Want to stop buying bottled water for brewing

[heckofagator]

While its not super expensive, it's a bit of a trek up to the store to pick up 6-7g of spring water and the price does add up a bit. What is the best bet to stop having to do this?

One, I think, is to buy a carbon block filter that most of the brew supply places sell that hook up to your sink of outside hose. Next would be just to use tap water and get the campden tablets.

What's the best way to proceed?

 

[JonM]

How much is it? Those RO machines at the grocery stores are about 27 cents/gallon. Sure, it's a pain to lug water home, but not too bad.

ETA: what's your tap water like? Do you know what's in it?

 

[heckofagator]

Well, I forget about those machines. I've been getting .80/g spring water from the grocery store shelves.

 

[Psylocide]

The best way would be to get a Ward labs water report for $25-30 and see what is in your water. You might have good water for brewing, you might not.

Then you can see if you really need to be using spring water in the first place or if you can work with the water you have.

If it's not going to be feasible to use your tap water as-is or altered, then you'll need to explore the other options (spring water/RO).

 

[heckofagator]

yeah, I should have said I really don't want to get into the reports and science if I don't have to. What's the SECOND best way?

 

[eadavis80]

Depending on what's in your water, a campden tablet might help. You can get a bag and they're dirt cheap. 1/2 tablet is plenty for a 5-gallon batch. However, whiel I have used them in the past, I honestly, haven't noticed a difference in quality whether I use them or not.

 

[blizz81]

yeah, I should have said I really don't want to get into the reports and science if I don't have to. What's the SECOND best way?

I mean, I guess without that, we're not really dealing with "best".


If your water is too crappy for brewing, charcoal filtering or campden tablets aren't going to save it. They may be easier and / or cheaper than using bottled water, but the product could still be bad at its best.


A charcoal filter on a hose or a sink isn't really going to do anything notable for you. Campden tablets will neutralize the effects of chlorine / chloramines which themselves can cause off-flavors, but won't really do much else. If your tap water is normally fine to drink without any noticeable off-flavors, you can start here (campden tablets) and see how your beers turn out.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

yeah, I should have said I really don't want to get into the reports and science if I don't have to. What's the SECOND best way?

Drink a glass from the faucet. If it tastes good, it'll probably make good tasting beer.

 

[atom]

does your water taste ok? if so, chances are you are fine to brew with it. are you on public water? you could see if you can get an analysis from them. my water co puts one out at the beginning of every year. if you're not sure what you're looking at, post it in the brewing sciences forum and someone can help you out.

 

[Psylocide]

yeah, I should have said I really don't want to get into the reports and science if I don't have to. What's the SECOND best way?

Second best would be building up from RO... I pay $0.30/gal.

But then you still have to add minerals and acidify (most likely/dependent on grain bill).

Third would just be to treat your tap water with campden and brew with it as is.

 

[heckofagator]

thanks for the thoughts. Yeah, I'll have a taste of the tap water and see how it goes. We drink mainly bottled water, but cook and everything else with the tap water. I think most likely its ok and yes, its from teh city. I'll check to see if they have a report.

Maybe I can do half tap and half store bought (with a half of campden) and see how it goes and then move up to all tap and compare.

I just wasn't sure if there was 1 easy magic answer (and it doesn't sound like there is).

 

[slym2none]

FTR - water that tastes good to drink does not automatically mean it is good to brew with. I'd imagine it's closer to 50/50. It's one of those myths that keeps getting perpetuated.

 

[Sailingeric]

I use a water filter made for RV's and so far I have been happy with my beer but I do live an area with good tasting water. I am sure if the water was bad there would not be as many breweries in the area.

 

[Gman1954]

On my All Grain System: I have been using a Large Charcoal Water Filter Housing with $10 replaceable filters (2 for$20 at Lowes) and local Houston house water from a hose. Removes most of the chlorine, so you cant smell it at all. If you need to knock the carbonates down you can Boil up the night before to precipitate them out. Works for most British, Belgian and German dark beers.

 

[Gavin C]

Tasty water that is very expensive and totally unsuited to brewing.

Options.
1. Blindly brew with tap water treated with Campden tabs ($0.02 per 10 gallons treated)

2. Blindly do the above but cut it with RO water and add minerals as described in the KISS primer thread.

3. Water report and cut with RO water and add minerals to target.

4. Build water from 100% RO (store bought $0.39 per gallon/install home RO water supply).

Spring water is as specific a term as tap water. It means nothing. It does not imply its any good for brewing. If you are not going to use your tap water and buy water, it's best to spend your money wisely. RO water with minerals as needed.

 

[Brettomomyces]

thanks for the thoughts. Yeah, I'll have a taste of the tap water and see how it goes. We drink mainly bottled water, but cook and everything else with the tap water. I think most likely its ok and yes, its from teh city. I'll check to see if they have a report.

Maybe I can do half tap and half store bought (with a half of campden) and see how it goes and then move up to all tap and compare.

