Moved to Eugene, it's been hard to get back......

[snailsongs]

....to brewing, but I'm dying to. We finally got into our new house and I have slowly begun to gather and clean my brew equipment so's I can get back in the game. There's obviously a healthy beer culture here in the PNW, and I'm excited.
I have a question for the Eugene brewers out there, where do you get you're brewing water from and how do you treat it, if need be? I attempted to brew a quick and dirty batch shortly after arriving using bottle water from Ray's food place and it came up with tons of chlorophenols and had to be dumped. I can taste the chlorine in the tap water, so I know that's out. any suggestions? thanks.
Also, for anyone, what's the best way to prep an oxidized copper wort chiller and an unclean better-bottle that have been sitting in a garage for the last few months uncovered? I fear that sanitizer may be no match for whatever is growing on my stuff since it's been sitting......thanks guys.

 

[Beernip]

Hey snailsongs,

I am not an expert here but... I am over in Springfield and have not had to worry about my water. I am on rainbow water district and their wells do seem to be pretty clean. No off taste in my tap water. As for the chlorine taste, I thought that it would come out in during the boil. Try boiling a gallon of water for 30 minutes and taste it after it had cooled down.

I would soak the better bottle and copper in oxyclean free and hot water for a few hours. Cleans up my carboys really nicely.

 

[flyangler18]

You realize you are in Denny Conn's backyard, right?

If you are tasting chlorine, I suggest pitching a Campden tablet into your mash liquor.

 

[khiddy]

Welcome to the Yooj!

You can always treat the water with Campden tablets. 1 tablet will treat 20 gallons, removing all chlorine and chloramines, which should deal with your off flavors if it's the water. Chlorine can be removed by boiling, but most municipalities have switched to the more stable chloramine, which isn't removed by boiling, thus you need the campden tablet.

As far as the oxidized wort chiller, I always wipe it down with distilled vinegar after dipping it in hot water to remove any hop particles and residual wort after brewing, you might try that. The Better Bottle is easily cleaned by putting in a scoop of Oxyclean Free (the unscented variety) and filling it to the top with hot water from the tap, then letting it sit for several hours. Rinse it out good, and then sanitize and fill with the new beer.

 

[alexdagrate]

I used to live in Eugene and loved Valley Vinter & Brew. I live in Olympia now and I miss the selection and expertise of VV&B.

Also, you're surrounded by brewpubs and hopvines, so be on the lookout for breweries that will give you free by-product yeast and for free wet hops.

I brewed for years in Eugene and never treated my water except occasionally with Burton Salts, but I'm not very picky about that stuff.

 

[RiverRat280]

Have you made it to the Beir Stein yet? Its a great place for a sandwich and a brew, they always have something interesting on tap.
My water in springfield is fine but a buddy in eugene just uses a filter on his water with good results.

 

[kedash]

The Water in Eugene comes from the McKenzie River and I've been told by the guys from Oakshire Brewing that this water is some of the cleanest in the United States.

I let the Chorine gas off overnight and I get rid of the Chloramine with a Campden Tablet (Potassium Metabisulphite).

I'm not sure if EWEB's water has both, but I know this will take care of the situation.

I agree with the comment about Valley Vintner. Those guys know their stuff and have helped me a ton and never given me bad advice.

It's a great city to be a brewer. Denny Conn and Tom Fries helped me brew my first AG last year and other than a brief introduction, they didn't know me prior to that.

The folks in the Cascade Homebrewer's Society also definitely know what they are doing.

Welcome back.
Go Ducks!

 

[alexdagrate]

Have you made it to the Beir Stein yet?

If you become a fan of Ninkasi on Facebook, the brewers post about special tasting events at the Bier Stein. There's lots of special brews there that they only serve in the Eugene or Portland area.

And I'm jealous, since Ninkasi just opened up a tasting room in the Whiteaker neighborhood, not far from Sam Bond's Garage. Springfield's newer brewery Hop Valley also makes some good stuff. I'm getting nostalgic thinking about the wonderful brewing in the Willamette Valley!

 

[Lupy]

I think Eugene's water is similarly soft (very) to Springfield. The Spfld. watermaster told me they do not use chloramines, only chlorine. Don't know about Eugene. I have been letting the water degas overnight and using it straight for lighter colored beers (maybe add a little gypsum to the boil). It seems to work great for IPA's but I'm a noob and am likely still enamored with my brews.
Lane County brewers unite!

 

[Beernip]

Have you made it to the Beir Stein yet? Its a great place for a sandwich and a brew, they always have something interesting on tap.
My water in springfield is fine but a buddy in eugene just uses a filter on his water with good results.

They post their tap list almost daily. Bookmark and visit often.
http://www.myspace.com/thebierstein (click blog)

Mmmm, I may have to get down there tomorrow and taste the RR selection they have on tap.
*Russian River Consecration - California
*Great Divide Hibernation - Colorado
*Russian River Temptation - California
*Russian River Publication - California

 

[d510addict]

I feel dumb for never going to the beer stein when I lived in Eugene. I wanted to go soo bad but when you're a poor college student its hard to find folks to share a pitcher with.