Rain Water For Brewing

[nifty9000]

We have been drinking rainwater for over 20 years as scheme water does not encourage you to drink water (thats WA for you). So using rainwater for brewing was a natural progression. This has a big impact on taste of lighter brews such as pilseners but less with darker brews. The only problem I have is that the mash pH is generally too low. I add salts as per my own spreadsheet (not dis-similar to EZ) assuming zero minerals to start with. With english ales I can get up to 5.2 (with target of Burton water) but I cannot get above 4.9 for pilsener styles. I have not tested but I am wondering if this is due to rainwater combining with CO2 to form carbonic acid. I am very happy with my pilseners but still wonder could this be better.

 

[ekul]

anyone get their rain water tested that has a concrete tank?

I have one and i've wondered whether my water would be zero or not because of the concrete. I use the water all the time for ag, seems to work fine.

 

[vic45]

Had ours tested a couple of years ago and was less than 1mg/ litre in everything but bicarbonate, it is 19mg/ litre .
Also had a PH of 6.4

 

[Joshisgood]

Hi I use rainwater for brewing as were not connected to the town water here, seems fine so far. Was just wondering about filtering, as far as I can tell our water just goes through a ceramic filter, is this ok for brewing? (I do extract brewing so only 10 litres of my water is boiled, cheers

 

[hoppinmad]

It is fine to use rainwater, but you will need to make sure it has all been boiled to kill off any microbes it picks up on its way from your roof to the tank

 

[yandy5000]

That's great to know! A 90 minute boil should kill most things. I found tap water here to vary between 6.8 - 7.2, your chlorine gets steamed off if you strike your water for a while and seems to work fine and taste good. What about mashing with rain water, would you have to boil it first then cool down to strike temp? Or would the main boil sort it out..

best regards,
Yandy

 

[mr_tyreman]

That's great to know! A 90 minute boil should kill most things. I found tap water here to vary between 6.8 - 7.2, your chlorine gets steamed off if you strike your water for a while and seems to work fine and taste good. What about mashing with rain water, would you have to boil it first then cool down to strike temp? Or would the main boil sort it out..

best regards,
Yandy

Good question mate, i'd love to know if anyone boils and cools there strike water to tempreture first...

 

[bignath]

Good question mate, i'd love to know if anyone boils and cools there strike water to tempreture first...

So would i...

I've just started brewing with rainwater, got the first batch in the fermenter now. I am trying it to see if it goes okay, because the wife and i want to move the rainwater tank which is currently located on our main patio, and i was thinking of putting it around the back of my garage where i brew so i can have a constant supply of water to "the brewery". Wanted to do a test batch before i drain and shift the bloody thing.

I literally just treated the brew like any other, and we'll see what i get. So far the tasting's seem great.

I transferred to HLT from tank using buckets, brought to strike temp, mashed with it, sent it to the boiler, boiled and no chilled.

I'm assuming the main boil will sort out nasties that may be present, but i have no idea if there are any conversion issues, or ph things in the mash with straight rainwater that hasn't been preboiled.

Would love to know the answer too. (haven't searched for the answer as yet, but seeing as someone else raised the point, i'll jump in too.)

 

[drsmurto]

Good question mate, i'd love to know if anyone boils and cools there strike water to tempreture first...

No need to boil/cool strike water as you are boiling for 60+ mins.

I use rainwater for brewing. No filter but then i happily drink my rainwater unfiltered - it tastes good.

 

[komodo]

if its good enough to drink its good enough to brew with imo.

I have mains but used to often brew with tank water as its closer to my old brew area
Now I brew at work its all town water.