Water Surprise

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Bribie G

Adjunct Professor
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Yes, wot a surprise as well :lol:


expressi.jpg

SWMBO bought one of those Expressi machines from Aldi and they make a mean espresso. I can't drink coffee but the aroma coming off the thing is impressive.

It goes through various cycles and there's a cleaning cycle. So I reckoned to extend the life of the thing I'd run up a jerry of Reverse osmosis water just to use in the machine, which I did.

This morning I was filling the kettle for my cup of tea (which I do drink) and thought "hang on, I'll use the RO water and see how we go"
So as per usual I brewed up my two Aldi Intense formula teabags in my pom pint mug I took a sip:


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tea_plantation.jpg

Hey who let all those boat-people ladies into my mouth???

Wow if that's what it does to tea, I tell you what I'll never use town water in my beer again. So far I have been dragging out the RO for the likes of Pilseners and the odd comp beer such as a TTL where I wanted to get the water correct, but the RO is going to get a hammering from now on :) :)
 
Sounds as though you like it Bribie? :D
Then there's the old chestnut of dissolved salts absent in RO depleting our own body's reserves. Might conceivably be an issue if you only drank coffee made with RO water as your sole source of fluids, however for a few espressos, oh beg pardon expressos (lol), I think it won't be that harmful and tastes just awesome.
We use rainwater in our Jura at work, no real hassles with scale, we do have RO to use as well but the health police got the better of it and decided it was not quite right.
 
I am not exactly sure I would want boat people ladies in my mouth. Poor sanitary conditions on those boats you know
 
Yes, wot a surprise as well :lol:


View attachment 53652

SWMBO bought one of those Expressi machines from Aldi and they make a mean espresso. I can't drink coffee but the aroma coming off the thing is impressive.

It goes through various cycles and there's a cleaning cycle. So I reckoned to extend the life of the thing I'd run up a jerry of Reverse osmosis water just to use in the machine, which I did.

This morning I was filling the kettle for my cup of tea (which I do drink) and thought "hang on, I'll use the RO water and see how we go"
So as per usual I brewed up my two Aldi Intense formula teabags in my pom pint mug I took a sip:


sSc_shocked.gif
sSc_shocked.gif
sSc_shocked.gif
sSc_shocked.gif
sSc_shocked.gif


View attachment 53654

Hey who let all those boat-people ladies into my mouth???

Wow if that's what it does to tea, I tell you what I'll never use town water in my beer again. So far I have been dragging out the RO for the likes of Pilseners and the odd comp beer such as a TTL where I wanted to get the water correct, but the RO is going to get a hammering from now on :) :)

great bribie, the water must affect the extraction as well as the mouthfeel, i always wondered why espressos always tasted better in the north of italy, probably their water

i am brewing a landlord this weekend, can you tell me what water profile you use ?

previously i've tried to emulate london water, it not being too loaded in salts, with not bad results
 
I use EZ Water calculator. In the case of a TTL I use Calcium Chloride as the main salt addition and just a sprinkle of Magnesium Sulphate as an insurance policy, and aim for around 105 ppm of Calcium to replicate the limestone rich water flowing off the Pennines - you know the stuff that makes stalactites. Edit: also I have used Calcium Carbonate a couple of times but that's supposed to go in the mash and in the case of BIAB the mash is very thin, so I'm a bit unsure how to calculate the stuff as maybe a lot of it doesn't get dissolved.

Whatever profile I always use some yeast nutrient (the brown variety) at the end of the boil to supply ions that I could possibly have stripped out - e.g. Zinc, Unobtanium etc.

Double edit. on the point of the thin mash I'm thinking there wouldn't be any harm in BIABing a thick mash then use a quantity of hot liquor to raise to mashout, a bit like the Germans do their infusions, but I digress. :rolleyes:
 
A bit OT Bribie, but here's a tip- to dissolve those pesky CaCl2 flakes firstly take a small jug of hot strike water, add 1/2 tsp Citric acid, dissolve that and then add the CaCl2 which should dissolve fairly rapidly and then add it to the kettle. Won't upset the alkalinity or make up of the strike water to any substantial degree but dissolves the critical calcium.
 
Deionized (or demineralised) water has a great affinity for any ions it comes in contact with. In the process of reionizing itself it is very corrosive and will even rip ions out of stainless steel . Personally, I would not use deionised water with copper or brass.
 
I bought one of those fast RO filter thingies (about 1.5L per minute) for the family last year and we use it for literally everything. Drinking, cooking, brewing, coffee, flowers, brushing teeth, you name it, just the toilet, shower and washing mashine still runs on town water. One outlet runs directly into the fridge for cold water and ice dispensing, a second outlet is conveniently placed near the brewery.

It's low wastage, so only about 250ml waste per liter, as opposed to the usual 4 or so, which goes straight outside into a small 200L tank for the garden.

It runs one of those remineralisation capsules behind the filter, which also bumps up the pH to about 10, so there should be none of the issues mentioned by RdeVjun.

Very happy with it, and knowing our fluoride intake (and whatever else they might decide has to be good for us) is on the very low end brings peace of mind.
 
