Carbonated or blk water...?

[leeford337]

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this? Will it change the taste? What about that dark mineral water in stores, called blk? Thanks!

 

[ParadoxGuitarist]

Never tasted blk so I have no idea... but...

I know that using carbonated water will probably stress your yeast out if it even is able to take off, and image that being a bad idea. Alcohol and carbon dioxide create a hostile environment for yeast...

Sources: http://www.whitelabs.com/faq/beer-professional under How many generations should I use my yeast?

 

[fuelish]

I'd imagine that carbed water would lose any and all carbonation in the ferment, if it would even ferment....no idea what blk water is....I'm a cretin, I just use my filtered tap H2O

 

[LordUlrich]

What are you trying to gain by using carbonated water?

 

[leeford337]

Wasn't trying to gain anything, was just sitting on the pot and thought about out.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Blk water contains humic & fulvic acids, while I've read that there are people who ingest these compounds for some alleged health benefit(s), much like they do with colloidal silver. I don't think I'd be drinking something that I use as fertilizer/soil amendment. Works great with plants in heavy clay soil though.

As for the carbonation, you'd be putting your yeast at a disadvantage from the start with all the dissolved CO2. The yeast need oxygen to start with & will produce their own CO2 as the fermentation continues. You'd need to degas the water before mixing your must, then reoxygenate; this serves no purpose, other than using it as a source for the humic/fulvic acids; which you can add by themselves if you're really bent on using them.

Just my 2 cents worth.
Regards, GF.

 

[leeford337]

The blk water isn't carbonated, I should have split my question better. I wasn't bent on using them at all, I was just curious if anyone has tried it and got some outlandish or cool result! Haha