Water Treatmant Station?

While researching the various DYI projects and brew rig set-ups available for perusal here at HBT I have begun to think about homebrewing very compartmentally. To be sure different styles of brew will require somewhat varied technique, equipment and environments in order to get them "just right." However, there seem to be specific fundementals or constants that are required that pretty much span the entire spectrum of styles. Water quality seems to be one of those constants, with the caveat that even the definition of "quality" in regard to this constant may vary according to brew style.

That preface leads me to the following questions:

1. Where/how do you manage your water quality?
2. If you treat your water, do you treat it in some sort of "Water Treatment Station" or in your HLT?

Not that I am looking to give John Beere yet another DYI project to add to his list, but I thought this might be an interesting topic for discussion that may provide ideas relative to "ideal" water quality management technique/equipment/environment.

I'm not sure if this belongs here or in the "General Techniques" section, but here we are.

I use straight well (filtered) water.

Some people use RO (reverse osmosis) systems.

I have been thinking of running my water through a carbon filter, but I have no gripes with the taste of any of my beers.

I have a 45 liter bucket that I do most of my water treatment in. I typically need 20-22L for mash and 40L for batch sparging (10 gallon batches). So I put 40L into the bucket, 20 into the boil pot and add small amounts of campden tablet to each to remove chloramine. If I need further treatment to match a particular water profile, I usually split that as well, or throw it all into the sparge water.

Filtered Spring Water from walmart, $0.52 per gallon.
NO chlorine
Pre-sterilized
Plenty of minerals
Good Taste

this is one of those classic questions that is answered but "it depends".



There are many variables and many ways of tackling water management.

"It depends" on:

The brewery
The beer style
water source
your level of geekatude
your funds...

and many more factors but right now I am still groggy.

Must go sparge.

Timekiller said:

I use straight well (filtered) water.

Some people use RO (reverse osmosis) systems.

I have been thinking of running my water through a carbon filter, but I have no gripes with the taste of any of my beers.

Click to expand...

I used bottled spring for my first 5 gallon extract brew. But as I get into designing a rig for 10 gallon batches I would like to tie in a direct water line but have a system of managing the water according to my intended application.

c1377 said:

Filtered Spring Water from walmart, $0.52 per gallon.
NO chlorine
Pre-sterilized
Plenty of minerals
Good Taste

Click to expand...

For my first brew I think mine was Bi-Lo spring water. eheh...

Joe Camel said:

I have a 45 liter bucket that I do most of my water treatment in. I typically need 20-22L for mash and 40L for batch sparging (10 gallon batches). So I put 40L into the bucket, 20 into the boil pot and add small amounts of campden tablet to each to remove chloramine. If I need further treatment to match a particular water profile, I usually split that as well, or throw it all into the sparge water.

Click to expand...

Your technique is similar to what I am contemplating. If I fill and heat water in my HLT that is specifically measured to add specific amounts of liquor during specific portions of my brew process, I think it will be easier to manage the water outside the HLT. This way, every drop of water run into my HLT will be at the desired quality proportions before it is pumped where it needs to go. I am still thinking about the method I will employ to manage transfer of liquor in specific desired amounts.

Zymurgrafi said:

this is one of those classic questions that is answered but "it depends".



There are many variables and many ways of tackling water management.

"It depends" on:

The brewery
The beer style
water source
your level of geekatude
your funds...

and many more factors but right now I am still groggy.

Must go sparge.

Click to expand...

Yes, there may be many variables. I wish to build a rig station that will help me manage whatever variable I wish to during my brewing process. My ambition is to maintain a high level of control and consistency throughout my process.

one of the easiest ways is a simple RO (reverse osmosis) filter system.

any of the 3 or 4 stage units from EBay would work.

A word of caution, you waste 4 gallons of water to make 1 gallon of pure RO water.

I can't stand the thought of wasting that much water to get 'clean' water. I've stopped using my RO and just use DI (de-ionization.) I buy my DI resin in bulk, and it costs about $7 per change. My tap water here in NYC is only about 35 on my TDS meter, which is why I can use only DI.

If I didn't already have my filter unit, I'd just use tap water and boi it.

Pm me if you want more info about the DI stuff.

B

bad coffee said:

one of the easiest ways is a simple RO (reverse osmosis) filter system.

any of the 3 or 4 stage units from EBay would work.

A word of caution, you waste 4 gallons of water to make 1 gallon of pure RO water.

I can't stand the thought of wasting that much water to get 'clean' water. I've stopped using my RO and just use DI (de-ionization.) I buy my DI resin in bulk, and it costs about $7 per change. My tap water here in NYC is only about 35 on my TDS meter, which is why I can use only DI.

If I didn't already have my filter unit, I'd just use tap water and boi it.

Pm me if you want more info about the DI stuff.

B

Click to expand...

I am glad that you mentioned DI. This is actually the first filtration method I thought about. However, my knowledge on the subject is a bit apathetic so I will be doing some research. I will shoot you a PM soon to compare notes. Thanks again.