Spring Water vs Distilled Water

[unionrdr]

Yes it would,once you learn what to add. I found out recently that I can get local spring water at either Cherry Knoll or Artisian Springs for 10c per gallon vs 79c per in the store. That'll save a few bucks more per batch. I used it in two beers I'm currently fermenting that are both partial mash. The smells & activity have been great with the WL029 yeast.

 

[togodoug]

Yes, maybe so but with extract it really doesn't matter. If you don't have a good inexpensive source for spring water, then reverse osmosis water or distilled water would be fine.

How is it that extract has enough minerals? I know an extract brewer that only uses distilled and his beer is consistently better, without an sour tang, that I taste in other home brew in my area as well as mine . It seems that distilled maybe better than filtered if the filtered is veg high in calcium or other things ?

 

[togodoug]

Yes, maybe so but with extract it really doesn't matter. If you don't have a good inexpensive source for spring water, then reverse osmosis water or distilled water would be fine.

How is it extract brewing has minerals? A friend who only uses distilled water in extract seems to make the most consistent beer without a sour / tangy after taste a lot of other extract brews in my area seem to have.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

A friend who only uses distilled water in extract seems to make the most consistent beer without a sour / tangy after taste a lot of other extract brews in my area seem to have.

Assuming the other extract brewers are using proper sanitation techniques (avoids 'sour') and fresh extract (avoids 'tangy' / ' twangy'), ...

... what do you know about the consistency and mineral content of the tap water?

How is it extract brewing has minerals?

The producer of the extract uses vacuum evaporation to remove just the water, leaving the minerals in the wort behind.

Since they removed "just the water", it makes sense to add back "just the water".

In How to Brew 4e, there is an idea that one can use "low mineral" water as well as distilled or RO water. The book does suggests upper limits (in ppm) for the various values. Many brands of spring water (and many brewers tap water) are likely to be "low mineral water".

 

[Vinny]

Agree, all the minerals were add during the mash for the production of the extract, adding back RO water or Distilled water is best for extract based brewing. Using spring water will work but, it has a mineral content that could affect the final product.

Vinny D