RO filter for brewstand?

I'm in the process of building my brewstand and would like to incorporate a filter into it. I normally use water from one of those Glacier water machines you see outside a grocery store for 25 cents a gallon, but I'd like the ease of just having right there on the stand. Can any one see any problems with this idea?

I wouldn't do RO unless you plan on adding the minerals back to the water...... or you do only extract. A regular carbon-type filter would be fine though, IMHO.

there is a lot of discussion on this board on the merits or lack thereof when using RO water. most people seem to think that you need trace minerals in your water for the yeast to function properly and for extraction of sugars in the mash.. that being said i to use the RO water from the machines and the only addition i've ever done has been the ph buffer 5.2. the other consideration is cost most carbon filters can be had for 10 bones or so and ro systems run upwards of 80 here. if you do run a carbon filter go for .2-.5 micron filter to remove other **** other than taste, my house system doesn't go small enough to remove the iron in my well water.

If you plan on adding something like brewing salts back to the water, and you are wanting to build your own water profile for each beer, then go for it. The minerals in the water balance the mash to insure proper conversion has taken place, and add flavor components to the beer like excentuated hop or malt flavors, and some people like mimicking the water profile of different places to try to reproduce their beers exactly.

If you don't want to do that, then a carbon filter would suit your needs much better. All you really need to worry about is removing the chloramines in tap water, and a simple carbon filter (Brita, PUR) will get the job done. I have one of those that fits on the faucet and it works fine. Or just use raw sewage, it works pretty well too.

RO systems are expensive, usually have multiple filters, and require a good sized storage tank. If you want to use RO water you are better off buying it, making RO water is a slow process and you would almost have to have a pressure tank big enough to hold all the water you would need for the whole brew session.

I vote for the carbon filter.

+1 on carbon. They got them at RV stores with the hose (white) that is also for drinking water. 'Tis what I use.

Or Ace Hardware I guess...

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1275783

I remember there being an article in BYO several months back about a DIY filter for your garden hose that just used a Pur shower filter...

http://***********/component/resource/article/402-build-your-own-water-filter-projects
I think this is the article you remembered. But the RV filter is looking like a better unit as it's rated for 3gpm and is already threaded for garden hose fittings. Oh and I found it for $12 on amazon.
-Ben

+1 carbon filter. An important note about carbon is that it absorbs impurities vs. filtering them. the flow must be slow enough for the carbon to absorb. The slower the fill the better the filtration. Plan on 20-30 mins to fill 15 gallons for good filtration. I use a 2 stage filter setup the first being 2 micron carbon and the second is .5 micron carbon. I'm working on a float system so I can fill the keggle overnight at a trickle to improve my brew water further.

buy the cheep house water filter unit like many have to get rid of sediment and possibly some chlorine. RO seems like overkill and trouble, I often feel like some of the more bland microbrews were the ones that had the softest water -- not allowing the proper contrast for the malts and hops to shine through. I would look into your local water chemistry and only go for RO if your water is extremely extremely hard. But then you would still need to add proper salts.

So juat buy the cheep one, replace it every 100-200 gallons, and never send hot water through it or let it grow mold and you will be fine.