How much was your unit, Florian and does it need to be plumbed in by a tradesman? Mine from Gryphon was $250 and it seems to produce about 1:3 but it sits on the washing machine with the waste pipe going into the machine so it all gets used. One brews worth generally does one load (it's a top loader, considering your own background I'd bet you have a typical Euro style front loader. (joke)) :p
 
I use an Aquasana AQ4000 filter for water at home.

Even though Melbourne (Yarra Valley) has pretty good water, there are times when I turn on the shower and have to leave the room for a bit due to the chlorine released from the water.

The Aquasana rips out chlorine and all the other normal nasty chemicals, metals, biologics etc. It will also remove fluoride for the first half of the filters life but then starts to become less efficient until the water slows to a trickle out of it.

The filter has a inlet/outlet that screws onto the end of the tap and is controlled by one of those diverter valve thingies so it is self install.

They also have a whole house setup that is almost as good but is $1300 and has to be installed by a plumber. One day it will be mine.

Available from vitality4life in Byron Bay.
 
That Aquasana looks good, for less than $200 it should do about a hundred brews. I'm just thinking that my RO is probably about half way through it's useful life and probably, eventually, not cost effective to rebuild it with the various filters and membranes etc, good to have another iron in the fire for when the sad day comes. ;)
 
How much was your unit, Florian and does it need to be plumbed in by a tradesman? Mine from Gryphon was $250 and it seems to produce about 1:3 but it sits on the washing machine with the waste pipe going into the machine so it all gets used. One brews worth generally does one load (it's a top loader, considering your own background I'd bet you have a typical Euro style front loader. (joke)) :p

My unit was considerably dearer, about three times the price of yours. I looked at all the options there were, water from air (nice concept but way too expensive) and also the 'cheaper, normal' RO units.
As I wanted it for everyday use I needed it to filter quite fast. I don't like the idea of storage tanks for filtered water for sanitary reasons. I was also not comfortable with the amount of waste water created by 'normal' RO units, it's fine for a few brews, but for everyday use I thought it would be a bit too much.

Eventually I stumbled on my unit and the concept sounded good. I spend some time discussing all the finer details with the bloke who designed the system (he is in NSW) and it all made sense. It also came with all filters needed for the next 5 (I think, or 3) years, and he threw some other goodies and discounts into the deal as well.

It doesn't filter the advertised 2L/min with the town water on hand where I am, but I'm happy with the 1.5L/min I get (although faster would indeed be much better).
I plumbed it in myself, it comes with complete useful instructions, pictures and all.

As I now sound like a complete infomercial please refrain from asking me for the website :lol:

And yes, We've got a front loader. I just can't stand top loaders, but then again last time I used one is over ten years ago (and the machine itself was probably at least 10 years old at the time), so a lot might have changed since then.
 
One espresso
Multiple espressi
Oh my, how silly of me! :D
What about that other term, it would be expressi, yes? That's where the good lady friend provides dairy for several serves, isn't it??! :p
 
Oh my, how silly of me! :D
What about that other term, it would be expressi, yes? That's where the good lady friend provides dairy for several serves, isn't it??! :p
A guy I know tried his Thai out in Bangkok. He asked for tea with milk. She just looked shocked. It turns out what he had actually asked for was tea with breast milk.
 
I have one of these fitted after the meter, I got it for my aquarium fish and can do huge water changes without upsetting them or needing to add expensive dechlorinators. It also makes the water taste so much better without the chlorine etc.

No filters to change and no waste. Think of it as a catalytic converter for water.

http://www.carefree.com.au/
 
I have an aldi expressi pod machine thingo at home.

What can I say. Throw a pod in, smash the lever down, hit one button and coffee appears. Tastes pretty danm good, way better than instant. Def worth the buy
 
SWMBO bought one of those Expressi machines from Aldi and they make a mean espresso. I can't drink coffee but the aroma coming off the thing is impressive.
You seem to be our Aldi-expert, so what's the Expressi like?

Looking at the advert in the latest catelog (where it talks about using their 'capsules') it reminded me of newer computer-printers - the printer itself is very cheap, but ink cartridges are super-expensive (it's cheaper just to buy a new printer). Can you use your own coffee with it, or just the pre-made 'capsules'?
 
You use the premade pods, but at around $7 for 16 pods compared to $3 - 4 for a single Cappuccino at a coffee shop you're ahead I suppose. The device is almost instant compared to boiling an electric kettle, takes me about a minute and a half to rustle up one for SWMBO (takes about the same time to do the coffee as well) B)

Also there are quite a few varieties so you can do a coffee to suit the mood.


expressi_pods.jpg

The idea is that the pod is like a little cup. You slide it in the slot and then close the lever firmly, there's an arrangement of spikes like an iron maiden that pierce the top, and a single spike/nozzle that impales the bottom, then super heated water is pumped through the pod from the iron maiden end, emerging as creamed espresso into the cup from the nozzle end. On raising the lever, the spent pod drops down into a holding area.

hmm, hop pods........................ B)
 
What a load of wank. Somehow having an "espresso machine" at home with reverse osmosis water makes you a better brewer?

Shouldn't this thread be placed into the "off topic" area?

I was wondering when the SHAMELESS plugs for a particular retailer would appear. True to form they were there.

Coffee (or tea) isn't beer.

Zinc is toxic to yeast and HUMANS. Trace amounts are available in mains water.

tnd
 

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