Distilled water!

[emyers]

I use distilled water to soften my water for light beers. Usually just dilute my tap water with it. Unlike spring water you have no nutrients so you have a blank starting point for using salts.

 

[BuddhaK]

That's the kind of thing I want to learn.

 

[VegasBrew1]

I'm a newb. My first batch was alright, but not what I was shooting for. I have since begun the water chemistry aspect of brewing. My water is alkaline and full of phosphates. But I'm not a dark beer guy. So RO I will go, mixed with 25% tap water. And FYI, some newbs jump right in brewing all grain right away.

My initial feelings about the posts here is water make up is very important for mashing. So I assume it would be at least somewhat important in steeping. I'm not sure it matters all that much for pure extract brewing, as long as chlorine and chloramines are not present.

 

[BuddhaK]

Hey vegasbrew1,

What is your source for info on water chemistry for beer?

 

[VegasBrew1]

Hi. I've been reading a lot here and other parts of the web. I found 2 postings of Las Vegas water profiles. I use this website to determine what water profile I should shoot for.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/water-chemistry/

I decided to go 75% RO and 25% tap. I just add 2.5 grams calcium chloride for every gallon of tap water. I boil the tap as we have chlorine, but thankfully no chloramine.

As someone mentioned earlier, since my first batch was less than stellar, I began looking for ways to improve. It was drinkable, but not GREAT tasting. As a newb, I have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. But I felt water chemistry was something I needed to look into. Just brewed my 3rd batch, used adjusted water. I hit my 1.06 OG. I'll know in 6 weeks if there was improvement. Cheers.

 

[The_Bishop]

Water chemistry is a good idea, but fermentation temperature control is even more important. Have you got that under control?

 

[VegasBrew1]

I agree. I got a cheap dorm fridge and wired an stc-1000 to run it. Barely fits my bucket in there. But does get the job done. I might try and pick up a chest freezer that would hold 2 fermentation chambers. We'll see.

 

[DarrinVH]

I used to use filtered water for my batches. When I moved, the new house has a water softener and I was apprehensive about using softened water... when I did I found no difference in taste. and continue to use it for my batches. I do both Extract when I feel lazy and partial mash no taste difference to me.

 

[baltaperales]

I like to use 50% distilled and 50% spring water. I haven't noticed any off flavors. I feel like it is a good balance

 

[youngdh]

Water chem and especially pH will play a bigger role with All Grain brewing. I will say I noticed a big improvement in the taste of my beer when I started paying attention to water profile. No more astringent mouthfeel.

There are so many variables you can play with in this hobby to get different results both good and very good with the same base recipe between ferm temp profile, yeast strain, water chem, 2 row vs 6 row base malts, etc.

 

[Mexibilly]

My newbie experience thus far(7 5 gallon batches), using spring water on the recommendation of an all grain buddy, is that using the bottled spring water available at my local Kroger has thrown off the flavor of everything I've brewed. I've brewed extracts and haven't had a delicious beer, save a DIPA I brewed and it was not delicious, but pretty good. I'm fermenting a big IPA from my LHBS, brewed with distilled water throughout, and based on tasting a sample when I dry hopped it is by far the best thing I ever brewed.
There are of course many factors that could impact the aroma and flavor, but the one I sampled is sooo good.
I will have to experiment some to be sure, but given my latest results I'll never brew an extract recipe again with anything except neutral water.