Misleading Asda Water!

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Top tip by the way: regardless of what you will read on some (especially U.S.) forums, starting with pure RO is not ’better’ and in most cases means you just have to add more gypsum etc. to get back to a sensible level of calcium, chloride, sulphate etc.
Generally I just add up to about 50% RO to my tap water, if I’m brewing lager, in order to get the bicarbonate down so I don’t need to use half a gallon of acid!

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Tesco (and I guess asda now) treat water as an essential and will substitute even if you tick 'no substitutions'. I found this out the hard way and will only buy off the shelf.

I find it bizarre that sometimes though (depending on who has picked it presumably), that sometimes even for essential items they don't send any substitutes and leave us without, especially if they only have a more expensive version of what we've ordered left in stock.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I find it bizarre that sometimes though (depending on who has picked it presumably), that sometimes for essential items they don't send any substitutes and leave us without, especially if they only have a more expensive version of what we've ordered left in stock.

We gave up on supermarket deliveries for this kind of reason: more trouble than it’s worth for us (but we are lucky and have the time to go ourselves)

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Top tip by the way: regardless of what you will read on some (especially U.S.) forums, starting with pure RO is not ’better’ and in most cases means you just have to add more gypsum etc. to get back to a sensible level of calcium, chloride, sulphate etc.
Generally I just add up to about 50% RO to my tap water, if I’m brewing lager, in order to get the bicarbonate down so I don’t need to use half a gallon of acid!

My priority is avoiding campden as I DESPISE it, so I don't use any tap water in my brewing generally. I used to though.

I don't care how many salts I need to put in. They are very cheap after all.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

We gave up on supermarket deliveries for this kind of reason: more trouble than it’s worth for us (but we are lucky and have the time to go ourselves)

Yes sometimes going yourself is better. The staff don't give a flying sh1t to be fair. Makes me bloody cross!

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

What do you all reckon to the spotless water things that are about? Just been reading the thread.

Yes the guys who wash our windows use that stuff. Personally I’d rather filter it myself so I can keep an eye on the TDS - and know it hasn’t gone through PVC hoses etc.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

My priority is avoiding campden as I DESPISE it, so I don't use any tap water in my brewing generally. I used to though.

I don't care how many salts I need to put in. They are very cheap after all.

Ah! No cheap RO filter is going to remove chloramine so you still need to address that if it’s in your water. I use campden

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

If no RO filter at all (even the dear ones) don't remove chloramine, then they're not for me. Definitely not using campden, it's such a pain in the ass.

I have no idea if it is in my water to be honest, but that's why I buy the bottled water, because rightly or wrongly, I assumed it had been removed.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I don't care how many salts I need to put in. They are very cheap after all.

heh fair enough - although if you don’t want to use camden (1/4 tablet crushed to 20L) to remove chlorine you have other options, including just letting the water stand for a couple of days exposed to the air.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I am puzzled why adding Camden is any more hassle than adding any other kind of mineral salts… if you don‘t like crushing the tablets then you could just get the powdered type :-)

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

I hate crushing them but also I feel like it's so chemically and bad for you - I know that's daft, but I just have an aversion to it.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Are you on Yorkshire water @Tess Tickle ? If so, it looks like they probably don’t use chlorine (or chloramine) anyway: Yorkshire Water -

Chlorine has been used in UK water treatment since the late 19th century, both to eliminate pathogens at the treatment works and as a residual disinfectant which can help maintain water quality through the distribution network. However, it is now being phased out on health and safety grounds to eradicate the risk of a worst-case scenario major toxic gas leak.​

​

Yorkshire Water has replaced the gas disinfection system with a mix of sodium hypochlorite and sodium bisulphite chemical dosing systems, which contain only 15 per cent chlorine solution and poses significantly less risk.​

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Yes I am - that's great news!

 

[Sadfield]

100% disagree. The values are wildly different to what is advertised. I only bought it because of the values it stated to me, which was not what I got. That's wrong. If the values are different to what was originally posted on the website, then the website should be changed. That gives me the choice if I want to buy it or not!

It's your responsibility to read all the info and disclaimers on their sales page when making that choice though.

"
ASDA Product Information
At ASDA, we do everything we can to make sure the information about the products we sell is always as accurate as possible. However, because products are regularly improved, the product information, ingredients, nutritional guides and dietary or allergy advice may occasionally change.
As a result, we recommend that you always read the label carefully before using or consuming any products. Please do not solely rely on the information provided on this website Because of this, ASDA is unable to accept liability for any inaccuracies or incorrect information contained on this site.
This does not affect your statutory rights. This information is supplied for personal use only. It must not be reproduced in any way whatsoever without the prior consent of ASDA, nor without due acknowledgement.
"

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

From the article it sounds like there will still be a small amount of chlorine though, so personally I’d still be on the safe side and use SMB to remove it.

No need to crush the tablets just use this stuff:

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

So they've put a get out clause in so they can sell you things you haven't ordered?

Won't be using their online service again for sure.

They make me laugh, 'please read the label before use!'

Can you tell I'm annoyed about it, having thought I'd gotten my brewing water sorted, now having to go out and get more, amongst other things!

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

From the article it sounds like there will still be a small amount of chlorine though, so personally I’d still be on the safe side and use SMB to remove it.

No need to crush the tablets just use this stuff:
View attachment 66014

But if I use bottled water I don't need to? Is that right?

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

But if I use bottled water I don't need to? Is that right?

I don't know.
If I used it, I'd want to test it for hardness and calcium level each time, until I was certain I knew the composition.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

The RO filter should remove all the Chlorine through the activated charcoal filter but barely reduces the Chloramine.

Chloramine requires a special kind of activated charcoal filter called a catalytic carbon filter and these are generally not available for entry-level systems.