I'm done with brewing. All my beers taste like ****

[shanecb]

Definitely get the spring water, if only for one brew. It's less than $10 to see if your water really is the problem with the beers. If nothing else, fill up some water from a friend's house that is better quality.

 

[boo boo]

Man that is good. I have to remember that.

That's what I was thinking also. Good quote.

 

[Flomaster]

burbank Ca you say. i'm willing to bet that EVERY Vons, Albertsons, Stater Bros, ETC has one of those fill your own water RO machines outside.

that being said RO will require adding back into to get the water profile you desire, or just try some spring water.

-=Jason=-

 

[kcross13]

]"Homebrewing to save money on beer is like buying a boat to save money on fish."

Still cheaper than the over priced beer down here. Even though I have always been a fan of ale it was nice in Czech were I was paying 2 dollars for half liters of some good lager.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I think an extra $10 dollars a batch for water is worth it. THink of it this way. Would you rather spend 20-40 on batch of beer that you don't want to drink (thus wasting that money) or an extra 10 and get something delicious. And if you're brewing to save money, you should have stopped a long time ago.

 

[Catt22]

Well I did a side by side with the tap water and the rainwater and the rainwater clearly tastes good.

IMO using rainwater is not a good idea at all and may be downright hazardous. Much depends on how the rainwater is collected and/or treated. Runoff from a shingled roof can leach nasty stuff from a shingled roof and as already mentioned, rainwater isn't typically all that pure after forming in and falling through a polluted atmosphere. I came across the roof runoff problem when looking into using collected rainwater for gardening.

I get by with an extruded solid carbon block filter. I'm fortunate that my water is pretty good right out of the tap. The carbon filter is mostly to remove possible traces of chlorine and whatever else it can trap. I do plan to spring for a small RO system very soon. I should be able to blend the RO & filtered tap water to manufacture what I need.

 

[ChshreCat]

I have several rain barrels, but won't even use the water in the garden. Only goes for watering ornamentals.

 

[BWN]

What about having your water tested an adding minerals as needed. If you use RO water you will need to play around with the chemistry anyways.

 

[dragonbreath11]

What about having your water tested an adding minerals as needed. If you use RO water you will need to play around with the chemistry anyways.

Can you make good beer using RO water without mineral additions.?

 

[emjay]

Not if you're doing AG. However, mineral additions are pretty straightforward when starting from the blank slate of RO water.

 

[phrogpilot73]

If your water tastes like sh!t, then your beer will taste like sh!t. I also wouldn't use rainwater, even in an unpolluted area. Adding minerals to RO water isn't that hard. If I were you, I'd head down to the local stores that offer RO water (as indicated in other's posts), and try to brew. Add Burton salts, and see what happens. If it still sucks? It's you.

I'm guessing it won't suck.

 

[dragonbreath11]

If your water tastes like sh!t, then your beer will taste like sh!t. I also wouldn't use rainwater, even in an unpolluted area. Adding minerals to RO water isn't that hard. If I were you, I'd head down to the local stores that offer RO water (as indicated in other's posts), and try to brew. Add Burton salts, and see what happens. If it still sucks? It's you.

I'm guessing it won't suck.

Yeah but what if the rainwater tastes awesome? you still wouldn't use it? I dunno I'm tempted to try. Thanks for all your responses Rainwater Wit will be brewed tomorrow if its a dumper it won't be the first and probably won't be the last. BTW the rainwater wasn't collected off any roof. There was a huge downpour and I collected enough in my 7.5 gallon brewpot straight from the sky.

 

[EarthBound]

Yeah but what if the rainwater tastes awesome? you still wouldn't use it? I dunno I'm tempted to try. Thanks for all your responses Rainwater Wit will be brewed tomorrow if its a dumper it won't be the first and probably won't be the last. BTW the rainwater wasn't collected off any roof. There was a huge downpour and I collected enough in my 7.5 gallon brewpot straight from the sky.

You started this thread because of your beer tasting like sh!t. We all agreed it was your water. Then you decide to use rainwater and to not use filtered water. Does anyone else see something wrong here?

 

[janivar123]

Most of the crap in rainwater will be ok to drink after boiling and fermentation
Guess not for the tarmac and diesel dust, so it kinda depends on location

 

[Dynachrome]

I'd do it. Seven and a half gallons is about enough for a regualr batch.

Iread the first post. It almost sounds like you are trying too hard.

It should be a vigorous task in some ways, but mentally relaxing.

You and I have been at it almost the same amount of time. I feel I'm just a begginer.

 

[emjay]

Rainwater is fine, but the collection vessels are usually filthy. If the water looks clean though, I don't really see a huge issue.

 

[dragonbreath11]

You started this thread because of your beer tasting like sh!t. We all agreed it was your water. Then you decide to use rainwater and to not use filtered water. Does anyone else see something wrong here?

Duly noted but the difference is that my tapwater tastes awful and smells like a swimming pool coming out of the tap. The rainwater tastes like springwater with no bad flavors/aftertastes that I can detect. Someone said here that if the water tastes good, the beer will be good. Well the rainwater tastes good. This is why I decided to use it.

 

[emjay]

Nonono. You have it a bit backwards.

If the water tastes like crap, the beer will obviously taste like crap, but it doesn't necessarily work the other way around. The specific water chemistry has a big effect on not just the taste (in a direct sense), but also on the mash, as well as fermentation. Water can taste great, but still make poor beer.

