb-inline-carbon-block-filter-1-micron-14-npt.html

[MB]

Just to throw a cheapo/lightweight plastic camping coffee mug theory into the mix [emoji23]
Ceramic breakables from home packed well are best and or ceramic coated old school tin ones that scorch fingers too……..potentially a possible end of the line taste bud issue [emoji104]?


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