Who uses tap water

So the first few beers I used spring water that I bought from the grocery store, then I started using filtered water. Since I have moved to a neighborhood in Florida votes best tap water...I have to agree I like drinking it right out of the tap...so I said screw it I'm going to use it to brew...lots of people tell me I'm nuts, but when I have a group of people standing around me beer taps in the kitchen I don't get any complaint. Thoughts?


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I've been using my tap water since I started brewing! First in Central Texas with super hard well water and now in southern Colorado with the municipal supply... I have never noticed any off flavors but it really depends on the source. I feel like if it doesn't have a ton of chlorine and it tastes good to drink brew with it!

I used to buy spring water, but here in Philly the tap water is outstanding, so I just use that instead. It's a PITA to go buy and haul 20+ gallons from the store.

I also went through the 'beginners fear' and bought spring water early on. Found it to be a hassle and expensive. Bought an RV water filter and never looked back. I usually add a Campden tab or two into the HLT. It really depends on bow good the local water is. Mine's delicious.

I've always used water right from the tap. If I'd drink it strait from the nozzle, then it's good to put in my beer! There are some styles that would benefit from having harder/softer water, but personally, I'm not yet at the stage in my beer making were I concern myself with it. The beer is good, so I won't be spending extra money on what I can get for free anytime soon.

I tested my water at Ward Labs. I was surprised at how good it was for brewing.

Water hose, RV filter, 1/2 Campden tablet and 4 ounces of Gypsum. Go!

Get a water report so you know what you are getting and then go to town. Then you can add any brewer salt additions to craft the water to style. I've always used tap water. Some brews are awesome and every once in a while one is crap. I don't blame the water, more likely I screwed up somewhere...

I've only used tap water here in Portland, I did notice a difference once I started treating it with campden though. Been using about 1/4-1/2 tablet for 8 gallons of brewing water.

Ditto... Portland tap water and campden for me

I don't add any minerals to mine and like I said I get no complaints...I guess it could be better but if strip steak is delicious why try fillet mignon.


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Municipal tap water here. No issues. We get water from several lakes which is treated by various plants. Depending on where it's coming from, it may be treated with ozone, chlorine, ammonia, carbon and sand. It's made a few "best of" lists.

Chlorine, chloramines and monochloramine get blamed for various off flavors. These chemicals can be largely driven out of water by time, heat and agitation. Especially straight chlorine.

Here's a good article.

http://morebeer.com/articles/removing_chloramines_from_water

Tap water only for the last three years. Nothing but success.

Of course my tap water comes from fresh mountain rainwater filtered in a brand new UV filtration plant that's a mile up the road.


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Here in central IL we have a great underground water source and many bottling companies sell the water from it as natural spring water. Needless to say I just use tap water.

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I should add that investing in a water test kit (about $30) might be worth it if your curious about what's ACTUALLY in your water. Truthfully, I don't think I'd spend the money on it, but my buddy did, and it was nice to test my water...even if I'm not sure what all the numbers mean

water hardness - 100ppm
PH - 7
Chlorine - 0
Alkalinity - 40ppm

When I was living with the parents, my father would use the well water with no problems. Now I trust the city to provide me with the finest brewing water available. I should clarify that: I trust the city to give me infection free brewing.

I haven't had any problems as of yet. I have entertained the idea of getting a fancy whole home water filter, even thought about it before I started brewing. Now it seems like an even better idea. Then again it could be me just looking for something to spend money on.

Yeah I actually prefer the taste of salt lake city's water over any bottled water I've ever tried. Even the stuff that is bottled locally seems to have a weird taste. Maybe the plastic? I'm in the keep it simpler group though so dealing with water chem is not a bridge I've crossed yet.


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Yep, just tap water here in Arkansas too. I just can't get all that worked up over water issues. I know they can be a problem and later if I get all my other inconsistancies solved I might look at h2o problems. But right now this is just a hobby and not yet the obsession it will become. :^)

masskrug said:

I tested my water at Ward Labs. I was surprised at how good it was for brewing.

Water hose, RV filter, 1/2 Campden tablet and 4 ounces of Gypsum. Go!

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4oz of gypsum?

The Atlanta area has excellent water, nearly as soft as Pilsen. Up until now, all I did was a light filtering to remove chlorine and it was good to go.

