JBrady

Recipes 

The water at my house is so bad i can hardly stand to take a shower in it, so i doubt that I'll make beer with it. Its just got that sulfery smell real bad, Im having a new well drilled in a few months deeper and in a better spot in the yard but for now i need a solution for home brewing. Im gonna use bottled water i guess and was wondering if anybody out there has any input on matter. Is any particular company better than the rest? Companies to avoid? Any info would help. Its been years in the making but I have assembled my home brewery and am knowledgeable enough to "get by" on this first brew, but i just don't think that waters gonna cut it. thanks for your help

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Primary: Empty

Bottled: Janet's Brown, Session Dry Stout, Yellow Fly Cream Ale

Gallons Brewed In 2011-40

BrianP

Recipes 

You're like me - bad well water. A softener is a good idea for your household uses, but you won't want to use either the softened or untreated water for brewing.

I have an reverse osmosis system, which you'd think would do the trick, but this water is so pure it's devoid of minerals that your yeast need (Calcium, etc.).

I'd recommend one of three things:
1) Natural spring water from your grocery store. It has the natural minerals you want. Identifying a particular one to use is difficult since brands differ regionally and national brands may use a variety of sources.

2) Use R.O. water (grocery stores have dispensers for this) and use software to determine what minerals to add (chalk, calcium chloride, epsom salts, etc.). Howtobrew.com has a good section on water chemistry.

3) Use a carboy or three and transport water from some local source you trust (a friends or relatives with decent water).

Hope this helps.

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Cheers,

BP

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Fermenter 1: Best bitter (1)
Fermenter 2: Best bitter (2)
Fermenter 3: APA
Fermenter 4: APA

JBrady

Recipes 

THANK YOU BrianP. Thats the information I needed. I guess I'll go with whatever spring water i can find at winn dixie or wal mart tomorrow. thanks

__________________
Primary: Empty

Bottled: Janet's Brown, Session Dry Stout, Yellow Fly Cream Ale

Gallons Brewed In 2011-40

eriktlupus

Recipes 

i use the RO water from walmart then add 5.2 mash stabilizer to it in directed quantities. never had a problem this way except when i space out and forget the 5.2

__________________
primary1 :UTOPIA BABY(still searching for it)
secondary:middling bastard ipa
kegged:simcoe blonde, crystal pale ale, yellow jacket golden ale, lemon shandy blonde
DRINKIN DAWG BREWERY
LET'S GO RED WINGS


join michigan mashers here

extraction calculator
grains in pounds(G) X 36(average points per gallon of grains) / batch size in gallons(g) = maximum efficiency(ME)
OG / ME = brewhouse efficiency

JBrady

Recipes 

that RO with mash stabilizer would probaly be cheaper than 10 gallons of spring water wouldn't it?

__________________
Primary: Empty

Bottled: Janet's Brown, Session Dry Stout, Yellow Fly Cream Ale

Gallons Brewed In 2011-40

eriktlupus

Recipes 

the water costs me @1.35 per 5g

__________________
primary1 :UTOPIA BABY(still searching for it)
secondary:middling bastard ipa
kegged:simcoe blonde, crystal pale ale, yellow jacket golden ale, lemon shandy blonde
DRINKIN DAWG BREWERY
LET'S GO RED WINGS


join michigan mashers here

extraction calculator
grains in pounds(G) X 36(average points per gallon of grains) / batch size in gallons(g) = maximum efficiency(ME)
OG / ME = brewhouse efficiency