Distilled water

[Steveruch]

If using distilled water with extracts is it necessary to add yeast nutrients?

 

[flars]

I use yeast nutrient when I use my well water or distilled water. It is the extract that may be lacking in free amino nitrogen that the yeast nutrient contains.

edit: Should add that the yeast nutrient for beer should contain Di-ammonium Phosphate. This will add the FAN the extract may not provide for the yeast.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

If using distilled water with extracts is it necessary to add yeast nutrients?

With the context of malt-extract based home brewing, the simplest suggestion that I have read is that "adding yeast nutrient is 'cheap' insurance".

 

[davidabcd]

I like the "cheap insurance," bit regarding a yeast nutrient.
If an extract brewer is slightly interested in duplicating a water source, what basic, non-involved way(s) can one make distilled taste like fresh, stream water?
I was wondering if a quick fix to distilled would be water salts or something like that?

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

If an extract brewer is slightly interested in duplicating a water source, what basic, non-involved way(s) can one make distilled taste like fresh, stream water?

If one knows the mineral content of a source of water, one could "build up" that water profile from distilled water.

I was wondering if a quick fix to distilled would be water salts or something like that?

We're in the extract brewing forum. With dry/liquid malt extract, distilled water is always a good choice when deciding on the source of water. In this context, I don't see a reason to 'quick fix' distilled water - but I'm open to ideas.

If you are asking about the possibility of adding additional brewing salts to dry/liquid malt extract to "tip the balance" towards a particular style - that is possible. It's definitely going to be a "season to taste" approach. As a starting point, there are techniques for experimenting with brewing salts by adding minerals in the glass.

 

[davidabcd]

If one knows the mineral content of a source of water, one could "build up" that water profile from distilled water.
It's definitely going to be a "season to taste" approach. As a starting point, there are techniques for experimenting with brewing salts by adding minerals in the glass.

Thank you. I'm aware of where I posted and an extract brewer exclusively. So I was asking from that viewpoint: not too choosy about the million things involved in water prep, not willing to test this or that. I use tap water but have considered using distilled from time to time.
To clarify or state another way, does anyone who uses distilled water throw in a pack of something or other to put back what's been boiled out? Has anyone had experience doing this?
Thanks.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Thank you. I'm aware of where I posted and an extract brewer exclusively. So I was asking from that viewpoint: not too choosy about the million things involved in water prep, not willing to test this or that. I use tap water but have considered using distilled from time to time.

Thanks for the restated viewpoint. My tap water isn't good for brewing, so I work with distilled (extract) or distilled+salts (RO) for water. I wish my tap water was good for brewing.

To clarify or state another way, does anyone who uses distilled water throw in a pack of something or other to put back what's been boiled out? Has anyone had experience doing this?

I'm also interested in what others have to say.

 

[sixhotdogneck]

When brewing extract (5 gallon batches) with distilled I would treat the water with a half teaspoon of Calcium Chloride and/or perhaps the same Calcium Sulfate (Gypsum). You can get fancier than that but that's about all there is to it. Using Magnesium Sulfate (Epson Salts), Sodium Chloride (Table Salt) is also a possibility if you want a little magnesium or sodium mixed in.

Using one of the water calculators you can add salts by weight to distilled water and view the resulting profile.

These additions do have an effect on the final beer, so don't overdue it. Sometimes the extract will have all of the needed salts especially with pre-hopped kits.

My favorite was that old NB kit Caribou Slobber, brewed with distilled, a half teaspoon of Calcium Chloride and just a pinch of Sodium BiCarbonate (a *slight* pinch).

 

[ohiochris]

Distilled water has the minerals etc. removed from it and isnt really the best choice for brewing. I would add yeast nutrients if using distilled water but I have found thats not really necessary if using spring or drinking water. As long as water is not distilled it usually has most of what it needs to keep yeast happy and healthy.

 

[Lefou]

My city water is suitable for brewing. It's around pH 7.8 and soft according to the township water report.
However, there's one thing that stops me from using the city tap water - chloramines.

I buy soft bottled water and brew low SRM, mildly hopped styles to match, but I do all grain.
All grain beers will usually require very little nutrient additions for yeast, save for calcium. My beers usually see small balanced additions of calcium salts and never really need adjustments for hardness. The Poland Spring water I use is under pH 7 and very low on the hardness scale so it's very easy to adjust to style.

 

[BobBailey]

If using distilled water with extracts is it necessary to add yeast nutrients?

Glad to see someone using distilled water for extract brewing. It's the proper water to use. As for yeast nutrient, always a cheap way to give your yeasts a boost. Never a problem.

 

[mabrungard]

Glad to see someone using distilled water for extract brewing. It's the proper water to use. As for yeast nutrient, always a cheap way to give your yeasts a boost. Never a problem.

Distilled is closest to what was taken out of the original wort, but RO water is OK too.

For the most part, there probably isn't a need for yeast nutrient with a typical water supply since they often have the trace zinc and manganese needed in their water. While yeast nutrient can help, do be careful to not overdose with that stuff. It can be a problem when added above the recommended dosage. Not never a problem, since some people think "if a little is good, more is better".

Less is more when it comes to yeast nutrient.

 

[Shepington]

I use distilled everytime and never add anything, no bad beers yet.

 

[Longtrain]

I started out using distilled water, but decided to give our tap water a try, works just fine. Only add a pinch of K-meta to control the chlorine/chloramine. I don’t check anything else, just brew, ferment, keg and consume.

 

[bahomebrew]

I only drink distilled or RO water. That's what I've used for brewing. In LA, I would never use the tap water to brew or cook with. After drinking these types of water for a long time, tap water has a definite chlorine flavor, and really doesn't taste good. I have yeast nutrient but often forget to use it. I can't say I've noticed a difference one way or another.

 

[Bimmster]

Is RO with an added mineral cartridge added on the back end OK for extract brewing?

 

[mabrungard]

Is RO with an added mineral cartridge added on the back end OK for extract brewing?

It’s not as good as using straight RO with specific minerals added back. The mineral cartridges are often filled with chalk and that adds alkalinity that is rarely a benefit.