Beer brewers - what water are you using?

[JMikeyH]

Getting a nice set up going in the garage for brewing beer at long last (several years in waiting!) and I'm looking for what would be the best water I could get to use in brewing.

Right now I'm eyeballing a pallet of spring water in 5 litre bottles (216 bottles) but wondering if people have discovered a more convenient way of brewing with pure or spring water? Only limitation is I'll need to move it around manually as I haven't got a forklift

 

[palmer_mike]

Where do you live? Unless your tap water is rank it’s usually possible to adjust it…….

 

[JMikeyH]

Where do you live? Unless your tap water is rank it’s usually possible to adjust it…….

Northamptonshire, I think I could adjust the tap water and I'm open to that idea if there's a system you have experience with

 

[palmer_mike]

Full Water (Liquor) Analysis (50ml) - Murphy and Son

Full Water Analysis (30-50ml) Calcium, Magnesium, Chloride, Sulphate, pH, Total Hardness as CaCO3 Alkalinity as CaCO3 and Nitrate.

www.murphyandson.co.uk

Send a sample to these guys

 

[palmer_mike]

Northamptonshire, I think I could adjust the tap water and I'm open to that idea if there's a system you have experience with

When I had a microbrewery I used tap water which was adjusted following analysis by the company above

 

[VSS]

I have used spring water (own spring), rain water and mains water.
Spring water has given best results, but will vary massively between regions.
Rainwater is second best, if clean enough.

 

[Razzdogg]

Keep in mind the expiration on the plastic bottles, not much point in buying so much unless you are 100% going to use it

Personally ive used tap water for approx 300L of home brew some has been great, some has been dreadful but that's likely down to me

 

[JMikeyH]

When I had a microbrewery I used tap water which was adjusted following analysis by the company above

That is a very handy service, thank you very much. I'm waiting for authorisation of my account by them and I'll send a sample over.

The end goal for me is microbrewery, what did you do to adjust the water after you got your results? Mineral packet added to a given volume of water?

 

[JMikeyH]

I have used spring water (own spring), rain water and mains water.
Spring water has given best results, but will vary massively between regions.
Rainwater is second best, if clean enough.

Fancy selling me a few hundred litres next time you go on a jaunt from Wales to East Anglia?

 

[VSS]

Fancy selling me a few hundred litres next time you go on a jaunt from Wales to East Anglia?

You can have as much of our rain as you like!

 

[palmer_mike]

That is a very handy service, thank you very much. I'm waiting for authorisation of my account by them and I'll send a sample over.

The end goal for me is microbrewery, what did you do to adjust the water after you got your results? Mineral packet added to a given volume of water?

From memory there were different adjustments suggested indifferent beer types. There were different additions of a couple of different potions in different quantities depending on the beer……

 

[JMikeyH]

From memory there were different adjustments suggested indifferent beer types. There were different additions of a couple of different potions in different quantities depending on the beer……

I've dug out a water quality report for my local area, it generally seems to be very good quality however I think there is one killer issue when it comes to brewing beer from it - the water is chloraminated, not just chlorinated. Chloramine is a chemical compound of chlorine and ammonia which is a lot harder to get rid of by boiling/evaporation as you can with chlorine. With that in mind I wouldn't be able to shift the swimming pool odour from any beer brewed with it.

Seems I'll need to be looking at either a physical filtration system or I'm back to looking for a spring water supplier

 

[Ratten]

I've dug out a water quality report for my local area, it generally seems to be very good quality however I think there is one killer issue when it comes to brewing beer from it - the water is chloraminated, not just chlorinated. Chloramine is a chemical compound of chlorine and ammonia which is a lot harder to get rid of by boiling/evaporation as you can with chlorine. With that in mind I wouldn't be able to shift the swimming pool odour from any beer brewed with it.

Seems I'll need to be looking at either a physical filtration system or I'm back to looking for a spring water supplier

I'm fairly sure the 1/2 camden tablet in the water will remove chloramine as well. It's quick too. My next batch will be filtered water from the fridge (charcoal filter) and then half a cambden while i brew up the kit with hot water and spray malt powder. Then in with the cold, filtered, camdened water.

Using Campden Tablets to Treat Chlorine and Chloramines

Make better homebrew. How to use Campden tablets to remove chlorine and chloramine from your brewing water.

hazyandhoppy.com

 

[palmer_mike]

I've dug out a water quality report for my local area, it generally seems to be very good quality however I think there is one killer issue when it comes to brewing beer from it - the water is chloraminated, not just chlorinated. Chloramine is a chemical compound of chlorine and ammonia which is a lot harder to get rid of by boiling/evaporation as you can with chlorine. With that in mind I wouldn't be able to shift the swimming pool odour from any beer brewed with it.

Seems I'll need to be looking at either a physical filtration system or I'm back to looking for a spring water supplier

Add 1/4 to 1/2 of a crushed Campden tablet (potassium metabisulfite) per 5–10 gallons of water to neutralize both chloramine and chlorine instantly.

 

[palmer_mike]

I'm fairly sure the 1/2 camden tablet in the water will remove chloramine as well. It's quick too. My next batch will be filtered water from the fridge (charcoal filter) and then half a cambden while i brew up the kit with hot water and spray malt powder. Then in with the cold, filtered, camdened water.

Using Campden Tablets to Treat Chlorine and Chloramines

Make better homebrew. How to use Campden tablets to remove chlorine and chloramine from your brewing water.

hazyandhoppy.com

Beat me to it

 

[JMikeyH]

I'm fairly sure the 1/2 camden tablet in the water will remove chloramine as well. It's quick too. My next batch will be filtered water from the fridge (charcoal filter) and then half a cambden while i brew up the kit with hot water and spray malt powder. Then in with the cold, filtered, camdened water.

Using Campden Tablets to Treat Chlorine and Chloramines

Make better homebrew. How to use Campden tablets to remove chlorine and chloramine from your brewing water.

hazyandhoppy.com

I should have added, I'm doing my best to follow Reinheitsgebot with brewing and it doesn't have any accommodation for campden tablets or anything other than water, malt, hops and yeast, I'd need some other way to remove chloramine than an additive

 

[palmer_mike]

I should have added, I'm doing my best to follow Reinheitsgebot with brewing and it doesn't have any accommodation for campden tablets or anything other than water, malt, hops and yeast

then you’re buggered.

Out of interest, why?

 

[Ratten]

then you’re buggered.

Out of interest, why?

i'm sure i read you can boil the buggery out of it. Not as effective as a camden etc. Also read that a decent carbon filter will get you some way there. Then again i'm not a 16th century german brewer - never could get on with the tight leather pants. Each to their own!

 

[palmer_mike]

i'm sure i read you can boil the buggery out of it. Not as effective as a camden etc. Also read that a decent carbon filter will get you some way there. Then again i'm not a 16th century german brewer - never could get on with the tight leather pants. Each to their own!

Chlorine will be boiled off, chloramine not usually boiled off

 

[Essexsussex]

Look up burtonisation for balancing.

I’m also sure I’m sure that chlorine will come out of water in 24hrs or so.
You could just stand water under airlock for that period.

My tap water in Sussex turns out fine beer.