"Crazy" Idea!

[Bertkrawl]

Hey everyone,

New member & first time posting. My father-in-law called today with a crazy idea for a batch of mead. He had a question that exceeded my knowledge of the process.

He gathered his honey (orange blossom) and his yeast (unknown) from a brew shop in Austin, Tx. For the water he wants to brew and ferment with, he had an idea of using Crazy Water from Mineral Wells, Tx. If you've never heard of the stuff, it supposedly has Lithium in it and is a bit on the alkaline side of the PH scale.

He wanted to know if this would affect the brewing or fermentation process at all. My guess was that if it is too acidic or alkaline it might kill the yeast (depending on the strain) but I wasn't sure? I don't think the Crazy Water has enough to really make that big of a difference but wondered if anyone had more insight on this topic than I did.

So... Anyone got some crazy ideas for this crazy question?

Thanks!

 

[Seamonkey84]

The minerals may or may not work with the fermentation. As for the ph, the yeast are fairly adaptable, and the production of co2 during fermentation usually drops the ph some. No idea how it would taste though.

 

[Blacksmith1]

Tell him to go for it. But do a small batch so if it goes south it's not a total loss.

 

[CKuhns]

+1 @Blacksmith1 said

I would adjust the pH to somewhere between 3.6 and 4.2 prior to yeast pitch the ferment does drive pH down and yeast are a little sensitive to pH. I cant speak to "Crazy Water" as i have never tried it but micronutrients from well water or spring water is generally considered desirable.

 

[Deafmeadmaker]

The small batch advice is sound as well as the pH monitoring/adjusting. Worse case scenario/Murphy's law, the batch might oxidize Happened to me the first time I tried to make a hibiscus mead. pH went out the window.

 

[bernardsmith]

This sounds more dangerous than crazy... Lithium? Might that not be contra -indicated for anyone who suffers from bipolar disorder and who is being treated with lithium? Lithium dosages (I thought) were incredibly fine-tuned.

 

[Deafmeadmaker]

I Googled their webpage.
http://drinkcrazywater.com/this is on sale at the local supermarket chain as well as Wal-Mart and Amazon. I've never had it, but I suspect the name lends itself to marketing more than anything else.