Best water solution

I've been recently looking into fine tuning my water source for my brewing. Currently I use a well which provides me hard water ( I'm yet to have it sent out and be analysed). I was thinking about getting a Reverse Osmosis Filter system, but they seem to be pretty pricey. What results has everyone had with filtering or distilling water? Is it is easier/cheaper to just buy distilled water and "cut" it with my well water?

The cheapest store bought water is around 0.50 cents per gallon. I use maybe 10 gallons to make 5 gallons of beer. I brew about 10x a year. Local water is closer to dollar per gallon or 2$ in gas to get $0.50 water. So it's at least $70 a year to buy water. Assuming I have enough containers and feel like lugging water.

RO system for just brewing could cost as little as 1year's worth of water.

rbenn said:

I've been recently looking into fine tuning my water source for my brewing. Currently I use a well which provides me hard water ( I'm yet to have it sent out and be analysed). I was thinking about getting a Reverse Osmosis Filter system, but they seem to be pretty pricey. What results has everyone had with filtering or distilling water? Is it is easier/cheaper to just buy distilled water and "cut" it with my well water?

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Until you know what's in your water and how hard it is, I wouldn't mess with it.

bja said:

Until you know what's in your water and how hard it is, I wouldn't mess with it.

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Correct. No point changing something until you know what you have. RO filters are great, but you can usually do mineral additions to get the correct ratios.

Start with getting your water tested to see what you'll need to do.

Thanks for the advise guys. I will start with the water profile sample and see where that takes me.

Southwest Michigan? I'm guessing you will be high in alkalinity...

An RO system of sufficient size for homebrewing and then some could cost like $130 or so. I'm seriously thinking about getting one. It would make it easier to brew up pale ales without having to add a bunch of acid or go find some water to mix with mine.

You've already said your water is hard. Why spend $30-$40 on a test that could just go towards a RO system?

I just bought this one. $154 It comes with a pressure tank, faucet, permeate pump, all the fittings, even enough line to run water to the fridge for the icemaker. Install took maybe 1 hour, you just push the hose into the fittings.
http://www.airwaterice.com/product/1MAX50/Reverse-Osmosis-Under-Sink-RO.html

grathan said:

You've already said your water is hard. Why spend $30-$40 on a test that could just go towards a RO system?

I just bought this one. $154 It comes with a pressure tank, faucet, permeate pump, all the fittings, even enough line to run water to the fridge for the icemaker. Install took maybe 1 hour, you just push the hose into the fittings.
http://www.airwaterice.com/product/1MAX50/Reverse-Osmosis-Under-Sink-RO.html

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That is a really good one at a great price. I have one just like that but I have standard size prefilters, which are what you replace every year. It makes it a little cheaper to replace. However, that pump speeds thing up by being able to use a air pressurized tank. I am thinking of getting a 40 gallon well pressurized tank, same thing but bigger, putting a T in the line and adding it. The small tank would go to current drinking water and ice making. The large tank would go to a outlet for brewing.

I ended up skipping the water profile and just got a bulk reef supply 4 stage RO with DI. I know my water is high in iron and bicarbonate so no reason to check. Its a little slow filling up my 5 gallon carboys, but not bad to just let it run for a couple hours or so. I also bought some bulk chemicals from brs, hopefully they are alright for human consumption lol.

Good for you. What chemicals did you buy? Get a TDS meter too if you haven't already. There are about $15 and measure total dissolved solids. It will give a good performance indicator of how well the RO system is working. My tap water is at about 256 ppm (mostly bicarb) and the RO water is about 18.

I got the deluxe model which comes with a dual inline TDS meter and a pressure gauge. It seems to work great! It gets the TDS down to around 1-2 out of the RO membrane and then down to 0 after the DI resin bed. I bought some bulk Calcium Chloride from BRS. It says its pharmaceutical grade but who knows since it is made for aquariums. I also got 1lb of Calcium Carbonate, 1lb of Gypsum and a 4 lb container of Epsom salts. This should keep me well stocked for a while.

Make sure to use yeast nutrient as well. Metabolism needs trace of copper and zinc.

Read the section on water in How to Brew and get a water test. Use Palmer's spreadsheet and arrive at the water you need to for your recipe's. My water changes have been the most positive improvement to my complete brewing process.