Favorite type of water?

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will_rouse

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Normally I use my tap water, but they a drilling a new well. So my tap water is gritty and taste like chlorine. I was wonder when you guys buy gallon water from the store what's your favorite kind? Anything I should look out for?
 
I buy RO water from a Glacier water vending machine at the grocery store for $0.30 per gallon. I use it for brewing (since I brew All Grain, I add appropriate amounts of CaSO4 and CaCl2) and for mixing up StarSan.
 
What about reverse osmosis is that a no go? And is boil off rate about the same I don't see why it wouldn't be but just to double check.
 
What are you brewing? Some styles do better with lots of minerals and others do better with softer water.
 
I'm brewing a centennial blonde I can post the recipe if needed.
 
Start looking through the Brewing Science's forums water primer. Its a good starting point.

Also, be aware that some of that water in the store is "Spring Water" and may have some mineral content already. If its reverse osmosis or distilled, you've got a pretty blank slate.

For what its worth, for the blonde I'd probably add about .5g of both CaCl and CaSO4 per gallon of water.

Good luck.
 
What about reverse osmosis is that a no go? And is boil off rate about the same I don't see why it wouldn't be but just to double check.

Nothing! Reverse osmosis water is perfect for brewing.

For all grain brewing, it helps the yeast a bit to add some calcium in the form of calcium chloride or calcium sulfate when using RO water as it's very low in minerals. So many just add a teaspoon of calcium chloride to their brewing water and that's it. Others do a bit more and actually make up a water profile using spreadsheets and things, to enhance bitterness in the beer.

RO water is a blank slate, so it's a great place to start.
 
I was paying 79c per gallon for Ohio spring water at Giant Eagle. then I remembered years ago when I bought local spring water for the Discus fish,etc I was raising/breeding. It was 25c per gallon then,now 10c per gallon! and at two different places,both local & right from the source. So a five gallon brew costs me 60c for water,including boil off,grain absorption,etc. The yeasties seem to love it,& the hops & yeast esters (if any) seem to be a bit crisper.
 
I've had great results using RO water with 1 tsp Calcium Chloride per 5 gallons and 2% acidulated malt in the mash. Per the water chemistry primer in the Brew Science forum.
 
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