Allergic to Chlorine, fluoride and tap water in general

[mickiboi]

Hi all. I'm new to brewing and I am starting on a Coopers Pale ale kit and going to work my way up to all grain when I get the feel of things, however long that may take. But for the moment I just want to make a beer and keg it and work out what to do. I am a distiller and have been making mashes for a while so now I turn to home brew as an extension of my hobby.

I live in Adelaide and the water here is crap, I can't drink it with out breaking out in a rash and boils that would make a pox ridden hooker look like Miss Universe. I have to drink distilled water, which I add a teaspoon (5ml) of saturated Himalayan sea salt water to every litre I drink. You can't taste it and it makes up for the minerals that the distilled water is deficient in.

So now to my question. I have been told I cant brew in distilled water and I have been told that's BS. Apparently all I need to do is to add calcium sulfate to the water (0.5mg/l) to use with a kit and I have been told I don't need to do anything. What's correct here? If I do need to do something to the distilled water in order to use it, what do I do? I sort of need to work this out now as everything I will do will be done with distilled water.

Thanks in advance

 

[TheWiggman]

Be forewarned that I think the thread title could considered trollbait and considering this is post #2, I'm both reluctant to pass judgement and a little suspicious. I'll bite my tongue regarding allergies and the like but I think that's where this thread is going to descend.

Distilled water is very suitable, neigh perfect for brewing. It's a clean slate like a blackboard without the black. For ALL GRAIN brewing it will however require salts to be added to achieve the right pH of the mash depending on your brew, as well as adjusting for taste. Generally speaking, dark grains need high pH, light grains need low pH.

If you're using a kit, distilled water is fine - all the nutrients required are in the tin of goop. No need to adjust unless you want to change the taste.

 

[manticle]

Have you been allergy tested to find out what you're actually allergic to?
No point us giving you advice that may put you on the wrong path.

Broadly speaking though, you can strip water of minerals, chlorine, etc and add back minerals that are good for yeast function and other brewing related stuff.
Most useful brewing salts tend to be calcium and zinc related.

Reverse osmosis filters are popular and effective.

 

[mickiboi]

I'm not a troll mate. Thanks for answering my question.

 

[paulyman]

I'd be less worried about using distiller water in brewing and concentrate on visiting a doctor rather than relying on quack science (Himalayan sea salt). Each to their own I suppose.

 

[mickiboi]

Have you been allergy tested to find out what you're actually allergic to?
No point us giving you advice that may put you on the wrong path.

Broadly speaking though, you can strip water of minerals, chlorine, etc and add back minerals that are good for yeast function and other brewing related stuff.
Most useful brewing salts tend to be calcium and zinc related.

I have a severe reaction to both chlorine and fluoride. Adelaide tap water is crap, lots of people here can't drink it, don't drink it and won't drink it. I wouldn't drink a home brew made with Adelaide water if you paid me. But I won't start making an all grain home brew until I work out the water chemistry needed. So if you say go ahead and use distilled water for a can of pale ale I will. Thanks for the advice.

 

[mickiboi]

I'd be less worried about using distiller water in brewing and concentrate on visiting a doctor rather than relying on quack science (Himalayan sea salt). Each to their own I suppose.

Its not quack science, the advice comes from a professor at Adelaide University who worked out what was causing me to break out in boils and shit all over. And my health is absolutely fine. Thank you for your concern mate.

 

[paulyman]

I am very concerned. I'd be getting a second opinion from a doctor.

 

[manticle]

Distilling is not discussed here due to the illegal nature of distillation (without licence and appropriate excise) at a home level.

There is a sister site, hosted elsewhere where you are welcome to discuss such things.
Please stick to brewing talk here.

Reason I ask if you've been tested is not because I doubt you are reacting to something in the water but because if we start advising on treating your water, we may inadvertently get you to consume more of what makes you ill. How do you know it's chlorine as opposed to calcium for instance?

Allergies can be very serious and I'd be reluctant to offer specific advice without specific information.

Worthwhile isolating the definitive cause if you haven't already as it will help make informed decisions about water treatment for brewing.

 

[mickiboi]

Be forewarned that I think the thread title could considered trollbait and considering this is post #2, I'm both reluctant to pass judgement and a little suspicious. I'll bite my tongue regarding allergies and the like but I think that's where this thread is going to descend.

