High-quality Louisville Pure Tap®: Key Ingredient for Pizza Perfection

“We were into dough in 1988,” Mark Peters, the owner of Coals Artisan Pizza, said with a chuckle.

Peters isn’t joking. His passion for pizza stretches back decades. He and his wife, Madeline, ran a successful calzone business when they decided to leave Seattle and launch a new venture. They packed their bags and hit the road to explore pizzerias on the west coast. The couple travelled east and landed in Louisville along the way, but they had one final road trip.

“We went to the southeast, Florida and Georgia, and you can’t make good pizza (there) because they don’t have good water. They don’t have the water we have here,” Peters said.

“Pizza crust is two-thirds water. You have to have good water to make good pie,” he explained while giving credit to his wife on her due diligence in digging into the science of Louisville Water.

“Madeline had done some research. I don’t think she knew at the time that our water was trademarked [Louisville Pure Tap®], but she said we’re rated as the highest quality in the nation.”

Exceptional water is an especially key ingredient for Coals which has a unique recipe to make its signature dough.

“Our dough is special because it’s highly hydrated; about 67- or 68-percent water. I think a typical pizzeria might be close to 65, 64 (percent). It’s easier to handle if it’s lower hydration,” Peters said. “It’s then rolled very properly, put in airtight boxes, and we do a cold rise for two full days.”

That precision to be a slice above the rest recently earned Coals a spot on the list of top 50 pizzerias.

“Six consecutive years!” Peters exclaimed, adding, “We’re so happy to do it for Louisville.”

The city quickly became home for the Peters family when they moved here in 2010. Madeline thought the menu was the perfect place to add a touch of local flavor.

“She said these neighborhood names are so interesting and there are so many of them and they reflect the heritage of the city,” shared Peters.

From the “St. Matthews” to “Butchertown” or “Portland”, you’ll have your pick of pizzas made with high-quality ingredients starting with the high-quality Pure Tap in the crust.

Don’t forget to order a glass to wash it down!