Using RO water with no additives

Are you an extract brewer or all grain?

 

If extract brewing, plain RO water is fine (and arguably the best approach).
If doing all grain, you'll need to add salts and/or acids for mash pH, flavor, and to aid yeast flocculation.

 

What is your water purification system?

 

I just learned something a few days ago..
https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/different-beer-taste.437994/#post-4926181

 

chloramines or chlorine in your water are easy to deal with, just use a little bit of potassium metabisulfite or campden tablets in your brewing water.

 

I've been wondering about this as well. As the grocery stores seem to have plenty of cheapish options now. Even if you "cut" 5 gallons or so with your home water. One would think it would be an improvement.

While on one hand, I'd like to get the water profile at the house properly analyzed - that way I can be sure of what's at home and modify per style appropriately. Or if it is even needed to RO.

And the other hand, I rent this place and who knows if I will stay longer than a year. Always a variable.

I like Ale's mostly. The hoppier and bigger the better. I have brewed a few and my water profile is just not close enough. I also don't have any of the equipment to measure this.

In response to your post. If you have the ability to let your water sit out before brewing, chlorine/chloramine will dissipate over time. I try to do this, and I boil in my HLT normally pre brew. I hope that between running through my initial 3-5 micron filter and that is enough treatment. But I always give my water a good deep smell. Smell chlorine? Add a campden tablet. If I feel like not being risky? Add a campden tablet. If I forget and realize during brew? I drink another beer.

I've read that people use charcoal filters to get rid of chlorine/chloramine as well.

 

This is true, but chloramines take a very long time compared to chlorine.

 

If you get water from Lake Erie you have fairly good water. Ground water farther south, not so good due to high barcarbonate. I gave up on the ground water my town has.

RO water is my base water, add minerals as needed. Hit the mash pH, that is important.

 

I honestly have no idea where my water comes from. I am totally ignorant to this. Being in Columbus though, I doubt my water comes from Lake Erie.

 

From the link it doesn't look to be too bad. Probably surface water and lime softened. Scroll down.
http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/water-profiles/

 

UV light should help remove both (and maybe even lower ph a little)

 

I know you are in the Columbus area, but I'm now sure if you are in Columbus exactly. I do know that around here cities vary greatly in their water sources, from rivers to wells to reservoirs. So two towns a few miles away could have very different water profiles. If you are in a town you should hopefully be able to find a water report from your water district. If that is not possible, I would either resort to using RO water only or invest some money in getting a water report done.

 

Sometimes water reports are not very reliable because authorities decide to change water sources. The available sources could change mineral contents without any official announcement until another official water report is declared. So, if you could use a RO system these variations will be minimized due the minor mineral content (around 10% of the original) in RO water..

 

I am in smack dab in the city.

Maybe be doing both of those suggestions. Get a water report done (does anyone have a recommendation? Ward Labs?) If it comes back bad, research RO filtration systems vs. purchasing RO water. I remember from my Saltwater fishtank days (different city, different water profile) that there was a lot of "waste" water from my RO system. Not waste really, cleaner water, just not RO'd water. Is that the same today still?

 

Ward Lab is probably the one most home brewers use. I can't think of another offhand.

 

There are affordable TDS meters for around $15 that are good to have to check the tap or even RO water. If the Total Disolved Solids goes up, something has changed in the source, treatment, or the filters (RO included).

 

Wow, exactly what I'm looking for. How accurate and reliable are these TDS meters?? Price is fairly cheap on these for me to think that they are very accurate. I'm trying to get into water chemistry and this would be a good start for me.

 

Very reliable. Accuracy is probably better than we can adjust our water. Measures conductivity of the water.