tap water

[smurf]

Do people generally just use tap water when brewing or is it worth while using bottled spring water to get a better end result?

I purchased a water purifier at the weekend and used it on my latest wherry. will be very interested to see if it makes much of a difference. I must admit that plain water that's been put through the purifier tastes much better...

 

[RobWalker]

Depends largely on where you live. Different water chemistry means different taste, and you can fiddle with this for different styles! Some people swear by spring water, but being from brum I've never had to modify mine, yet at least.

Most important is to use 1/4 to a 1/2 campden tablet in tap water to eliminate chlorine. Again, yet to have a problem with it, but it can ruin your beer because water companies can change the chemical content without informing you.

 

[bobsbeer]

A lot depends on what is in your local water. You can get a breakdown from your local water company. Ours is soft and straight out of the Lake District. Tastes good and so far both beer and wine have turned out good without adding anything.

 

[jonnymorris]

My water apparently has 3 parts in 10,000,000 of chlorine in it. Any idea if this qualifies as being worthy of 1/2 a campden tablet?

 

[SE10PAT]

I made my last Wherry with spring water and it tasted a lot better than those I had previously made.

For my latest Lions Pride brew I used 1/2 a campden tablet but yet to find out how it tatses as its still fermenting!

 

[RobWalker]

My water apparently has 3 parts in 10,000,000 of chlorine in it. Any idea if this qualifies as being worthy of 1/2 a campden tablet?

Well, for something that's so simple but could potentially ruin 5 gallons of beer...

Weirdly, I find that I can "taste" my water in my beers - probably because of the obscene amount of top up I use - but it'd be cool to get rid of it.

 

[jonnymorris]

Well, for something that's so simple but could potentially ruin 5 gallons of beer...

That's a 'yes' then.

I assume they dissolve easily in the water?

 

[oldbloke]

My tap water's OK, but I do tend to use bottles for topping up if I've remembered to buy any, or if using tap I might boil it first, just in case.

 

[RobWalker]

Well, for something that's so simple but could potentially ruin 5 gallons of beer...

That's a 'yes' then.

I assume they dissolve easily in the water?

I dissolve in a small amount of warm water first and tip it in. They're easy enough, just a crush and a decent stir, but not something you want to be breathing in so better to crush first - lol.