RO water for starter?

[njohnsoncs]

I'm going to start brewing with RO water instead of whatever is coming out of my tap. I usually make a starter for all my beers. Is it OK to use RO water for a starter or do I need to add any minerals or salts or anything to it?

 

[Jag75]

Using the ro water I think would be ok . I just use tap water and never add anything to my starters. I do add salts and acids to my mash and sparge though. I never thought about the starter tbo. It's such a small amount of water.

 

[SEndorf]

I've always used RO for starters with 1/8 tsp yeast nutrient.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

In my opinion the RO yeast starter water needs either a pinch of gypsum or a pinch of yeast nutrient (or preferably both), as RO water is essentially devoid of all minerals and nutrients.

 

[Jag75]

When it says on bottled RO water minerals added for taste what are the minerals ?

 

[mongoose33]

I've always used RO for starters with 1/8 tsp yeast nutrient.

I do exactly the same thing.

 

[SEndorf]

When it says on bottled RO water minerals added for taste what are the minerals ?

When you see this, it's not pure RO water but purified drinking water.
Different companies add different minerals. It's best to stay away from this water for brewing simply because you have no definitive start point to add back your brewing salts.

 

[Steveg229]

RO water is perfectly fine to use as everything the yeast needs is in the malt extract. A little bit of yeast nutrient cant hurt and is all I have ever done.

 

[Jag75]

When you see this, it's not pure RO water but purified drinking water.
Different companies add different minerals. It's best to stay away from this water for brewing simply because you have no definitive start point to add back your brewing salts.

The only time I've used this is when I've done extract kits . Sometimes if diluted with it doing all grain . Didnt know there was a RO water with nothing in it . Is there pre bottled RO thatuasnt had minerals added?

 

[couchsending]

just don't rehydrate yeast with RO or distilled water

 

[Braufessor]

The malt extract has allthe minerals you need in regard to water. I add a bit of yeast nutrient to it though.

 

[WBB]

I use distilled and purified water for starters and I’ve never had a problem with them taking off. Might be interesting to do a test and brew two exact recipes but one had a distilled/RO/purified water starter and one had tap to see if any taste diff in the end product. But my guess is no.

 

[BobBailey]

Pretty standard mineral additions for bottled drinking water are Calcium Chloride and Sodium Bicarbonate.

 

[brownni5]

just don't rehydrate yeast with RO or distilled water

According to Fermentis, just don't rehydrate yeast.

 

[kh54s10]

I never bother with any special water for starters. Just tap water. I decant so there is very little of the water going into the beer. Not worth the trouble or expense to me. YMMV.