LAKing

Recipes 

Any body on here brew in Fairfax County, VA? Do you use straight tap water to brew your beer?

Beerknapper

Recipes 

We moved here 2 years ago and I've brewed a couple batches here. I am not a fan of the tap water here in general even for drinking, so I haven't brewed without filtering it or buying gallons of water.

moose7710

Recipes 

I actualy like the water in fairfax. I've never had a problem using it straight from the tap. You can check out the water reports on www.fcwa.org.

SwillBilly

Recipes 

Been brewing with FFX Co tap water for a couple years. Never had an issue with the water. Its fine.

__________________
Keg 1: Chipotle Smoked Porter
Keg 2: ESB
keg 3: Southern English Brown
Keg 4: Munich Helles
Primary: English Barleywine, XPA, Breakfast Stout
Secondary:
Bottle: Wee Heavy, Bourbon Barrel Sour Stout, Bourbon Barrel Sour Oud Bruin, Wine Barrel Sour Belgian Single.

banesong

Recipes 

I brew with water from my house filter from Amway. The water itself tastes pretty good; SWMBO is just paranoid.

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Primary: MWB Brown Mild, Haus Pale Ale, AH Chocolate Orange, EdWort's Apfelwein x2
Secondary: None
Bottled/Conditioning: MWB Irish Red, Citra/Oatmeal Pale Lawnmower
Drinking: Spiced Oatmeal Cookie Stout, Lawnmower Ale III - Citra Pale Ale, EdWort's Apfelwein
On Deck: Chocolate Cherry Stout, DFH Shelter Pale Ale
Batches Brewed in 2010 = 2 1/2
Batches Brewed in 2011 = 14 1/2
Batches Brewed in 2012 = 0

ItalianGuy78

Recipes 

Fairfax County water is pretty drinkable, though it does have some additives.

I have a Pur filter on my kitchen tap. I'm using Mr. Beer for my brewing currently, and all my water is filtered.

doc_rob

Recipes 

A couple of weeks ago I talked to Bill Madden, brewer at Mad Fox, and asked him what they did with their water (I'm not sure if Falls Church City has a different water supply from Fairfax Co). He said they occasionally add some salts to soften or harden the water to style, but usually don't do anything. He said he was considering getting an RO system for beers like the Kolsch (so he could start from a blank slate), but their Kolsch is already great and their Kolsch Kellerbier won gold at the GABF this year so I don't think they're doing too bad with the FC water as-is. For most of their beers they charcoal filter and that's it.

DrunkleJon

Recipes 

I have had no problems with the water itself. Though I am not all that deep into water chemistry yet. I also seem to remember seeing a thread/whatever somewhere saying that the water was good for homebrewing. Though that may have been a couple years ago.

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On Deck: Black Lager (im stalling on this one for some reason), Octoberfest/Marzen
Fermenting:Apfelwein
Kegged: Breakfast Stout, Cream Ale, Apfelwein, Pale Ale
Bottled: American Amber/Red Ale

vtron

Recipes 

I've been using straight up Fairfax CO tap since I switched to all grain. For most beers, it's been fine. However, there are some brews that seem to have an off flavor that I think may be due to the water. Either way, I've convinced my wife we need an RO system (having twins, so "we need good clean water for the babies," haha).