Distilled Water

[[email protected]]

hey all!

was just curious, and wondering, if there was any problems in using distilled water for making a good homebrew? wikipedia says that yeast may not get the correct nutrients from using distilled water?

whats everyones thoughts?

 

[QldKev]

As long as you understand water chemistry, no problems. It would allow you to tweak the water to suit the exact beer style. A nice soft water pils, mmm

QldKev

 

[[email protected]]

cheers QldKev! ill have a look into it, i never was one for science, so it might just be easier for me to scick to tap water....... or give it a go anyways!

 

[benno1973]

Google for calcium requirements for yeast. Yeast require some stuff to do their thing, so starting with distilled water will allow you to add back things like CaCl, CaSO4, CaCO3 etc to achieve a certain water profile. There's a thread on here somewhere that I started asking what the min Calcium requirements were if using RO water - from memory it was around 50ppm.

As a first step, read Palmer's guide to water chemistry in How to Brew, as it's pretty good and it will give you a feel for what other factors are being affected when you mess around with the water (pH etc). And understand that you can always create softer water by mixing your regular tap water with distilled water, and still end up with good brewing water.

 

[QldKev]

Also have a look on my website. I've got some notes thrown on there and also a couple of excellent links. As always Palmer's guide is also great reading. Once you ge tthe basis of it, it is not that scary and you don't need a science major to follow it all. If using distilled just set your starting water as all zeros and have a play.

QldKev

 

[Wolfy]

Please let me know where you can get brewing-quantities of distilled water from?
The lab-supply place I usually use want to charge $10/L and at that price, its not something I'd consider using to brew with.

 

[benno1973]

Buy a still perhaps? But I can't see it being cheap to produce 30+L of distilled water...

 

[[email protected]]

maybe spring water is a goer? i know that it can be bought from woolies for like four bucks for four litres (bought a dud car). i know its not as pure as distilled water, but its prob better than tap water........

 

[Wolfy]

Spring water and de-mineralized water can both be purchased cheaply and easily, and there is no reason (other than extra cost and no particular advantage) that spring water cannot be used for brewing, but I was looking for some distilled water for yeast-storage purposes rather than 30-40L for brewing with.

 

[eamonnfoley]

Spring water and de-mineralized water can both be purchased cheaply and easily, and there is no reason (other than extra cost and no particular advantage) that spring water cannot be used for brewing, but I was looking for some distilled water for yeast-storage purposes rather than 30-40L for brewing with.

Get an RO filter - then it is essentially on tap.

Should you be storing yeast (slurries I assume) in distilled water? Spring water will be fine for that purpose. Even tap water with a decent profile will be suitable.

There is something about this in Jamils yeast book but I cannot remember the details.

 

[Wolfy]

Storing washed yeast slurry in Melbourne tap water has been fine (for storage periods of many months), we're renting so a RO unit is out of the question, but do have a bench-filter for brewing-water.
However, as per the book (and other) suggestions when storing small (inoculation loop sized) yeast samples - if possible - I'd rather use distilled water than RO or tap water.

 

[eamonnfoley]

Storing washed yeast slurry in Melbourne tap water has been fine (for storage periods of many months), we're renting so a RO unit is out of the question, but do have a bench-filter for brewing-water.
However, as per the book (and other) suggestions when storing small (inoculation loop sized) yeast samples - if possible - I'd rather use distilled water than RO or tap water.

RO units are very compact. I have this one:

http://www.gryphonbrewing.com.au/store/ind...256bf41d9c94c6d

No bigger in size than a 2 stage bench filter.

 

[[email protected]]

i have a guy whos lives across the road from me who deals in water filtration...... might head over there and have a yarn to him about the best way to get the best filtration using tap water! could be usefull!

 

[manticle]

What people have alluded to above is that brewing with distilled water without adding minerals is not a good idea.

There are certain things that aid yeast such as calcium. If you are going to use distilled water, you may either be looking at diluting your tap water if the tap water has a lot of chlorine or is very hard water OR you will be building up your own mineral profile by adding salts.

Tailoring your water with things like Calcium Chloride is a more technical aspect of brewing that is probably above your current level of experience.

 

[[email protected]]

so its really just going to be easier to use the tap water! coolies!

 

[Wolfy]

There are certain things that aid yeast such as calcium. If you are going to use distilled water, you may either be looking at diluting your tap water if the tap water has a lot of chlorine or is very hard water OR you will be building up your own mineral profile by adding salts.

Or you could just live in Melbourne where the water is so soft you can treat it as distilled water for building your own water-profiles when brewing.

 

[katzke]

You can not just go to the store and buy 4 liters of distilled water for 1 buck or 2? Must be a USA thing.

 

[[email protected]]

too bad im not american!

 

[Hassles]

Melbourne's tap water has always been good, fantastic for breeding tropical fish but...you're still gonna' have chlorine and chloramine which will need to be removed for the fish. Personally I don't want it in my beer either. A drum full of water placed in a shady place for a few days will usually allow the chlorine to disapate but the chloramine will remain.

Good RO filters can be affordably purchased which can be readily plumbed into (or out again) the washing machine water inlet. Check out PSI filters in Tasmania - thats where I acquired mine. Once you've RO'ed the water you can re-mineralise to suit a given beer style. I believe Cooper's Brewery does this. Plenty of water chemistry stuff on-line for those with the need to know.

water filters can be custom assembled to filter out as much or as little as required so a filtration system is a serious option for any brewer (IMO). Check out your options and take it from there.

take care




PS: still looking for a recipe for "Warka Strong".

 

[haysie]

Melbourne's tap water has always been good, fantastic for breeding tropical fish but...you're still gonna' have chlorine and chloramine which will need to be removed for the fish. Personally I don't want it in my beer either. A drum full of water placed in a shady place for a few days will usually allow the chlorine to disapate but the chloramine will remain.

Good RO filters can be affordably purchased which can be readily plumbed into (or out again) the washing machine water inlet. Check out PSI filters in Tasmania - thats where I acquired mine. Once you've RO'ed the water you can re-mineralise to suit a given beer style. I believe Cooper's Brewery does this. Plenty of water chemistry stuff on-line for those with the need to know.

water filters can be custom assembled to filter out as much or as little as required so a filtration system is a serious option for any brewer (IMO). Check out your options and take it from there.

take care




PS: still looking for a recipe for "Warka Strong".

I dont breed fish, I catch them , kill them and eat them Whiting are my favorite.

Hear what you are saying re RO water but the water here in Melbourne is so soft, most mashes/beers do very well, you can adjust without the RO or tablet treatment. Filtration of what? Adelaide is meant to be the worst water in Australia yet some of the best brewers in the country come from there with minimal additions or filtartion to the tap water.

Water chemistry can make a difference but filtartion is a waste of time if the water is good to start with.