Water question

[Tourney3p0]

Hey guys,

I have a question about my water. I've been reading past forum posts for an answer, and a lot of what I read says that if the water tastes good to drink, it's good enough for the beer. The problem is that my tap water doesn't taste good enough to drink.

My water has a definite chlorine taste to it. I've been using a Pur pitcher for my drinking water, and that does a great job. But filtering the water for my beer would be both expensive and time consuming. Instead I've tried boiling the water.

After the water boils, the chlorine taste is gone. However, I'm now left with a definite metal-like taste. I tried boiling water in several different pots, some aluminum and some steel. I even tried a pyrex pot, but it had what I assume was teflon in the bottom. Each attempt resulted in a slightly unpleasant taste that I would prefer to not transfer to my beer.

Am I going to have to stick with filters/bottled water, or is this something I can overcome?

 

[RICLARK]

Hey guys,

I have a question about my water. I've been reading past forum posts for an answer, and a lot of what I read says that if the water tastes good to drink, it's good enough for the beer. The problem is that my tap water doesn't taste good enough to drink.

My water has a definite chlorine taste to it. I've been using a Pur pitcher for my drinking water, and that does a great job. But filtering the water for my beer would be both expensive and time consuming. Instead I've tried boiling the water.

After the water boils, the chlorine taste is gone. However, I'm now left with a definite metal-like taste. I tried boiling water in several different pots, some aluminum and some steel. I even tried a pyrex pot, but it had what I assume was teflon in the bottom. Each attempt resulted in a slightly unpleasant taste that I would prefer to not transfer to my beer.

Am I going to have to stick with filters/bottled water, or is this something I can overcome?

I have great tap water but I still go to the market and buy 10 gallons of the Ice Mountain Reverse Osmosis waater to brew with, you really cant go wrong with it and that is what I suggest for you.

 

[Poindexter]

I agree witth RIC. Reverse osmosis process will get the chemistry close.

FWIW I have been brewing with store bought RO, microfiltered, carbon filtered, ozonized "drinking water" lately, to standardize the ingredient. If I do tweak and post a recipe you can probably nail it at your house if you buy the same water I used...

I don't claim to be a good brewer, just a step or two above n00b, but it seems cheap enough considering I am consistently brewing beer that "could" sell for $9/ six pack.

If your water is close you might consider a faucet mount carbon filter for your brewing water, about $25, I have seen them at CVS/ Walgreens and some grocery stores.

 

[wballow]

it seems to me that if you are going to get serious about your water, a good way to control the hardness would be by buying distilled water and then adding table salt, gypsum, and epsom salt

 

[ArcaneXor]

I'd go with bottled water, or consider using one of those faucet-mount water filters - that should be much faster than using a pitcher. Metallic flavors can be pretty unpleasant in the final beer, so I'd avoid using your tap water "plain".

 

[impatient]

you should install a reverse osmosis kit under your kitchen sink. never buy bottled water again