Water

[Sprungmonkey]

Just wondering what water people are using for brewing (when filling up the fermentor). Do they boil and/or chill their water, use distilled water, use dechlorinated water or deminerilised water, buy spring water or simply just use water straight from the tap? Or do you use a combination of the above?

 

[rich_lamb]

Back in the day when I did partials, and the odd kit, I used to fill with tap water and had no problems. That simple fact will probably not stop the cries of "Heresy!" from those who keep the accepted wisdom, but I would happily recommend this to any beginning brewer in order to keep things simple - when you're starting you've got more important things to worry about than a minute chance of infection from tap water.

These days I boil several litres and put them in the fridge the night before, so I have a good supply of chilled and reasonably sterile water on brew day. Useful for topping up in the fermenter, adjusting the temp of hydration water when using dry yeast, etc.

Fortunately, I don't need to filter as my water is in good shape out of the tap. If they keep increasing the chlorine content I would look at a carbon filter though, or I might start using tank water but I'd probably still filter it.

 

[hanzie]

I use tap water in all my brews with no problems.

 

[braufrau]

I use tap water in all my brews with no problems.

ditto!

 

[Zwickel]

ditto! everything else is a waste of energy!

 

[Aaron]

This is really dependant on the type of brewing you are doing and he stye of beer you are making. If you are brewing kits I guess soft water is probably good but tap water is probably ok too. I'm not much real sure about that though.

If you are all grain brewing then the best water to use will depend on the style you are making. All that said I also use tap water in almost every brew. I like to use very soft spring water in a pils.

From the tone of your question I guess you are brewing kit. I would just go with tap water. However, there are plenty ofpeople more experienced than I at brewing kits. Check out the search below for lots of water resources:

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=brewing+...lient=firefox-a

 

[Insight]

ditto! everything else is a waste of energy!

I'm sure that was a bit TIC

Depends what type of beer you are brewing, what your tastbuds are like, and what your water quality is like out of the tap. Sydney has really soft water with high PH and relatively high chlorine/chloramine levels. I am pretty sensitive to chlorine in beer, while others tasting the same beer don't taste anything.

For the record I carbon filter and then drop 1/2 a camden tablet in the sparge water to take care of the chloramines. I also use 5.2 mash stabiliser to bring the PH into range during the mash.

 

[Zwickel]

Insight, after boiling the hops, there is no chlorine in the water anymore.

 

[braufrau]

Oh I'd better qualify my ditto ... our water is filtered.

 

[Jazman]

most brews 1/2 rainwater and half tap water pils mainly rainwater with a bit of gypsum..english adealdie tap water with gypsum (ag brews of course)

 

[microbe]

Tap water here. Kits (and a couple with specialty grains)

Cheers,

microbe

 

[Whistlingjack]

Insight, after boiling the hops, there is no chlorine in the water anymore.

Correct me, if I'm wrong, but doesn't that happen after the mash?... :huh:

Our water is so good here for brewing, straight from the tap, but I take the chlorine out with a filter. Australian water authorities have a habit of overdosing.

WJ

 

[Zwickel]

Correct me, if I'm wrong, but doesn't that happen after the mash?... :huh:

Our water is so good here for brewing, straight from the tap, but I take the chlorine out with a filter. Australian water authorities have a habit of overdosing.

WJ

yeah, I just wanna say, that after the brew has been done, there is noch chlorine in the wort since the water has been boiled.

hmmm...filtering out the chlorine... sorry, Im not an expert in filtering methods, but is it possible to filter out a solved substance?

Cheers :icon_cheers:

 

[Whistlingjack]

yeah, I just wanna say, that after the brew has been done, there is noch chlorine in the wort since the water has been boiled.

hmmm...filtering out the chlorine... sorry, Im not an expert in filtering methods, but is it possible to filter out a solved substance?

Cheers :icon_cheers:

Even in small amounts, chlorine may combine with nitrogen in the malt to form chloramines. While these chloramines are quite unstable, their influence on flavour compounds later in the process can be detrimental.

Likewise, the combination of chlorine and hydrocarbons may result in the formation of chlorophenols. These are also unstable but can be detected at very small concentrations.

Carbon filtration will remove chlorine.

Cheers...

WJ

 

[Zwickel]

thanks for the lesson

 

[Sprungmonkey]

Thanks all.

 

[Adzmax]

I was the same with kits, just good old tap water. Now I'm starting to get a good hold on AG I'm looking at ways to further improve my beer. I now use a carbon filter kit which I bought from Craftbrewer with some fitting for the hose to make it portable. I'm now also looking into water treatment. I've attached a good document to read below, hope it helps a little

Key Concepts in Water Treatment

There is also a considerable amount of information on the water you drink (Brisbane for you) on the web. If you go to your water suppliers web site you should be able to get a typical analysis of the water you drink and where it comes from. This will give you a better idea on whether you should bother or not.

 

[dug]

Add another notch to the plain tap water score sheet. Apart from the chlorine and fluride hobart water is pretty much pure mountain water :icon_cheers:

 

[jdsaint]

how about around newcastle? I have been using boiled and tried spring water for the first time in one of my brews which is fermenting on day 2

 

[Daawl]

I Boil.
Only for the simple fact that our water can change from day to day. Some days you can smell the additives in the water. You get used to it tasting different when drinking water but I don't want that coming through to the other end.