Distilled water is very suitable, neigh perfect for brewing. It's a clean slate like a blackboard without the black. For ALL GRAIN brewing it will however require salts to be added to achieve the right pH of the mash depending on your brew, as well as adjusting for taste. Generally speaking, dark grains need high pH, light grains need low pH.

If you're using a kit, distilled water is fine - all the nutrients required are in the tin of goop. No need to adjust unless you want to change the taste.

Yeah you were right, didn't take long. Thanks for the initial help and advice anyway.

I am very concerned. I'd be getting a second opinion from a doctor.

He is a bit smarter than a Dr. Google Professor Andrew Zannettino It's quite common for that to happen to people who come here and drink this shit water and aren't used to it. Once again thanks for the health advice but really I'm fine and very healthy now I don't drink this water out of a tap.

 

[mickiboi]

Removed the references to you know what.

I'm not asking you to diagnose my health, I have been allergy tested by one of the best in the business and we know what it is. All I asked was is it ok to use distilled water in a coopers pale ale brew kit because I have an allergic reaction to Adelaide water and I drink distilled water because of this. My health is OK so don't worry about this. Any future brewing I do will be done with distilled water. That's it. I think I will find another forum. Thank you

 

[manticle]

If you're referring to my post (unsure) you'll see my questions are to make sure you're given the right advice. Please re-read and drop the defensiveness.

Remember no-one knows you from a bar of soap. I'll take you at face value but I don't want to tell you to add calcium sulfate to your hoppy beer unless I know it's not calcium or sulfate you're allergic to.
I understand the chip but remove it because that's not where I'm coming from.

 

[mickiboi]

If you're referring to my post (unsure) you'll see my questions are to make sure you're gicen the right advice. Please re-read and drop the defensiveness.

I apologise mate. It's chlorine and fluoride. I have a whole house system to remove the chlorine but the fluoride stays in as everyone knows. I go into anaphylactic shock from the fluoride. I can't drink anything from a shop because I have no idea if the water has had the fluoride removed. There is a well known Sydney beer that uses tap water to brew, I found out the hard way with a trip to St Vincents when my throat swelled up and shut me down within 2 minutes. I guess I should have explained that first.

 

[manticle]

Yeah mate no drama. The potential seriousness of allergies is exactly why I want to make sure I'm not leading you up the garden path and into a jumping jacks' nest.

 

[manticle]

So yeah - reverse osmosis is your friend to strip chlorine and minerals. You can then add specific minerals back to suit.

I am however unsure about its effect on fluoride levels. You may need to check that. If all good and you are seriously considering AG, then it will be a worthwhile investment. Calcium salts and nutrients containing zinc are available from home brew shops that cater for all grain.

Also the sodium salt additions may be good for drinking water but monitor the level for brewing. A small amount is ok but too much sodium is bad for yeast and can contribute to harsh flavours.

 

[mickiboi]

No problem mate, this is serious to me. I have lived with this for years. They have no idea how or why this reaction started in me. It happened after I had been living in Adelaide for about 10 years out of the blue. The professor said it was just a toxic accumulation, it happens quite a lot here in Adelaide, the water really is crap. It's at the end of the Murray after every town along the way has dumped it sewage into it and every animal along the way has crapped in it. Turns out I don't get rid of fluoride that easy and I'm at the tipping point.

Thank you to all those that answered. I have some experimenting to do now before I go any further than a can of kit pale ale.

 

[mickiboi]

RO still leaves traces, it only removes 97-99% depending on the membrane used. I have a steam distillation unit I built from other parts. I run off about 50 litres a week, that keeps me going. I will do a brew tomorrow and see what happens.

 

[manticle]

If you've got your own system already that works, then the rest still applies. Calcium salts for ag, some zinc, possibly magnesium (although all malt provides a substantial amount). Sulfate for hoppy beers, chloride (as in calcium salt: calcium chloride - hopefully only free chlorine you react to?) for malty beers.
There's more water chem stuff but wait till you start AG.

 

[mickiboi]

Thanks manticle. It is only free chlorine. I have a lot to learn about water chemistry and its effects on taste and yeast. I appreciate your help mate.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Free chlorine evaporates from water easly.

Himalayan sea salt........ No wonder people are being sceptical.