I am looking at getting a RO filter system for brewing. I do 10 gal batches. Any recommendations? Thanks, Phil
http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/search/32640670/?q=Reverse+Osmosis+systems&o=date I have 2 in my home, but still buy ro water at the grocery store for 37 cents/gal
Just curious -- why would you buy it if you can make your own? Even assuming 90% waste, my marginal cost is about 3 cents per gallon.
Maintenance - ok, I won't argue with that. Volume - are you referring to the volume of waste water? If that's the case, the RO water you buy at the store uses the same process, so it's got the same footprint as home made (I get my water from Lake Michigan so this is absolutely a non-issue . You're in Nevada, so I assume the dynamics are a bit different). As to convenience -- are you nuts? How is a trip to the grocery store more convenient than opening a valve in your own house? I'm not trying to start a debate. I'm just wondering about the downsides, perceived or real. I've been using RO water for lots of stuff for 25 years or more. Not so much for beer, except to soften my tap water for an occasional Pilsner. Changing the filters once or twice a year is a minor inconvenience, at worst, IMO. As I said, waste water is virtually irrelevant in my part of the country, and I could capture that for other purposes, if I was so inclined.
Me, too...minus the beer part I probably make 10 gals of beer per month and use the ro for everything else. We have arsenic here and drinking the water is not a good option. My wife also uses the water for her small business. No, it's not the waste water I'm particularly concerned about, even though I'm on a septic system here. What I am concerned about is running out of water, as my units can barely keep up with demand on heavy use days. As for convenience, I guess I'm use to lugging the bottles to and from the store which is only a few country blocks away. What I have learned, is that my RO system is not high volume like some of the "reef tank" (expensive) ones I have seen touted here on this forum lately. Cheers
When I was using it for extract brewing years ago, I bought a 14 gal tank (IIRC, 3.2 gal is pretty 'standard' for home units). Before the upgrade, I would collect water over a 3 day period before brew day. With the bigger tank, a 5 gallon batch is not a problem, perhaps even 10.
