Brew water help

Ive been using distilled water as my brew water. I use distilled water so there is no chlorine. I was just reading, Im not suppose to use distilled water because I need minerals? Im brewing a turbodog clone and I want this one to be perfect. So, earlier today I added campten tabs to 6gals of tap water for tomorrow. Does this sound like a wise choice or should I try somthing different.
Thanks

If your tap water tastes good, it will probably brew good beer. And the campden tablet will remove any chlorine/chloramine from your water (but you should only need a half tablet for 10 gals).

You didn't mention if you are extract, partial mash, or all grain brewing -- the minerals in your water become increasingly important in that order.

Davesbrew85 said:

I was just reading, Im not suppose to use distilled water because I need minerals? Im brewing a turbodog clone and I want this one to be perfect.

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Depends...are you doing extract? If tat is the case, distilled should be OK. The idea being that the water that the extract was mashed in and boiled down from retained most of its minerals already and by diluting with distilled water the mineral profile of the original water should be similar in your final beer. However, if you are doing all grain, the mineral profile is essential to form a buffer system with your grains and keep mash pH in the right range. I recommend chapter 15 at www.howtobrew.com for anyone who is intersted in a great introduction to brewing water.

Hope this helps.

Matt

clayof2day said:

I recommend chapter 15 at www.howtobrew.com for anyone who is intersted in a great introduction to brewing water.

Hope this helps.

Matt

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that web site doesn't work

FEARDIZ said:

that web site doesn't work

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Temporary tech difficulties I'm sure. Try back later, or buy the book. It's a handy reference to have around.

Dave
Is that Turbodog as in Abita Turbo dog.
When I lived in New Orleans I lived on this beer but have not seen it sold anywhere else.

If so please post the recipe

I'm doing this one all grain; I just started my mash.
This recipe was posted by DeRoux's Broux in 2006.
I have to try this recipe Turbodog is great!


Abita Turbodog
(5 gallons/19 L, extract w/ grains)
OG=1.054 FG=1.014, IBU=32-34

5 lbs Muntons unhopped light dry malt extract
1.25 lbs crystal malt (Schreier crsytal 100 or Muntons crystal dark)
0.5 lbs chocolate malt
7 aau's Chinook Hops (0.6 oz of 12% aa)
5 aau's Willamette Hops (1.25 oz of 4% aa)
6 aau's Willamette Hops (1.5 oz of 4% aa)
White Labs WLPOO4 Irish Ale or Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale
3/4 cup corn sugar or 1 cup dme for

Heat specialty grain in 2.5 gallons of water at 152 degrees for 45 minutes. remove grain, add dry malt extract, bring to a boil abnd add 1 oz chinook hops.
boil for 85 minutes and add 1.25 oz willamette hops. boil 5 minutes and remove from heat for a rest, then add 1.5 oz willamette hops. boil 5 minutes and remove from heat, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. bring up to 5.25 gallons whith chilled, pre-boiled water.
cool to 60 degrees, add yeast, aerate and let ferment for 5-6 days at 55-58 degrees, or at the lower end of your yeast manufacturers recomendation. cool to around 45 and age for one week before racking into bottles or kegs.
all-grain option:
cut out DMEand use 7.5 lbs pale malt. heat 2.5 g of water to 160 in a brew pot and slowly mix in milled malt. hold at 152 for 45 minutes, then heat thick mash to 172 and hold for 5 minutes. transfer to lauter unit and run-off first wort (should be about 1.070). sparge w/ 3.75 g of water at 172. bring wort to boil and proceed as above.

i have high alkalinity, high carbonate hardness, and chloramine in my tap water.

it makes great beer, and not just dark beer...my kolsch tastes great!