However, I'm now moving to an exterior setup, so I've got an inline filter (actually a model intended to be under a sink, with appropriate adapters) which will allow me to use a garden hose for inflow without off-flavors. I'll have the garden hose on one end and a potable water hose with garden hose fittings on the other. I will be testing it for leaks later today, after the teflon paste on the brass adapters has set.

Tap water , I used bottled water one time , can't tell a difference.


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The water in my area is also Pilsen-like and great for brewing. I do need to treat with campden for the chloramine though.

I've always used tap water here in Newport, Kentucky, without any problems.

I use tap water but use a filter based off of theBYO plans. I find that my water tastes better filtered so I adhere to the old adage "good enough to drink, good enough to brew with."

I would like to build some water profiles and do some experiments though.

double post

Another tap water user here. I like the beer I make. No complaints. I do plan on getting a water report soon and getting into water additions this year. But yeah, I have no intention of going out and buying 8-9 gallons of water every brew day.

I use my tap water straight from the ground.... I have a private well 215 feet deep and 2 miles from the well Nestle uses to make Ice Mountain water.

I do get it tested every 18 months as I wish to monitor it for changes.
here is the Jan 13 report... next one will be in July of this year.

pH 8.2
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 203
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.34
Cations / Anions, me/L 3.9 / 4.0

PPM

Sodium, Na 20
Potassium, K < 1
Calcium, Ca 35
Magnesium, Mg 15
Total Hardness, CaCO3 150
Nitrate, NO3-N 0.2 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S 2
Chloride, Cl 5
Carbonate, CO3 9
Bicarbonate, HCO3 209
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 186
Total Phosphorus, P 0.35
Total Iron, Fe 0.01
"<" - Not Detected / Below Detection Limit

I do add brewing salts depending on the style.

I use Detroit's finest tap water, boiled and cooled. I have a pot cooling outside right now for a brewing later this evening.

Use my Cleveland water. Been using tap water since I started... Never knew there might be issues doing so. I just started all grain and so have to pay more attention but the water is actually perfect for brewing.

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Brewmenn said:

I use Detroit's finest tap water, boiled and cooled. I have a pot cooling outside right now for a brewing later this evening.

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Why do you boil it?

dhelegda said:

So the first few beers I used spring water that I bought from the grocery store, then I started using filtered water. Since I have moved to a neighborhood in Florida votes best tap water...I have to agree I like drinking it right out of the tap...so I said screw it I'm going to use it to brew...lots of people tell me I'm nuts, but when I have a group of people standing around me beer taps in the kitchen I don't get any complaint. Thoughts?


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Click to expand...

The source of your water is irrelevant. If your tap water is good then by all means brew with it. What's important is the water quality, its ion contents and your understanding of it not where it comes from.

I've been using my tap water for decades to brew beer. The water is high quality and has very low ion contents and alkalinity so it lends itself very nicely to brewing.

If you are brewing all grain I strongly suggest to obtain a detailed report of the water's ion contents and alkalinity. Be sure to read and make use of the brewing water resources available here at HBT in the Brew Science section.

What is the difference if I'm brewing all grain or extract?


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Tap water and campden tablet

dhelegda said:

What is the difference if I'm brewing all grain or extract?


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Click to expand...

Mash pH if all grain.

Oh ok...I guess blowing chemistry off in High School is finally coming around to kick me in the ass now!


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dhelegda said:

Oh ok...I guess blowing chemistry off in High School is finally coming around to kick me in the ass now!


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I don't think many high schools teach Chem as it applies to homebrewing lol

When I first started home brewing in Chicago in the early 90s, I had disastrous results. There were lots of factors involved in that. So I gave up for about 7 years. Water quality turned out to be one of the issues.

When I moved to Kenosha WI I found the tap water much more suitable for brewing, and suddenly my results improved dramatically.

Like I said, it wasn't all down to water, but it made a difference.


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Oh thank God, I don't feel do bad now!


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Always used tap water - no filter, no campden tablet, no nothing. My beer definitely tastes better than when I used to live in Tacoma. The water supply I have now is from a mutual and the wells are from the same aquifer as Mountain Mist bottled water

For my first couple AG brews I used bottled water... But buying 8-9 gallons of water got real old real quick. So then i just switched to my municipal tap water with no filter or tablets and haven't noticed a difference. I like the taste of the water from the tap, so I figured it should make good beer... Which it does.

This being said, I am going to get a water report to see if i should be adding minerals. If I do need to, I'll be interested in seeing how this changes my beer.

Tap water here in Northeast Mississippi

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