Water Filter Suggestions?

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Stevorino

Stevorino

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I don't currently do anything to my water (as Jamil Advises) and have always just used drinking water gallons from the local Wal-Mart. But I just realized that I've spent close to $100 in water in the short 6-7 months I've been brewing.

That being said, does anyone here have any suggestions for a water filter or filtration system to use so that I can start using my tap water or is Bottled water worth the moo-lah?
 
I recommend putting together a dual cartridge whole house unit by putting two of them in series. Load the first with a spun fiber 1 or 5 micron sediment filter and the second with an active charcoal filter. Walmart has the clear body ones for $27 each but you can get opaque ones cheaper at Lowes/HD. You'll need a short 3/4" threaded PVC nipple to link them together, then you can add whatever fittings on the in/out that you'd like. Probably a garden house fitting works if you're making it brew specific, but it might be nice to plumb it under your kitchen sink so you have endless drinking water at the faucet. The replacement filters are dirt cheap at avg. of $4 each.
 
I bought the cheap $25 brita one at HD that fits on the kitchen sink faucet. Seems to work well, got rid of my stuck ferment problems (poor mashing due to chlorine in the water).
 
Bobby_M said:
I recommend putting together a dual cartridge whole house unit by putting two of them in series. Load the first with a spun fiber 1 or 5 micron sediment filter and the second with an active charcoal filter. Walmart has the clear body ones for $27 each but you can get opaque ones cheaper at Lowes/HD. You'll need a short 3/4" threaded PVC nipple to link them together, then you can add whatever fittings on the in/out that you'd like. Probably a garden house fitting works if you're making it brew specific, but it might be nice to plumb it under your kitchen sink so you have endless drinking water at the faucet. The replacement filters are dirt cheap at avg. of $4 each.
Click to expand...

Did you do this because one wasn't satisfactory for you?
 
The reason I like the sediment cartridge upfront is that it will keep the carbon filter from getting physically clogged prematurely. I'm sure for a dedicated brewing only purpose, just the carbon one will be fine.
 
Have any of ya'll done a side by side comparison of Bottled Water vs. Filtered Tap?

If not, I may do it this weekend.
 
Stevorino said:
Have any of ya'll done a side by side comparison of Bottled Water vs. Filtered Tap?

If not, I may do it this weekend.
Click to expand...

I just sent a set of five samples into WARD labs for analysis:

Sample 1: Dasani bottled water
Sample 2: Unfiltered Hose Water
Sample 3: House Water using whole house charcoal filter
Sample 4: 1 Campden Table crushed and diluted into 1 gallon of water and then sampled into 12 ounce container
Sample 5: Hose Charcoal Filtered and 1/2 Teaspoon of PH Stabilizer

These were sent on Friday. Although this will be for my local municipality water, it might be useful for everyone involved.
 
atarlecky said:
I just sent a set of five samples into WARD labs for analysis:

Sample 1: Dasani bottled water
Sample 2: Unfiltered Hose Water
Sample 3: House Water using whole house charcoal filter
Sample 4: 1 Campden Table crushed and diluted into 1 gallon of water and then sampled into 12 ounce container
Sample 5: Hose Charcoal Filtered and 1/2 Teaspoon of PH Stabilizer

These were sent on Friday. Although this will be for my local municipality water, it might be useful for everyone involved.
Click to expand...

Wow, what a great idea!!

When you get the results, make a new thread and post them. I'm sure it will deserve to be a sticky thread.
 
I am also considering the purchase of a filter. I'm tired of adding 7-8 bucks in just water costs everytime I brew. When I go all grain, this cost will only increase.
 
I use a single cartridge whole house filter for brewing and it works great , activated carbon, Im thinking about upgrading to a dual system to remove some of the minerals from my well water .
 
Brew Dude said:
I am also considering the purchase of a filter. I'm tired of adding 7-8 bucks in just water costs everytime I brew. When I go all grain, this cost will only increase.
Click to expand...

Yeah man, That's what Has me going. I look to have a monstrous month of May (40 gallons baby!!) But w/ all the bottled water I usually use, that will be almost $50 in water....so now it's not a question on whether or not a water filter is worth it...it's just whether or not it works.
 
Empirically, I can taste the difference between my filtered and unfiltered. I'm positive it takes some of the chlorine taste out. However, I did compromise by using it as a whole house filter so I run a LOT of water through it. A brew dedicated unit would be best because you won't burn through the charcoal's effectiveness so quickly and you can run the water really really slow.
 
Bobby_M said:
Empirically, I can taste the difference between my filtered and unfiltered. I'm positive it takes some of the chlorine taste out. However, I did compromise by using it as a whole house filter so I run a LOT of water through it. A brew dedicated unit would be best because you won't burn through the charcoal's effectiveness so quickly and you can run the water really really slow.
Click to expand...

Running the water slowly through it help it's effectiveness?
 
Got one of these GE filters from HD? There is a definite improvement in water quality (plus no chlorine taste.) Will pay for itself quickly not having to buy bottled water. And not being "whole house" the small filter size shouldn’t be an issue. Easy installation too.

filter.jpg
 
I use a PUR water filter.

I also have very soft water (< 50 ppm), so I almost always add some gypsum to get the hardness to around 150 ppm.
 
I have the whole house filter from Wally world & still ended up using some distilled water in conjunction with the filtered tap for my bohemian pilsner batch.

The point is that even though I have the filter, it did not prevent me from buying water to brew.
 

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