Homebrew Water. What To Use?

[dokken5]

What is the best and most economical to get water for making homebrew. Right now I am buying it from Wal-Mart in gallon jugs because tap water is nasty.

 

[soccerdad]

What's nasty about it? Chlorine? Minerals? Will your extension office test it?

I can get RO water at my Walmart for 37 cents a gallon .. I refill 5 G primo jugs when I am using that to brew (which is less than half of my brews .. my tap water is decent for brewing).

More data please ...

 

[mongoose33]

I bought an RO system from Buckeye Hydro which I run every brew day to replenish what I use.

I run the output line into an Aquatainer (7-gallon--I am thinking of getting two 5-gallon ones), and I also use six 1-gallon jugs that contained distilled water.

Mine is just hung on the wall next to the sink--I wanted it this way because the garage is not heated and while it almost never drops to freezing in there, if we hit a real cold stretch it might, so this way i could move it into the house if necessary.

 

[dokken5]

I bought an RO system from Buckeye Hydro which I run every brew day to replenish what I use.

I run the output line into an Aquatainer (7-gallon--I am thinking of getting two 5-gallon ones), and I also use six 1-gallon jugs that contained distilled water.

Mine is just hung on the wall next to the sink--I wanted it this way because the garage is not heated and while it almost never drops to freezing in there, if we hit a real cold stretch it might, so this way i could move it into the house if necessary.

View attachment 390946

How long do your filters last?

 

[Braufessor]

I use the RO refill station at walmart as well..... I have 6x3 gallon jugs. .37 per gallon. For me, that is the easiest, cheapest way to do it.

 

[mongoose33]

How long do your filters last?

I don't know--I'm still on my first one.

I've pushed about....180 gallons of RO through it so far about 26 batches worth, and I still get the same amount of Total Dissolved Solids, 6 ppm. Yes, I bought the TDS meter too.

There's no indication it's stopping any time soon. I do follow the directions as to flushing the filter and I'm sure that's helped a lot.

The filter I bought is rated at 50 gallons per day; the only downside to that is i wish I'd bought a higher rated one. I do get nearly 2 gallons per hour out of it, but i wish it were faster.

When I start my brew day I begin by using that RO water (sometimes cut a bit w/ my tap water which is very high in minerals, depending on recipe). When I've emptied the Aquatainer I start the RO system refilling it, but that's a 3.5-hour effort--and it always extends past the end of my brew day. I need a second aquatainer so i can start filing an empty one right from the get-go, and get the water done when the brew day is done.

 

[FrankAbagnale]

I've used my tap(well water) up to this point. I have a 7 stage 150GPD RO/DI system for my reef tank so I'm going to run a line before it hits the DI and start using RO and minerals. I figured since I already have the system, might as well.

 

[Brownalemikie]

I only brew extract beers, but I just use tap water filtered with a Brita pitcher. Takes about 20 minutes to filter 2 1/2 gallons but I do other things while waiting. Beer turns out great every time.

 

[bobeer]

I have hard well water. It sucks to drink as straight up water but the beer I make with it is very tasty. I guess boiling it does something to it.

My last house, in town, the water was horrible to brew with due to chlorines that were in it. I tired everything to make it usable but I got tired of dumping batches down the drain. One of with was a heady clone... so I used store bought spring water. I was hesitant to use the well water I'm on now but I just kept add a gallon of tap and subtracting a gallon of store bought water every beer I did. I just brewed a stout and an IPA with the well water and both have come out fine.

 

[brewprint]

I bought an RO system from Buckeye Hydro which I run every brew day to replenish what I use.

I run the output line into an Aquatainer (7-gallon--I am thinking of getting two 5-gallon ones), and I also use six 1-gallon jugs that contained distilled water.

Mine is just hung on the wall next to the sink--I wanted it this way because the garage is not heated and while it almost never drops to freezing in there, if we hit a real cold stretch it might, so this way i could move it into the house if necessary.

View attachment 390946

I have that same system. I ordered the 50GPD and it came with the 100. How do you flush it?

 

[mongoose33]

I have that same system. I ordered the 50GPD and it came with the 100. How do you flush it?

I wish I'd gotten the 100gpd; I'd be done faster.

As I recall from the directions, you turn the restrictor valve so that most of the water flows through the waste line. Something like 30 seconds to flush whatever from the RO filter.

 

[Dcpcooks]

You can just buy the 100gpd membrane when you replace the old one. They are all the same size unit.

 

[Dcpcooks]

I have that same system. I ordered the 50GPD and it came with the 100. How do you flush it?

You should see a blue valve on top of the membrane cartridge. It's in the closed position, if you open the valve and start the filter up it will flush the membrane.

 

[brewprint]

You should see a blue valve on top of the membrane cartridge. It's in the closed position, if you open the valve and start the filter up it will flush the membrane.

I had to order the valve. Mine doesn't have it. For some odd reason it's not standard with the Buckeye system.