💧🧪☕ APAX Mineral Concentrates — “recipe-ready” water chemistry for better coffee

APAX Mineral Drops are an easy, highly repeatable way to optimize your brewing water — without needing to build complex mineral recipes from scratch. If you want great results fast (and consistent), APAX is made for you.

Think of APAX as pre-formed water “profiles”: each formula is a carefully balanced mineral concentrate designed to push the cup in a specific direction — more vibrant, more floral, more sweet, or more lush.

What’s in the APAX Core Box Set

⚡ Tonik

Adds vibrancy and acidity — great when a coffee tastes flat, muted, or lacks sparkle.

🌸 Lylac

Highlights florals and adds elegance — perfect for washed Ethiopians, Geshas, and tea-like coffees.

🍓 Jamm

Enhances sweetness and ripeness — ideal for naturals, co-ferments, and coffees with berry or stonefruit notes.

⭐ KONFLUX (2025 Brewers’ Cup inspired)

KONFLUX is the newest APAX formula, devised for the 2025 World Brewers’ Cup style of brewing. It’s designed to enhance mouthfeel and lusciousness — and for many coffees it’s the “wow, this feels richer” button.

the CoffeeNose's take 👃: If you love a cup that feels silky, round, and layered, KONFLUX is the one you’ll reach for most.

⚖️ How to use APAX Mineral Concentrates

1. Shake the bottle thoroughly before each use.
2. Dose either:
   • 3–4 g per liter into your brew water (best for repeatability), or
   • 1–10 drops directly into your brewed coffee (200 ml cup) to quickly test flavour direction.
3. For the best control, start with demineralised water (distilled or RO) and remineralise from there.

APAX vs Lotus Water Drops (when to choose what)

✅ Lotus Water Drops = maximum control & learning

Lotus is ideal if you want to build water from the ground up or fix specific weaknesses:

• need more magnesium? add MgCl
• need more alkalinity? adjust bicarbonates
• want to understand why the cup changed? Lotus teaches you fast

✅ APAX = fastest results with less guesswork

APAX is more like:

• “This coffee needs more ripe sweetness → add Jamm”
• “This washed coffee needs more lift → add Tonik”
• “This Gesha needs florals → add Lylac”

Less targeting and chemistry tinkering — but easier, quicker, and very consistent.

WB.coffee recommendation:

• Want to learn water deeply → Lotus
• Want excellent results quickly and consistently → APAX
• Want both? Use APAX for daily brewing and Lotus when you want to troubleshoot or go full coffee-lab.

👃 Why we like it at WB.coffee / Amsterdam Coffee Lab

At WB.coffee we love tools that make specialty coffee more repeatable and more fun. APAX is great because:

• ✅ it helps you dial in flavor direction quickly
• ✅ it’s perfect for tasting flights (same coffee, different water profiles)
• ✅ it makes it easier to get “that café cup” at home
• ✅ it’s a powerful tool for workshops, recipe development, and sensory learning

Bring it into your routine and you’ll notice faster progress — especially with light roasts and aromatic coffees.

Best pairings (coffee & gear)

☕ WB.coffee coffees to test with APAX

• FJ – Fruity & Juicy → try Tonik vs Jamm to see sparkle vs ripe sweetness
• FF – Fruity & Floral → Lylac is a natural match
• Single Origins / Gesha / anaerobics → KONFLUX for mouthfeel and roundness

⚙️ Gear we recommend for repeatability

• A scale (water chemistry is only useful if your ratio is consistent)
• A consistent brewer (V60 / Switch / Mugen / xBloom)
• Optional: a notebook or your CoffeeNose notes section 😉

Quick “how to start” (CoffeeNose method)

1. Brew your favorite coffee with your usual water
2. Brew again with APAX (choose Tonik/Lylac/Jamm)
3. Change only one variable at a time
4. Taste side-by-side
5. Lock in the one that makes the coffee “click”

💡 Pro tip from WB.coffee:

Change one variable at a time. Taste. Take notes. Your palate will learn fast.

🔬 Perfect for…

• Home brewers who want better coffee 
• Coffee lovers curious about extraction and flavor science
• Workshops, tastings, and sensory training sessions

We regularly use Lotus Drops during cuppings, brewing workshops, and Coffee Omakase sessions at Amsterdam Coffee Lab.

• ✔️ Compatible with all brew methods (filter, espresso, immersion)

🔗 Learn more & brew smarter

Pair Apax Mineral Drops with:

• Tips from the Coffee Nose 👃 (water, extraction & brewing theory)
• Our brewing workshops & masterclasses at Amsterdam Coffee Lab
• Comparative tastings using different water profiles

Water isn’t just a background ingredient — it’s the stage your coffee performs on.

