I'll be brewing up my second AG batch this weekend. I wasn't going to worry about my water chemistry, because the tap water I've been using here in Chicago has been treating me just fine on my extract brews, and I haven't had a chance to taste my first AG brew, a Belgian Wit.
I'm going to be brewing a pretty big beer with a lot of dark malts, so I was advised to consider bring up the pH of my water using chalk. In my research, I have found that Chicago keeps their water at a pH of ~8.4 I believe, and I can't find a number, but apparently, the water is heavily chlorinated.
I would like to brew this weekend, and I have no way of getting to the LHBS. I was hoping I could just use bottled spring water. Or do you think I should hold out and get some Campden Tablets and some Chalk?
I'm going to be brewing a pretty big beer with a lot of dark malts, so I was advised to consider bring up the pH of my water using chalk. In my research, I have found that Chicago keeps their water at a pH of ~8.4 I believe, and I can't find a number, but apparently, the water is heavily chlorinated.
I would like to brew this weekend, and I have no way of getting to the LHBS. I was hoping I could just use bottled spring water. Or do you think I should hold out and get some Campden Tablets and some Chalk?