Where Can I Get 50 Litres Soft Springwater For Brewing A Pilsner

[Pumpy]

I want to brew a Pilsner and need 50 litres soft springwater in Sydney

Where could I get some soft water

or is Distilled water an alternative ?

Dont say Alice Springs

Pumpy :unsure:

 

[The King of Spain]

I know its not spring water but if you were close by you could have as much rainwater as you want.

I am drinking a Pilsner right now made with rainwater and a tsp of CaCl and its pretty good. I know the water is soft as my wife comments on how well its works when she washes her hair.

Know anyone with a tank?

Oh, I filter mine as well for brewing as well.

 

[Pumpy]

KOS

Do you have to boil the rainwater first or is the kettle boiling OK ?

Pumpy

 

[The King of Spain]

Do you have to boil the rainwater first or is the kettle boiling OK ?

Nope, kettle is OK.

I've had to stop myself once from doing a rainwater top up after a long boil but thats another matter.

 

[Stuster]

Try the tap, Pumpy. Sydney water is very soft. Look here for all the details. Should be fine for Pilsner. You can add a little calcium chloride to bring down the pH if needed. (The extra calcium is helpful for the mash.)

 

[Pumpy]

Try the tap, Pumpy. Sydney water is very soft. Look here for all the details. Should be fine for Pilsner. You can add a little calcium chloride to bring down the pH if needed. (The extra calcium is helpful for the mash.)

Stu , Now that is the last place that I would have looked in the tap :unsure:


Pumpy :blink:

 

[matti]

I Second Stuster.
Sydney water aint bad once the chlorins out.
Some of the metal buffers the mash so melanoids or single decoction will help the mash ph as well as those chemicals.

I add calcium chloride to all the sparge water though.

 

[Hubby]

I'd go with tank water. If not, bottled water with analysis that approximates pilsner waters would be fine - a tad expensive though. If you find a tank water source, make sure that it doesn't have too much organic matter or other particulates feeding into it (ie the place I last lived at had overhanging trees with koalas :unsure: ).

 

[Pumpy]

I'd go with tank water. If not, bottled water with analysis that approximates pilsner waters would be fine - a tad expensive though. If you find a tank water source, make sure that it doesn't have too much organic matter or other particulates feeding into it (ie the place I last lived at had overhanging trees with koalas :unsure: ).

You just put me off tank water Hubby

Pumpy

 

[Stuster]

Stu , Now that is the last place that I would have looked in the tap :unsure:
Pumpy :blink:

Yep. Whodathunkit. :lol:

Hubby, no real need for tank water. If you have it, that's fine. If not, then Sydney (and Melbourne) water is really soft and suitable for pilsners. It's not so different from Pilsen water for brewing purposes anyway (not that matching water to other cities' water profile is a good idea exactly IMO). Sure it's a bit harder, but that's probably not such a bad thing. The low calcium levels in the Pilsen water is one major reason they have to do such a long mash procedure.

Name: Pilsen, Czech
PH: 8.0

Calcium: 7.0
Magnesium: 2.0
Sodium: 2.0
Sulfate: 5.0
Chloride: 5.0
Bicarbonate: 15.0
Notes: Very soft water aids pale color and clean bitterness of Pilsner style.


Name: Sydney Water (Prospect)
PH: 8.2

Calcium: 13.0
Magnesium: 5.2
Sodium: 13.0
Sulfate: 9.0
Chloride: 27.0
Bicarbonate: 45.0
Notes:

 

[Pumpy]

Yep. Whodathunkit. :lol:

Hubby, no real need for tank water. If you have it, that's fine. If not, then Sydney (and Melbourne) water is really soft and suitable for pilsners. It's not so different from Pilsen water for brewing purposes anyway (not that matching water to other cities' water profile is a good idea exactly IMO). Sure it's a bit harder, but that's probably not such a bad thing. The low calcium levels in the Pilsen water is one major reason they have to do such a long mash procedure.

Name: Pilsen, Czech
PH: 8.0

Calcium: 7.0
Magnesium: 2.0
Sodium: 2.0
Sulfate: 5.0
Chloride: 5.0
Bicarbonate: 15.0
Notes: Very soft water aids pale color and clean bitterness of Pilsner style.
Name: Sydney Water (Prospect)
PH: 8.2

Calcium: 13.0
Magnesium: 5.2
Sodium: 13.0
Sulfate: 9.0
Chloride: 27.0
Bicarbonate: 45.0
Notes:

Stu you have convinced me, can't argue with the figures ,

I filter the water with a carbon filter will that take anything out that should be in Stu ? :unsure:

Pumpy

 

[Randall the Enamel Animal]

Back in my home brew days, I used to buy my water for brewing pilsener from a place in Lithgow. Lithgow Valley Springs. They used to deliver to Sydney... don't know now. Very good soft water. Their spring used to feed a brewery in the town.

 

[Stuster]

I did use a carbon filter for a while, Pumpy, but decided not to bother with it. AFAIK, they are not that effective at filtering out chloramines from the water anyway. I decided I'd trial not using one for a while and didn't really notice any difference to be honest. I used a tiny dusting of sodium metabisulphite (finally a use for it) to remove the chloramines. The last few brews I've not used that and just used the water straight. Too early to say how it went exactly, but so far there seems to be no difference that my palate can tell. So, after all that, I'd say filter it if you can be bothered, but don't be too worried if you can't. :lol: