Drinking water..

I have heard not to use distilled water or spring water.. I was curious for a simple alternative. Drinking water.. i was at the store and found jugs of drinking water and was curious being a 1st time brewer(1st brew is tomorrow night) if i could just buy the jugs of drinking water and not have to use tap water.. Curious about everyone's comments.. thanks..

I use drinking water from the store, as my tap water really sucks.........

I made about 100 batches with spring water so I think that one is okay. Drinking water is fine and dandy too. Distilled water is another story but you already know that one.

If your tap water is good, there's no problem with using it.
Anyhoo, there's no problem with spring water, and drinking water is fine too. Normally you'd want to avoid using all distilled or reverse osmosis water as many valuable minerals have been stripped away. However, distilled or RO can be used to dilute hard tap water.

Chris

I live in NYC where we have good water but this is what my next batch will be like. I had a delivery from Freshdirect (local online supermarket) that delivered a bunch of stuff including 6 x 1 gallons of Poland Spring + 6 pack of Stone IPA. I also was at Costco and picked up a Britta water filter and from now on I think I'll do this:

Use the jugs for storing my own clean water which I will run thru Britta filter first and then boiling and using for next batch. So called spring water that sold has been found to contain the same if not more (in some cases) levels of many chemicals, minerals, etc.

I have always used store bought spring water and had good results. I have "city water" so I've always been afraid of the chlorine in it.

You can get a water analysis done on your tap water, but rule of thumb: if it tastes good, brew with it. I live in Salt Lake City, and the tap water here has been just fine.

(This mostly applies to extract brewing. If you plan to do an all-grain, you should be more thoughtful about your water chemistry.)

My idea solves all the problems and provides the best possible water.

thanks guys for the post.. I did like your idea pivzavod.. I think i will go with the jugs.. they are only about 69 cents a piece.. and a piece of mind.. small price to pay..

ChrisS68 said:

If your tap water is good, there's no problem with using it.
Anyhoo, there's no problem with spring water, and drinking water is fine too. Normally you'd want to avoid using all distilled or reverse osmosis water as many valuable minerals have been stripped away. However, distilled or RO can be used to dilute hard tap water.

Chris

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Damn I didn't know that. I have a batch brewing that I used RO water with. It's fermenting like crazy though. Seems normal. I guess I'll find out when its done. Although i did add 1 gallon of tap water because i ended up like 1 gallon short of water. Evaporation from the boil and whatever water was left in the cracked grains i guess. But, It's been fermenting perfectly for about 3 days so far.

I use both distilled and spring, on the recommendation of my LHBS since my tap water BLOWS... and, of course, my beers are superb. I think both distilled and spring water are AOK.

The Pol said:

I use both distilled and spring, on the recommendation of my LHBS since my tap water BLOWS... and, of course, my beers are superb. I think both distilled and spring water are AOK.

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Well, the water I used said "Drinking Water" But it also said reverse osmosis. But once again, It's fermenting like crazy. So I'm pretty confident it will come out okay.

Drinking water is fine too... if the water tastes good, it will make good beer.