💧 Apax Mineral Drops - Ingredients

Apax mineral concentrates are made of demineralised water and analytical reagent grade minerals (AR), ensuring very high levels of purity.

• TONIK: water, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate.
• JAMM: water, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium chloride, potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate.
• LYLAC: water, magnesium sulfate, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride.

🧪 What do hardness & alkalinity do?

Hardness (GH – General Hardness)

Hardness comes mainly from calcium and magnesium.

It affects:

• sweetness
• structure
• mouthfeel

Too little → thin, sharp coffee

Too much → flat or dull coffee

Magnesium often enhances perceived sweetness and clarity more than calcium.

Alkalinity (KH – Carbonate Hardness)

Alkalinity buffers acidity.

• Too low KH → sour, unrefined coffee
• Too high KH → chalky, muted, flat

⚠️ Flavor effects are not linear.

Coffees can “pop” at both low and moderately high KH, while mid-range levels may taste dull.

​

☕ Filter vs Espresso – Alkalinity insight

• Filter coffee (≈1.2–1.4% TDS)
  → usually tastes best around 30–40 ppm KH
• Espresso (≈10% TDS)
  → may benefit from much higher alkalinity
  → sometimes 200–300 ppm KH gives fascinating results

Lotus Drops allow you to explore this easily — something traditional water systems can’t do.

🛡 Protecting your machines while experimenting

• Calcium causes scale
• Magnesium does NOT

👉 You can safely experiment with high hardness by:

• increasing magnesium
• keeping calcium moderate

​

👃 CoffeeNose Tip – Sodium & bitterness

Sodium reduces perceived bitterness.

👉 For:

• dark roasts
• robusta
• bitter espresso

…adding a bit more sodium bicarbonate can smooth the cup dramatically.

Check out our coffees

WB.coffee blends are roasted fresh on order. We roast with 100% renewable energy ☀ and 0% gas. 

☕ Our Signature Blends

• FC – Fruity & Chocolaty - smooth, juicy, comforting
• FF - Fruity & Floral - elegant & aromatic ​
• FJ – Fruity & Juicy - vibrant and sweet, a filter favorite
• The Chocolatier’s Brew – Chocolate & Praline (Brazil)
• VC - Vanilla & Caramel - creamy, sweet, irresistibly smooth
•  CN - Chocolaty & Nutty (HoReCa besteseller)

🌿 Chemical-Free Decaffeinated Coffees

• AFD – Apple & Fudge Decaf - bright, cozy
• CDD – Caramel & Spices Decaf - warm, sweet

🌍 Single Origins — Limited Editions

New lots arrive throughout the year.

• Ethiopia Guji Honey & Pineapple Express – fruity & complex
• Ethiopia Natural Dimtu & Guatemala Inferno Geisha – classic profiles

Get in touch for what’s currently on the cupping table and receive personal flavour recommendations based on your taste.

🎯 Taste Before You Choose

Try four coffees at once with our Coffee Tasting Set — available in:

• Filter or Espresso
• 4 blends or 4 single origin limited editions

Prefer to experience them first?

Explore our full tasting menu @ Amsterdam Coffee Lab in Weesp, where you can try any blend (or all of them 🏃)

Order coffee

Coffee Omakase – The Ultimate Coffee Tasting Experience ☕

For the curious, the connoisseurs, and everyone who knows coffee can be more.

Have you ever walked out of a café disappointed — knowing your cup could have been so much better?

Then this experience is for you.

The Coffee Omakase @ Amsterdam Coffee Lab is a guided, multi-course coffee tasting designed for specialty coffee enthusiasts, flavor explorers, and curious coffee lovers alike.

Each session is unique, interactive, and bursting with discovery — like a live culinary performance, but for coffee.

What to Expect

During this exclusive sensory journey, you’ll:

☕ Taste a curated lineup of exceptional coffees — washed, natural, and experimental processing methods (think anaerobic, co-ferment, honey, and even wild fermentation projects).

🌸 Experience rare varietals — including legendary coffees like Geisha, and other micro-lot gems from around the world.

🔬 Explore multiple brew styles — from delicate filter brews and bold espressi to the mesmerizing syphon method.

🥄 Try your hand at cupping — slurp and taste coffee like a professional taster, discovering aromas and acidity in new ways.

🍹 Enjoy surprising coffee mocktails — creative and refreshing, crafted from the same beans you’ll taste in the lineup.

👃 Engage your senses fully — experience how the aroma, cup shape, color, and even the sound of pouring influence your flavor perception.

A Guided Journey by the CoffeeNose 👃

Led by Wouter Brunia, also known as the CoffeeNose 👃, this tasting is a deep dive into coffee flavor and sensory science.

