Brewing To Suit Your Local Water

[avaneyk]

I've been reading about the histories of various beer styles lately and how styles developed (partly) depending on the local water. Since I don't have a good understanding of water chemistry, it seems that it makes sense for me to brew styles that suit my local water.

So here's my questions:
1) Do other brewers brew to suit their water, make adjustments or just not worry about it?
2) Can any brewers in Adelaide advise on beer styles that the local water is best suited to?

Cheers,

Andrew.

 

[Dave70]

I use to think about this, but then I figured the water goes through so much heating, cooling, flavouring, boiling, chilling and generally sitting about settling, I stopped.
And besides, my H20 comes direct from the Hawkesbury / Nepean river, gets run through a stocking and pumped to our taps.
There's not many recipes that call up for re-cycled, chlorinated poo water..

 

[jbirbeck]

I've been reading about the histories of various beer styles lately and how styles developed (partly) depending on the local water. Since I don't have a good understanding of water chemistry, it seems that it makes sense for me to brew styles that suit my local water.

So here's my questions:
1) Do other brewers brew to suit their water, make adjustments or just not worry about it?
2) Can any brewers in Adelaide advise on beer styles that the local water is best suited to?

Cheers,

Andrew.

I don't brew to suit the water. I brew to brew. Brewed masses of beers from all styles without ill effects without tampering with the adelaide water, have done brews with a mix of rain and tap water - still good, some of the best beers I've made though have been since I started tweaking the water with extra calcium...the ultimate was a stout.

Question 2 - adelaide water is highly suited to just about every style except Kolsch and Bo pils...use rain water. Just my view.