Fiji water brew

[dhelegda]

Thinking about getting 20 gallons of Fiji water, it's supposed to be the most perfect water on earth. Anyone brewed with it and can speak to it?

 

[1977Brewer]

1. It's 3 bucks a quart or something dumb like that.

2. See #1.

 

[brewdoxy]

The "perfect water on earth" is just a marketing statement IMO. As for brewing with it:

Extract - meh, may not make any significance, I prefer tap or distilled.

AG - do you have a copy of mineral contents? Depending on that it may not be ideal for AG.

 

[Hello]

Years ago I heard Fiji water was bad. I always liked it, but I tend to buy Smart Water if I buy bottled water.

http://www.upworthy.com/see-what-re...le-of-fiji-water-against-a-glass-of-tap-water

You can read about some of the controversy here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiji_Water

Cost wise, I wouldn't even bother. I'd rather build my water or poke my eyes with q-tips than to spend that much on brewing water.

 

[alaskana]

I just finished brewing an AG beer with water from a natural mineral spring in Eden Prarie, MN. I've never had issues using spring water (either bottled or straight from that spring) but of course your mileage may vary.

 

[JonM]

You are far, far, far better off to bring a fermenter to The grocery store and fill it up at the distilled water machine for 32 cents a gallon, then add an appropriate mix of minerals and salts. Fiji water won't do a darn thing except lighten your wallet.

 

[hunter_le five]

Sounds like a big fat waste of money.

+1 to just using regular RO/distilled water with a couple small mineral additions.

is this real life?

Is this just fantasy?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Hahahahahahaha. A beer "untouched by man" the "finest quality water"

Im actually surprised one of the BMCs hasnt come out with a super premium fiji water version of their derivative adjunct lagers

"Traditionally brewed for 55 years, Fiji Bitter is the real taste of Fiji. Full flavoured with balanced bitterness and tropical esters, this famous Lager is the perfect refreshment from the relaxed Pacific Island."

Internet rule 42.

 

[JonM]

I googled the cost per gallon of Fiji water. A batch-sized purchase of this water would cost more than double what I pay for all other ingredients combined.

 

[Yooper]

From their website is this info:

Sampling Period: November 2014
General Mineral Analysis FIJI Water
Bicarbonate 150 mg/L
Calcium 19 mg/L
Chloride 9 mg/L
Fluoride 0.24 mg/L
Magnesium 15 mg/L
Sodium 18 mg/L
Silica 95 mg/L
Sulfate 1.7 mg/L
Total Dissolved Solids 210 mg/L
Total Alkalinity 130 mg/L
Conductivity 280 umho/cm



What that means is it's too high in bicarbonate and alkalinity, and too low in sulfate, chloride, and calcium. You can supplement the calcium, sulfate and chloride, but you can't take out the bicarbonate except by adding acid or diluting with RO or distilled water.

If you have to dilute it with RO or distilled water, and add calcium salts, then why not just start with RO or distilled water in the first place and add calcium salts?

I would NOT brew with that water straight if that analysis is accurate.

 

[Scraggybeard]

Alaskana, that the spring near Lion's Tap? How did it turn out or is it still in progress? I've been looking to toy with my brewing water and had wondered about using that spring water. As it is, I think I may just get a water report and adjust as needed.

 

[alaskana]

Scraggybeard:

Wow, good guess! Yep, it's the Frederick-Miller spring right by Lion's Tap. The Oktoberfest I brewed just started fermenting yesterday so I'll have to wait a while to find out how it tastes, but I have brewed several other beers (an IPA, American Wheat and Raspberry Wheat) and they all turned out fine. The water by itself tastes a bit 'minerally' due to the high mineral content, but it's not a bad flavor by any means. Here's a link to a water analysis of the spring that was done in 2011:

http://www.premierwatermn.com/frederick-miller-spring-water-quality/

I'll let you know how the Oktoberfest turns out!

 

[Newsman]

On a related note, we have a "spring" in a public park nearby (you can see the water coming out of the ground) that is clearly marked as "non-potable." I wonder if you could just put some K-Meta in there (maybe a mega-dose) to help make it potable for brewing??? Or maybe just boil the heck out of it to kill any bugs that are living in it???

 

[1977Brewer]

On a related note, we have a "spring" in a public park nearby (you can see the water coming out of the ground) that is clearly marked as "non-potable." I wonder if you could just put some K-Meta in there (maybe a mega-dose) to help make it potable for brewing??? Or maybe just boil the heck out of it to kill any bugs that are living in it???

You're already boiling it. The whole point of beer in the first place was to make non potable water potable. My city's water barely ranks as drinkable, but a campden tab is all I seem to need.

 

[Yooper]

On a related note, we have a "spring" in a public park nearby (you can see the water coming out of the ground) that is clearly marked as "non-potable." I wonder if you could just put some K-Meta in there (maybe a mega-dose) to help make it potable for brewing??? Or maybe just boil the heck out of it to kill any bugs that are living in it???

By why is it non-potable? Farm land run off, full of fertilizer and pesticides? Sewage run off? Usually non-potable water isn't something that is good with just some filtering or boiling.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

By why is it non-potable? Farm land run off, full of fertilizer and pesticides? Sewage run off? Usually non-potable water isn't something that is good with just some filtering or boiling.

This. I would research the need for the sign before I'd consider diving in.

 

[JonM]

And keep in mind there's nothing special about "spring" water that automatically makes it suitable for brewing.

 

[Newsman]

This. I would research the need for the sign before I'd consider diving in.

I expect it's probably just a liability issue so no one sues to city/county for drinking from the spring. But yeah... probably a good idea to test for bacteria, etc.

 

[JonM]

Even if it's not full of farm runoff, etc, it could still have super high levels of bicarbonate/sodium/iron/whatever that will make it unsuitable for brewing. It can be safe to drink and simultaneously be lousy brewing water.

 

[Newsman]

Just for giggles...what about brewing with water LOADED with copper sulfate? I assume that might give bad taste? I live right near Red Clay (the start of the Trail of Tears) and they have a huge spring that is blue from all the copper in the water

 

[BiskitznGravy]

......the economics outweigh the benefit but if you've got the disposable $$ to do science then by God DO SCIENCE! Two batches....one with economically filtered or clean water and the other with Fuji Water. Let us know how the experiment went.

 

[dhelegda]

Ugh...fine I will just continue to use Evian, and a splash of Perrier!

 

[Yooper]

Ugh...fine I will just continue to use Evian, and a splash of Perrier!

And the cheapskates like me just use the plain ol' reverse osmosis water at WalMart and Publix for 39 cents a jug.

 

[divrguy]

And the cheapskates like me just use the plain ol' reverse osmosis water at WalMart and Publix for 39 cents a jug.

.39 cents! What a rip! We pay .35 here [emoji16] lol

 

[Brew_G]

.39 cents! What a rip! We pay .35 here [emoji16] lol

The only place near me where I've found an RO machine is a Whole Foods about 15 minutes away. Only 39¢/gallon...and that's a Whole Foods in the suburbs of DC. I'm absolutely shocked at the low cost!