Questions About Water

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jvotava91

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My tap water taste pretty bad so I do not intend on using that. Does anyone have any suggestions on what kind of water to get? Distilled? Drinking water? Thanks
 
Distilled isn't all that great for brewing unless you want to completely customize a water profile by adding different chemicals to it. Most people just use good quality bottled water. If you need a water profile for a specific brand there's usually someone on here who has posted it or you can call/email the manufacturers who are usually pretty good about sharing that info.
 
Distilled isn't all that great for brewing unless you want to completely customize a water profile by adding different chemicals to it.

I'm curious about this part of your quote. I used 3 gallons of unfiltered tap water and 2 gallons of distilled in my last batch, and now I'm wondering if I screwed up.

For my next batch, I was planning on using 3 gallons of filtered tap water and 2 gallons of distilled water. Should I change that?
 
You don't want to use 100% distilled water because it lacks the minerals and things you want in beer. If you use, as you did, 3 gallons of tap water and 2 gallons of distilled, you will be in effect just be softening your water, which depending on your water profile could be a very good thing.
 
You don't want to use 100% distilled water because it lacks the minerals and things you want in beer. If you use, as you did, 3 gallons of tap water and 2 gallons of distilled, you will be in effect just be softening your water, which depending on your water profile could be a very good thing.

That's true if you're mashing grain, but for an extract batch with steeping grains, distilled water is fine.

Some grocery stores have those "water machines" that supply reverse osmosis water cheap, and that's an ideal brewing water.
 
My tap water taste pretty bad so I do not intend on using that. Does anyone have any suggestions on what kind of water to get? Distilled? Drinking water? Thanks

Define tastes bad? If it isn't usuable for brewing, just buy a jug or 2 of water.

My Girlfriend is from a small town in NH and they get their water from a ground well and she thinks our city water tastes bad, but to me it's fine, I just filter it incase there's chlorine in it.
 
That's true if you're mashing grain, but for an extract batch with steeping grains, distilled water is fine.

Some grocery stores have those "water machines" that supply reverse osmosis water cheap, and that's an ideal brewing water.

I could be wrong, but as I understand the properties of distilled water (unrelated to brewing) you could have issues with super heating but that shouldn't be an issue with brewing I'd imagine.

I'm just against distilled and other forms of water because they're so expensive. I forget the exact number but it's like 2000 times more expensive to buy water than just use tap water. Say a 5 gallon jug of water is 10 bucks. If you brew 20 batches of beer in 2 years you've spend at least 240 bucks on water. If you buy a reverse osmosis machine for 200 bucks (so a pretty nice one) you still make out since your cost for tap water will be like 3 dollars.
 
I could be wrong, but as I understand the properties of distilled water (unrelated to brewing) you could have issues with super heating but that shouldn't be an issue with brewing I'd imagine.

I'm just against distilled and other forms of water because they're so expensive. I forget the exact number but it's like 2000 times more expensive to buy water than just use tap water. Say a 5 gallon jug of water is 10 bucks. If you brew 20 batches of beer in 2 years you've spend at least 240 bucks on water. If you buy a reverse osmosis machine for 200 bucks (so a pretty nice one) you still make out since your cost for tap water will be like 3 dollars.

But it's like 37 cents a gallon at the "water machine" in grocery stores, for high quality water.

True, tap water is often ok and can be cheaper. But removing the chlorine or chloramine, and perhaps removing bicarbonate if needed is often not practical for brewers.

I bought my own RO water machine about a year ago, so that I can have RO water in my home. I use some tap water, too, depending on what I'm brewing.

Distilled or RO water is always ideal for brewing, while sometimes people's tap water is fine. Some tap water shouldn't be used for brewing. It really depends on each person's water source.
 
But it's like 37 cents a gallon at the "water machine" in grocery stores, for high quality water.

True, tap water is often ok and can be cheaper. But removing the chlorine or chloramine, and perhaps removing bicarbonate if needed is often not practical for brewers.

I bought my own RO water machine about a year ago, so that I can have RO water in my home. I use some tap water, too, depending on what I'm brewing.

Distilled or RO water is always ideal for brewing, while sometimes people's tap water is fine. Some tap water shouldn't be used for brewing. It really depends on each person's water source.

As I understand it, a charcoal filter (or leaving your water out overnight) removes the chlorine, and for chloramine a charcoal filter also usually works, but if you want to be safe a campden tablet will make sure you're good.

