Water quality: all that important?

[wwright]

If I'm using city tap water, out of the Florida aquifer, do I really need to investigate into the quality of it? I can't imagine it's that much of an issue. Is it really only necessary for super region-specific styles of beer? For a good old fashioned IPA, Amber, American Pale Ale, or other "classics" does it matter?

 

[estricklin]

Do you think your tap water tastes good?

There were some water experiments in some episodes of Basic Brewing Radio, they might give you a little insight, but I'd still take them at face value only. You can find those podcasts in the archives.

Personally, I think if a person has a ton of brewing experience, and has every single other aspect of the process down, unless they have horrible water, I say go with it. If your doing all grain, I would suggest pH adjustments though.

 

[LovesIPA]

For extract, it doesn't matter much. If the water tastes good, the beer will generally taste good. For doing all-grain brewing, you can either make light beers that taste good or dark beers that taste good. Not both.

 

[CaptainArgo]

I'm hardly a treasure trove of experience, but one thing I've read that did strike me as important is chloramine content. I can't say exactly how big an effect it has on the end product, but apparently it doesn't come out with boiling like chlorine does. Campden tabs are recommended for removing chloramines.

 

[dogslapbrewery]

Jon Palmer has some really good videos on water pH on YouTube that I would definitely watch. Between tweeking water pH and kegging my brew those two were the best advancements I've made!

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Home Brew mobile app

 

[sumbrewindude]

Water is the one defining element in your brewing.

Can you wing it? Sure. But if you brew according to what your water's chemistry perfers, you will have better beer.

 

[bajaedition]

beers are brewed around the world using local water

some of the signature taste of certain beers is the water they use
Such as Coors having mountain fresh water that has little in it

And remember, most beers got famous using what ever water came from the stream or well at their site

and it is all different

If you want to emulate a beer you need water that is like theirs

SO, Yes water is important. to different beers

to your home brewery, water is important if you want to create certain styles

AND, if your water taste good coming out of your tap, and is not so way out of balance it hurts (which would have an off flavor)
then
NO, your water does not mater

I brew with well water, sort of hard, but I do no fret a lot. My beers are good so why worry

Relax, don't worry and have a home brew

 

[Foosier]

I used city water, untreated, for a couple years. I will agree some came out good some came out bad. I finally got interested in my water after I noticed a pattern. Had astringency in a porter I made where everything else was done correct.

As other have noted, water is not something to worry about right away. Fix the rest of your processes first: Fermentation temp control, yeast starters, all grain, etc... Once you have your process dialed in then it makes sense to worry about water.

Also, do a search on the site for your town. Likely someone else has posted their Wards lab report for your town which will give you a good idea about the general parameters of the water you are using.

 

[dogslapbrewery]

5.2-5.4 ph will give you happy tasty beer! Water ph is often referred to as the final frontier.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Home Brew mobile app