I just wasn't sure if there was 1 easy magic answer (and it doesn't sound like there is).

Tampa FL/ Hillsborough County, June 2010

pH 7.8
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est 463
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.77
Cations / Anions, me/L 8.1 / 8.3
ppm
Sodium, Na 44
Potassium, K 3
Calcium, Ca 102
Magnesium, Mg 12
Total Hardness, CaCO3 305
Nitrate, NO3-N 0.6 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S 76
Chloride, Cl 40
Carbonate, CO3 < 1
Bicarbonate, HCO3 144
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 118
"<" - Not Detected / Below Detection Limit

Found this on the AHA forum from greg_rosace. This is a few years old though...the CA and bicarb are a little high, but not excessive. A lot of chloride so definitely use a campden tab, and I think they use chloramines as well (pulled from their recent water quality report).

 

[blizz81]

Also, since you're from a major metro area, try googling this and doing some reading. I see no shortage of threads at first glance.


site:www.homebrewtalk.com tampa water

 

[Gavin C]

A lot of chloride so definitely use a campden tab, .

Chlorides are not affected by Campden tablets.

Chlorine and chloramines are.

These are very different things.

 

[z-bob]

Drink a glass from the faucet. If it tastes good, it'll probably make good tasting beer.

If it tastes good, you can probably brew *something* with it, but what? Water that is good for pilnsers and water that is good for stouts are totally different.

 

[Brettomomyces]

Chlorides are not affected by Campden tablets.

Chlorine and chloramines are.

These are very different things.

Good catch, wasn't thinkin. Report does list 3.2ppm chloramines

http://www.tampagov.net/sites/default/files/water/files/water_quality_report_2014.pdf

 

[FloppyKnockers]

If it tastes good, you can probably brew *something* with it, but what? Water that is good for pilnsers and water that is good for stouts are totally different.

Yes, but good tap water will still make good beer and keep away from delving into water chemistry.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

While its not super expensive, it's a bit of a trek up to the store to pick up 6-7g of spring water and the price does add up a bit. What is the best bet to stop having to do this?

One, I think, is to buy a carbon block filter that most of the brew supply places sell that hook up to your sink of outside hose. Next would be just to use tap water and get the campden tablets.

What's the best way to proceed?

I use this filter
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006IX87S/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

With this hose
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ME11FS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I brew outside so I just connect this when im ready to brew and I have filtered water without going to the store.

 

[z-bob]

Yes, but good tap water will still make good beer and keep away from delving into water chemistry.

Good tap water will make good beer if you're lucky. My water tastes fine, but has 320 ppm of HCO3. The iron and magnesium are also a little high.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Good tap water will make good beer if you're lucky. My water tastes fine, but has 320 ppm of HCO3.

*water chemistry

yeah, I should have said I really don't want to get into the reports and science if I don't have to. What's the SECOND best way?

 

[JonM]

The KISS primer linked above is a good, well, KISS way. Look at the bottom of the first post in that thread.

 

[heckofagator]

so all this talk about good and bad beers. I'm honestly not even sure I'd know the difference. I'm not entering any contests or anything. But what sort of thing would you notice? A little off taste? Something similar to fermenting a few degrees too warm? Or something else? I mean, if the water is drinkable, it can't make undrinkable beer, can it?

There are a lot of breweries in town. Is it worth a call to see what they do?

 

[JonM]

Well, I made a stout that tasted like someone had steeped a thousand bandaids in it because of chlorine or something in it. I made a pale beer that tasted awful ( had lots of tasters, who all agreed) and it was bad because I now know the mash pH was way too high. Now those things don't happen in my beers.

 

[blizz81]

so all this talk about good and bad beers. I'm honestly not even sure I'd know the difference. I'm not entering any contests or anything. But what sort of thing would you notice? A little off taste? Something similar to fermenting a few degrees too warm? Or something else? I mean, if the water is drinkable, it can't make undrinkable beer, can it?

There are a lot of breweries in town. Is it worth a call to see what they do?

Why wouldn't you first look and see what other homebrewers are doing in your area (like I suggested on page 2)?

 

[GHBWNY]

so all this talk about good and bad beers. I'm honestly not even sure I'd know the difference. I'm not entering any contests or anything. But what sort of thing would you notice? A little off taste? Something similar to fermenting a few degrees too warm? Or something else? I mean, if the water is drinkable, it can't make undrinkable beer, can it?

There are a lot of breweries in town. Is it worth a call to see what they do?

First, how can you entertain the idea of brewing with something "better/other than" your straight tap water if you've never done it and don't know what it will do for your beer? Brew a small (1-2 gal) batch with your straight tap water, and if it tastes good to you, you need know/do nothing else. If it doesn't, THEN try something else.

 

[heckofagator]

I had planned to ask at the brew supply store next time I'm in.

Why wouldn't you first look and see what other homebrewers are doing in your area (like I suggested on page 2)?