Again, as I understand it, a lot of America (not all mind you) if you just filter your water you're fine. Especially for extract brewing. Though I think that if you're going to do AG brewing, going with RO and then building up your water profile to fit your beer is the best way to make perfect beer (wouldn't want super hard water in a pilsner, you'd wonder why it tastes nothing like a great pilsner.
 
hoppyhoppyhippo said:
I could be wrong, but as I understand the properties of distilled water (unrelated to brewing) you could have issues with super heating but that shouldn't be an issue with brewing I'd imagine.

I'm just against distilled and other forms of water because they're so expensive. I forget the exact number but it's like 2000 times more expensive to buy water than just use tap water. Say a 5 gallon jug of water is 10 bucks. If you brew 20 batches of beer in 2 years you've spend at least 240 bucks on water. If you buy a reverse osmosis machine for 200 bucks (so a pretty nice one) you still make out since your cost for tap water will be like 3 dollars.

Plus 60 bucks a year for the filters. Or so I've heard, I don't have a system.
 
If I were to use the filtered water from a grocery store do I need to be worried about bacteria and such when adding it to the cooled wort? I can only boil about 3.5 gallons at a time.

Or should I boil that water separately, cool, then add to wort?
 
As I understand it, a charcoal filter (or leaving your water out overnight) removes the chlorine, and for chloramine a charcoal filter also usually works, but if you want to be safe a campden tablet will make sure you're good.

That's not so- chloramine is much trickier to remove, and a normal charcoal filter won't do it.


If I were to use the filtered water from a grocery store do I need to be worried about bacteria and such when adding it to the cooled wort? I can only boil about 3.5 gallons at a time.

Or should I boil that water separately, cool, then add to wort?

I never boiled purchased water, but I know that some people do. If you're worried about it, then boiling it and cooling it first would be safe to do. But I don't think it's necessary.
 
I actually just use a refrigerator water line filter from Home Depot (like this one) that I hook to a couple lengths of 3/8" braided tubing and a hose adapter, secured with hose clamps to filter out chlorine. I run the tap water through slowly (about 20-30 minutes to collect 7 gallons) and I've had great success with it; there's no strong smell of chlorine like from the tap and I haven't had any complaints about off flavors.
 
That's not so- chloramine is much trickier to remove, and a normal charcoal filter won't do it.

in How to Brew, John Palmer lists activated charcoal filters (should have specified that) and campden tablets as sources to remove chloramine

Potassium Metasulfite is one of the forms of Campden and according to wikipedia potassium metasulfite does neutralize chloramine.

EDIT: Guess I should provide the line for How to Brew
 
I haven't used Campden tablets but I've heard rumors that it can affect fermentation. Has anyone run into this?
 
Wal Mart uses the Culligan RO system which has 5 different filtration systems applied, including UV light. It costs me $3.40 for 10 gallons. I then use the Bru'n Water spreadsheet and set the dilution to 100% RO water and build my water profile from there. By far the best improvement in my brewing process in the past few months. Bru'n Water takes some time, patience, and persistence to learn. But the developer has done an outstanding job making it useful for home brewers. Try it out!!
 
I just went to Walmart and picked up 6 gallons of their drinking water. I think it cost me 88 cents a gallon. To me that is much easier than messing around with all the filtration systems. And to me (a broke college student) that is very cheap.
 
scoundrel said:
I haven't used Campden tablets but I've heard rumors that it can affect fermentation. Has anyone run into this?

I have heard that using too much can affect yeast viability. The article I read suggested ascorbic acid instead as it will neutralize chlorine and chloramines and overdoing it will not affect the yeast. Plus you need like 1/2 tsp for 5 gal. I think it is actually cheaper than campden tablets.
 
freisste said:
I have heard that using too much can affect yeast viability. The article I read suggested ascorbic acid instead as it will neutralize chlorine and chloramines and overdoing it will not affect the yeast. Plus you need like 1/2 tsp for 5 gal. I think it is actually cheaper than campden tablets.

Here's my source. Whether or not it is 100% accurate, I cannot say.

http://www.picobrewery.com/askarchive/chloramine.htm
 
I haven't used Campden tablets but I've heard rumors that it can affect fermentation. Has anyone run into this?

No. When using the proper amount, the chemical reaction is quick and the sulfite is then "gone" so there isn't any sulfite left in the water.

It quickly removes chloramine and chlorine and is highly recommended.
 
No. When using the proper amount, the chemical reaction is quick and the sulfite is then "gone" so there isn't any sulfite left in the water.

It quickly removes chloramine and chlorine and is highly recommended.

Beautiful! That's what I was hoping to hear. Thanks!
 
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