Water for All-Grain

[PavlovsCat]

I am used to using Spring Water for extract and partial mashes. But now with AG, it seems like it would get rather tedious with the amount of water needed, let alone more expensive. Does anyone use spring water in AG or is it right out of the tap? Haven't yet built my tap filter.

 

[McKBrew]

I use my tap water. It's slightly chlorinated, but I haven't noticed issues.

I am going to buy an RV hose and filter just because.

 

[Yooper]

I've used tap water, but I'm changing that now. My tap water is hard. It makes wonderful dark beers, and APAs and IPAs, but NOT good Belgian pale ales, or blonde ales, etc. I'm going to try using 1/2 RO water and 1/2 tap water in a light colored beer to see how it is.

I know that I can get a water report from Ward's Labs, and I will. I just haven't had the interest yet, but I know that it will greatly improve my beers. I won't even try a pilsner until I get a water report.

If your tap water is good tasting, it's worth trying at least one batch to see how it goes for you, unless you want to get a water report first. Some cities have them available for free, if you have city water.

 

[PavlovsCat]

I found a "Build Your Own Water Filter" DIY project on Brew Magazine. It is the Jan/Feb 2007 issue. Or just go to Brew Magazine on line under DIY projects. I haven't put it together yet, but have all the parts. It's made from pvc, brass fittings, some tubing, and a Culligan shower filter. Supposed to be good for 10,000 gallons. It's mainly for removing chlorine, which is what most of us want. The filter was the hardest to find so I ordered a couple on line from waterfilters.net. I'm going to assemble it prior to my first AG this weekend. My water tastes good, but I'm so used to it that I probably can't taste the chorine/chloramine. Chloramine is what most cities use now, and it's harder to remove, so we'll see. I just can't see schlepping ten or fifteen gallons of spring water from the supermarket every time I want to brew.

 

[Battery_BreweryNJ]

I've been using spring water for 5.5 gallon batches but this sat. im doin my 1st 10 gallon AG, so I'm kinda rethinking it. The food store by me has gallon jugs for 79 cents a piece, which isn't that bad but will add up after a while.

 

[lamarguy]

Does anyone use spring water in AG or is it right out of the tap? Haven't yet built my tap filter.

I use a standard whole-house 0.5 micron carbon impregnated filter that's hooked up to a garden hose. Works great and the filter is rated at 1K gallons, so ~100 brew sessions.

San Antonio water is moderately hard, so if the target SRM is 20+, I use 100% filtered tap water. Anything lower, I dilute with RO water and add salts to adjust the malty/bitterness profile to style.

For example, to do a 4 SRM beer I dilute the filtered tap water with 60% RO water and add 1 tsp of calcium chloride. There are numerous spreadsheets available for such calculations.

 

[PavlovsCat]

thanks lamarguy, that actually looks like something easier to use than my DIY. Sometimes I just like to build stuff. I'll have to check out Lowes tomorrow.