That being said, as long as the rainwater is clean and tastes good, it shouldn't be a bad thing to use. But since rainwater is a result of evaporation, it may be too low in minerals, and require the addition of brewing salts - AT LEAST a bit of calcium chloride, and, for some styles, a bit of calcium sulfate (gypsum).

Brewing salts very are inexpensive anyways though... you can get a pound of each of those from MoreBeer for just a few bucks each, and that will last a LONG time.

The advice to use Burton salts for everything is actually VERY bad advice though - some (usually newer) brewers tend to use it because it requires just the one addition to more or less replicate the water profile of a famous brewing region which DOES have a proven track record of producing great beers. But the fact is, the style of beer brewed in the region is actually a result of what works with the local water profile. Most beers will turn out with an overly harsh bitterness, inappropriate for most styles. Using just pure calcium chloride instead is just as easy, and simply adding a bit of sulfate (usually with gypsum) for beers like English pale ales isn't much more difficult, and overall you will produce much better beer than if you just rely on Burton salts for everything.

 

[noremorse1]

Go to Albertsons and purchase a few 2.5 gallon containers of distilled water. It will cost you about $6. Problem solved.

 

[dragonbreath11]

Nonono. You have it a bit backwards.

If the water tastes like crap, the beer will obviously taste like crap, but it doesn't necessarily work the other way around. The specific water chemistry has a big effect on not just the taste (in a direct sense), but also on the mash, as well as fermentation. Water can taste great, but still make poor beer.

That being said, as long as the rainwater is clean and tastes good, it shouldn't be a bad thing to use. But since rainwater is a result of evaporation, it may be too low in minerals, and require the addition of brewing salts - AT LEAST a bit of calcium chloride, and, for some styles, a bit of calcium sulfate (gypsum).

Brewing salts very are inexpensive anyways though... you can get a pound of each of those from MoreBeer for just a few bucks each, and that will last a LONG time.

The advice to use Burton salts for everything is actually VERY bad advice though - some (usually newer) brewers tend to use it because it requires just the one addition to more or less replicate the water profile of a famous brewing region which DOES have a proven track record of producing great beers. But the fact is, the style of beer brewed in the region is actually a result of what works with the local water profile. Most beers will turn out with an overly harsh bitterness, inappropriate for most styles. Using just pure calcium chloride instead is just as easy, and simply adding a bit of sulfate (usually with gypsum) for beers like English pale ales isn't much more difficult, and overall you will produce much better beer than if you just rely on Burton salts for everything.

The rainwater does taste very soft...Without going to the LBS is there any additions that I should make to make the water a bit harder that I may have in the cupboard? I have baking soda and Epsom salts on hand..?

 

[emjay]

Chloride is generally the most important addition. You can get it with some table salt (Kosher salt or something else non-iodized), but you gotta be careful, lest you end up making your beer a bit salty.

Epsom salt can also be used as a source of sulfate.

But some source of calcium is also important for yeast health.

Why exactly are you so resistant to getting something from a HBS anyways?

 

[carrolte]

ive seen my kids baby pool turn green the day after it rained. pretty sure all the crap floating in the air got washed out.

 

[arturo7]

Can you make good beer using RO water without mineral additions.?

yes

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewing-water-chemistry-primer-198460/

 

[emjay]

yes

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewing-water-chemistry-primer-198460/

Um... Arturo, bud... that thread *emphasizes* the importance of mineral additions to RO water.

 

[arturo7]

Um... Arturo, bud... that thread *emphasizes* the importance of mineral additions to RO water.

Perhaps, but it also offers a very simple solution. 2% aciduated malt + Calcium Chloride. The malt gets covered when you buy your grain, the CaCl2 is added to the strike water.

Easy and effective water chemistry for the person, like me, who doesn't want to jerk around with multiple chemicals and a spreadsheet.

 

[dragonbreath11]

Perhaps, but it also offers a very simple solution. 2% aciduated malt + Calcium Chloride. The malt gets covered when you buy your grain, the CaCl2 is added to the strike water.

Easy and effective water chemistry for the person, like me, who doesn't want to jerk around with multiple chemicals and a spreadsheet.

Ok now I do have aciduated malt. Wouldn't an acid rest eliminate the use of acid malt. I'll be brewing a wit and correct me if I'm wrong but this style of beer is ok with soft water? Also according to sources online I've read the Pilsen has very soft water and the way they counteract this is with an acid rest.

 

[arturo7]

Ok now I do have aciduated malt. Wouldn't an acid rest eliminate the use of acid malt. I'll be brewing a wit and correct me if I'm wrong but this style of beer is ok with soft water? Also according to sources online I've read the Pilsen has very soft water and the way they counteract this is with an acid rest.

I'd recommend going through that thread and maybe asking your question there. I have not yet tried a wit or pils with this technique.

 

[JonW]

Perhaps, but it also offers a very simple solution. 2% aciduated malt + Calcium Chloride. The malt gets covered when you buy your grain, the CaCl2 is added to the strike water.

Easy and effective water chemistry for the person, like me, who doesn't want to jerk around with multiple chemicals and a spreadsheet.

Arturo, do you do this for your HB water?

 

[arturo7]

Arturo, do you do this for your HB water?

I use RO. There are several local places that sell it cheap.

 

[emjay]

I do the same, but with distilled. It's pretty much what I've been recommending all along, but the op for some reason seems dead set against buying calcium chloride.