Zero Water brand filters for brewing?

Hello all,

I've been searching around the forum for information on Zero Water filters and their utility for providing good base water ala reverse osmosis water or distilled water. However, I haven't been able to find anything because we really use the word "water" a lot, especially on this forum - and "zero" pops up quite a bit, too. So, I figured I'd start a thread...

For what it's worth, their help guide claims:

ZeroWater® filters produce water that is a similar purity level to that produced from an RO system. Our systems also don't waste any water and operate based on gravity. In addition, they do not need to be installed into your plumbing.

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I'm just wondering what, if any, experience any of you have with the system.

Thanks guys!

This is the same technology as Brita and suffers from the same major disadvantage as far as brewers are concerned. These are low volume systems intended to provide small quantities of drinking water hence the pitcherlike design. They contain GAC and ion exchange resins. If the source water contains an appreciable ion content the resins will be exhausted quickly. They claim that the system will process 30 gal of 200 ppm TDS water (average for the coasts - Pacific northwest is well below this in many locales and midwest well above) before output TDS rises to 6 at which point they recommend replacing the filters. RO water will typically run below 20 and there is no reason you couldn't use this system until the output reaches that level.

30 gal would be enough for a couple (3?) batches of beer. At $15 per filter cartridge that's about $0.50/gal which is pretty steep. But they do have some sort of recycling program (ion exchange cartridges can be recharged).

A final note: it's going to take quite a while for 10 gal of water to trickle through this thing but then RO systems aren't really that fast either unless you pay a fair amount for one with a pump.

Thanks for the reply, AJ.

I guess I should have included some more details in my OP. Basically I'm in an apartment so I cannot install an RO system, so although that would provide the greatest cost efficiency and convenience to me, I'm simply not able.

That leaves using straight tap water (well, campden treated tap water) and buying from the store.

My tap water isn't the best base water to begin with AND it varies depending on which source my municipality is pulling from that day, so it's difficult to even determine a good treatment plan besides stripping it down and building back up. It yields acceptable beer but I also have little doubt it could be improved upon.

Store bought water is, at best (meaning RO refilling stations, not prepackaged which can easily cost $0.80-$1.00/gallon at the local grocery stores) equal or maybe slightly cheaper than operating a Zero Water filter - but then I have to buy and carry 8ish gallons of water into my apartment. A first world problem, to be sure, but still not something I enjoy.

So, even though it's a relatively expensive method (compared to home RO) and it takes forever to filter the necessary amount of water for a brew day, I think I'm willing to live with those disadvantages because I still see that as an improvement over my current options - if, that is, it yields acceptable results.

Based on your reply, it sounds like using Zero Water even past the recommended replacement TDS count would yield a quality base water - am I correct in that assessment?

One thing to consider is a "tabletop" portable RO water system if that is something you'd like to do. I bought one that just attaches to my faucet in my laundry room, and use that for brewing. There is quite a bit of wastewater with it, and that goes down the drain, or into the washing machine, but I paid about $120 for it and I have used it now for a couple of years without needing any filters or anything for it.

Of course, the Zero filter might work well for you as well, I as just throwing that idea out there!

Yooper said:

One thing to consider is a "tabletop" portable RO water system if that is something you'd like to do. I bought one that just attaches to my faucet in my laundry room, and use that for brewing. There is quite a bit of wastewater with it, and that goes down the drain, or into the washing machine, but I paid about $120 for it and I have used it now for a couple of years without needing any filters or anything for it.

Of course, the Zero filter might work well for you as well, I as just throwing that idea out there!

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I hadn't seen those anywhere - that would definitely fit my needs. I'll look into them, thanks!

I too live in an apartment, so I can feel your pain. I picked up one of these at More Beer, Water Filter .

While it is really just a glorified Brita filter, it has made my homebrew life easier.

jhall4 said:

Based on your reply, it sounds like using Zero Water even past the recommended replacement TDS count would yield a quality base water - am I correct in that assessment?

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Yes.

Awesome, thanks for the help, everyone!

Hi,
Both Brita and Zero Water Filters are same. But Zero Water Filters are significantly better than other filters including Brita, IT HAS FIVE LAYERED FILTRATION SYSTEM AND TRAPS SOLID. Although its a magical filter (too good to be true) but my experience using this filter is not satisfactory. The filter works very slowly as it goes through the five layers of filtration I guess, and doesn't fit in the fridge.
Hope it helps..

Also you can check this article https://waterfilteronly.com/zero-water-vs-brita/
its really helpful

Must be about time to bring up Kangen water, no?

I have two zero water filters and I love them...for drinking water. They really do bring your water down to 0ppm which is what distilled and RO water should measure. That being said they would be painfully slow for brewing use, and the filters cost $15 each and I get about 15 gallons throughput before the PPM starts to rise. They say to replace them when they get to 006ppm, but I tend to use them much longer than that.

IMHO, for brewing you want as close to 0ppm as you can get as a reliable basis to build your brewing water profile, which means adhering to the 15 gallons per filter limit and that equates to $1/gallon, slightly more expensive than buying RO at the grocery store except you don't have to tote all that water back and forth.

I have thought about modifying a 5-gallon pail to accept a filter cartridge in the bottom and setting it atop another bucket with a hole in the lid for the filter to hang down, then filling it the night before brew day and let it trickle overnight. The increased column pressure should speed up the flow rate but in my case I mash in with full volume 8.5 gallons and so would need two identical bucket filter setups to provide enough water. I also don't know if microbes would grow in the cartridges between uses as they sit dry. If you'd rather buy a filter system instead of buying RO water, I would suggest another option like Yooper's setup.