Arby Avanesian

The pursuit of perfection can consume those who seek it. It can also inspire greatness, drive innovation, and provide one of the most potent motivators. For most, “perfection” is an arbitrary, ever-changing benchmark. For Arby Avanesian — one of only a handful of visionaries shaping the coffee water niche — that is precisely what makes it a fascinating endeavor. Having invested six years into the craft of coffee water, he has mastered the art of drawing out the untapped potential of every coffee. Now, he is well on his way to achieving the impossible: a perfect, chemically balanced cup. 

Arby Avanesian

“I’m no scientist. I have no formal qualifications of any kind. But I am the developer of empirical water.”

So begins Arby Avanesian (@empiricalwater) as he settles into the industry-defiant arc of his unconventional coffee story. 

“So, why me?” asks Avanesian. It’s a simple question, one that can only be answered by winding the clock back six years to the start of his journey. 

Avanesian’s story begins as many others: as a casual coffee enjoyer, slowly lured deeper into the practice of coffee. From a simple homebrew setup, armed only with a Mr. Coffee machine, an abundance of pre-ground dark roast, and unfiltered tap water, he embarked on a daily ritual of optimization.

“My focus was never purely on the usual consumerist approach of buying more and more fancy expensive gear for marginal improvements. I always believed that with the right level of skill and attention, a brewer could bring wonderful features out of many coffees, not just ultra-expensive ones brewed with uber-expensive equipment.”

As he grew more familiar with coffee, capable of deftly manipulating its subtle variations and minute differences, Avanesian realized that quality depended on more than his brewing method or equipment. There was, he concluded, another variable at play.

With time, that unknown variable became clear. 

Through his experiments with the conventional variables, Avanesian cultivated a refined palette. He had, he thought, tried it all. The first test mug brewed with higher-quality water, however, instantly proved that theory wrong. “All it took was a single brew made with a naturally occurring mineral profile,” he explains. 

From then on, everything would change. 

Muddy flavors, acidic tones, and astringent aftertastes — all could be attributed to low-quality brewing water. Yet, as far as he had found, no one in the industry was talking about it. 

Discovering the importance of brewing water was, it seemed, Avanesian’s achievement alone — or it would be if he could prove the theory. To do so, he exchanged his Mr. Coffee machine for a chemistry book and set his sights not on the perfect cup but on the perfect brewing water.

Just a single cup led Avanesian on his journey to make a name for himself and the fledgling coffee water industry. This new goal led him down a road of intense research and ceaseless learning that culminated in an incredible discovery: a mineral profile that could draw out a coffee’s truest flavors. 

Though exultant at his discovery, Avensian admits the process was fraught with challenges.

Arby Avanesian

Six years of development. Untold hours of trial and error. Thousands of dollars on materials. Empirical water is a testament to Arby Avanesian’s dedication, a fact evident in the quality of the finished product. 

Creating empirical water has been a Herculean effort, yet Avenesian is still happy to share his recipes with the community. As he sees it, sharing these resources ensures that everyone has fair and equal access to an industry that often feels exclusive and elitist.

Now, with a fully-fledged, barista-approved product validated by the highest in the industry, Avanesian is redefining his goals once more, aiming to prove that empirical water is the industry leader in quality and precision. 

It is in his relentless pursuit of this next big achievement that Avanesian answers his own question: “Why me?” As he has learned these last six years, the better question is “Why not me?”

“Always, it was the same question driving me deeper into coffee: “How can I brew better coffee?” I never stopped asking myself that question. Even today, spending hours a day focusing on brewing coffee, every moment of every brew I ask myself that same question.”

Avanesian’s work is a love letter to the defiant, grassroots coffee movements operating on the outskirts of the industry. To support independent innovation, choose from unique water profiles designed to help you brew your perfect cup.

Arby Avanesian has dedicated himself to giving back to the coffee community, sharing free, open-sourced recipes anyone can use to level up their brewing game. Through his efforts, better brewing is only a click away — try empirical water today.