Like a sommelier presenting fine wines, Wouter will:

• Brew each coffee live with expert precision
• Share the stories of each bean — from farm to fermentation
• Explain flavor notes, processing methods, and varietal differences
• Help you understand why your favorite coffee tastes the way it does

It’s fun for your brain, taste buds, and nose — and you’ll leave with a new appreciation for what’s in your cup.

Each Omakase is Unique

No two tastings are ever the same.

Our coffees rotate constantly and often include exclusive lots — such as Geisha, co-fermented experiments, and rare micro-lots you won’t find in cafés.

Every visit promises something unexpected, thought-provoking, and delicious.

Who It’s For

• Specialty coffee geeks craving depth and discovery
• Curious coffee lovers ready to learn (and taste!) something new
• Couples and friends looking for a unique sensory experience
• Anyone who wants to fall in love with coffee all over again

Details

📍 Location: Amsterdam Coffee Lab, Weesp

🕒 Duration: ±1.5–2 hours

👥 Group Size: Small & intimate for personal attention

🎟️ Booking: More info & reservations ⬇

Why Join?

Because coffee can be so much more than just caffeine — it’s chemistry, art, and emotion in a cup.

Join the Coffee Omakase Experience and taste what happens when curiosity meets craftsmanship.

Do you crave the excitement of discovering exquisite coffee flavors and captivating aromas? Don’t miss out on our exclusive Coffee Tasting Experience @ Amsterdam Coffee Lab, where you’ll not only indulge your senses but also gain valuable insights into the world of coffee. Join us for an unforgettable journey!

Join us for a fun and informative sensory experience revolving around coffee. During this experience you will: 

• Taste washed, natural and alternative processed coffee beans 
• Explore various varietals of Arabica coffee including the famous Gesha
• Discover different coffee brewing methods outside of standard espresso
  
• Savor surprising coffee mocktails
  
• Try cupping coffee: sample your coffee by slurping it from a spoon, just like an expert coffee taster would
  
• Experience how sensory elements such as aroma, size, shape, and color of the coffee cup affect flavor perception.
  

Similar to how a knowledgeable wine sommelier educates you about the wine and presents it at the perfect temperature in the right glass, our master barista and flavor expert will expertly brew your coffee while enlightening you about the entire process, the origin of the beans, varietals, the flavor notes, and much more.  Envision it as a live cooking demonstration, but dedicated entirely to the craft of coffee brewing.

Fun for your brain, taste buds and nose!

More info & booking ⬇

More info & booking

Home Barista Espresso Workshop – Brew, Taste & Impress!

Unlock the secrets of perfect espresso ☕ at Amsterdam Coffee Lab in Weesp

Ready to take your home coffee game to the next level?

Join our hands-on Home Barista Workshop at Amsterdam Coffee Lab, led by Wouter Brunia — the CoffeeNose 👃, sensory expert and coffee trainer with 10+ years of experience.

Whether you’re a beginner or already pulling shots at home, this workshop will help you brew better, taste deeper, and have fun while learning.

What to Expect

• 🎯 Learn by doing: Practice on real espresso machines and grinders (bring your own if possible!)
• ☕ Taste lots of espresso: Explore flavor profiles from nutty & chocolaty to fruity & floral — with optional spitting, like a true coffee tasting
• ⚙️ Understand your gear: Master your own espresso machine and grinder so you can replicate café-quality results at home
• 🎁 Perfect gift idea: Treat yourself or surprise a coffee-loving friend with a fun, skill-building experience
• 💡 Unlock new techniques: From dialing in your grinder to crafting recipes that fit your taste

What You’ll Learn

✅ How to choose the best beans for espresso

✅ The art of grinding and dialing in for precision flavor

✅ Crafting your own espresso recipe & brew ratio

✅ How to steam milk like a pro for cappuccino, latte, cortado & flat white

✅ The science of water and temperature control

✅ How to maintain and clean your espresso machine & grinder

✅ Tips for storing coffee to keep it fresh

✅ Advanced insights into taste, aroma & extraction balance

Why Choose Amsterdam Coffee Lab

At Amsterdam Coffee Lab / WB.coffee in Weesp, we believe in learning through tasting, doing, and having fun.

You’ll get independent, honest advice from a real expert — not a brand rep.

Our workshops are designed to give you confidence, understanding, and the joy of making truly great coffee.

Practical Info

📍 Location: Amsterdam Coffee Lab, Weesp (next to Karwei)

⏱️ Duration: ±2 hours of espresso tasting and training

👥 Level: Beginner to experienced home baristas

🧰 Bring your own gear: Espresso machine or grinder (optional, photos also help)

🎟️ Perfect gift: book a workshop date later!

Book Your Spot

Spaces are limited — reserve your place today and start brewing espresso like a pro.

👉 Register now for the Home Barista Workshop

More info & Booking