Water Bottle

Extansive topics and discussions exist on this topic. General consensus is no unless you get a specific type. Plenty of other links in that thread.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/secondary-fermenting-water-jug-79067/

 

You just have to make sure it's recycle code #1 or #2 and it'll work fine. The only issue for using it as a primary is that there isn't enough(any) head space for fermentation unless you make smaller batches.

 

You should also generally be using spring water for brewing. Distilled has all the minerals and such taken out. These are necessary for healthy fermentations.

 

+1

 

I use one for secondary ferm. I don't keep the beer in there for more than a week or two. I would not use it for lagering over many months.

 

Distilled water has literally been stripped of everything in it. No minerals at all. No Mg, Ca, Na, S04, Cl.. All of that is good for your beer in terms of taste, profile, and yeast health.

Distilled is good if you have water that is high in certain dissolved minerals that you need to "cut". With that, you need to know the water report of what you are using, such as your tap water.

Spring water, still has the minerals in it for the most part. You don't know the water report, but for most brewers it is fine, and for some styles it works well.

Point is.. if you are serious about a style and such and want to improve your beers, you can take distilled or RO water and then add to it what you need from a standard baseline.

Just because it's "pure" doesn't mean it'll make great beer.

 

If the OP is brewing with extract, distilled water is fine. If the OP is brewing all grian, he/she must know the water's content for the brewing ions to have control of the process.

I have to state that just buying spring water is a crap shoot in the dark. You have no idea of what you are putting into the beer, do you? You have no idea if you are at a good Ca level (>50 ppm), or what the bicarbonate (HCO3) level is. All you know is that you have water to brew with.

The OP mentions Ozarka water. Here is some data for Ozarka water found online.
Ca=2 ppm
Mg=1.2 ppm
Na=2.3 ppm
HCO3=4.9 ppm
Cl=3.5 ppm
SO4=2.1 ppm

That is low mineral content. Do you want to brew with just that? Might as well save some money and buy RO water.

I find it better to buy RO water and add minerals that get close to the profile for the beer I am trying to brew.

 

I know I'm NOT the only guy using 1/2 RO and 1/2 tap water find a balance. I think distilled water would be just about the same in terms of taking the edge off municipal tap water. It just depends on what you're starting with. I had really soft water in Bloomington, IN and had to add minerals into it to harden it up. I live in Indianapolis now and I have to soften it up with RO. Maybe a water profile report is in both of our near futures.

 

My quickie water guide for a 5 gal ale batch: RO/37 cents/gal water + 1 teaspoon Calcium Chloride and 1/2 teaspoon Gypsum to mash...if brewing something dark...add 1tsp baking soda...if brewing something hoppy...add 1/2 tsp of Burton salts.

Note: I add ~ 2 oz acidulated malt to almost all pale Ales also. I've used the on-line water calculators and found this to be a quick and dirty approximation.

I use this because I have to (alkaline well water)....Awaiting reply from real chemists

 

I think Gordon Strong would give you a pat on the back for this. It sounds very similar to what he does with water profiles. He also mentions that he is very conservative in adding anything to water.

I am starting to wonder what the price difference between lactic acid and acidualted malt is?

 

Acidulated malt ain't cheap, but you get some gravity out of it, too.

 

there are no real shortcuts to carboys. a food grade HDPE pail from USPlastics.com, complete with a lid, is real cheap.

distilled water is the solution to hard water for extract brewers. there is nothing wrong with using a fraction of distilled in your brew if you are an extract brewer. you may even use 100% distilled if so inclined, for an extract pils for example.

all grain brewing requires some water basics. not alot of knowledge, but essential knowledge none the less if you want to approximate a certain style.

of course the best thing is having a lab analysis of your water available, either the muni report or from a lab (ward labs or your local).
i have used distilled water for years with my extract brews to get a lazy man's solution for a particular water profile.
Cheers.

 

I've been getting my 5 gallon jugs of water filled at my local grocery store from the Glacier water machines. It's like a buck-fidy for 5 gallons. I spend 3 bucks and have my 10 gallons of RO clean ass water to start from scratch with. I add whatever I need to it from a blank canvas.. Seems easier than guessing and wondering if that little spoonful of powder would make my beers that much better.

 

To go a little bit different in direction, I think that it's a bad idea to have a 5 gal plastic jug like this. You aren't going to be able to use it as a primary unless you're doing a half batch. 5 gal would ferment out the top and you'd lose a few quarts. If you're using a jug like this for a secondary, it's going to be made of a breathable plastic. I can't think of too many other reasons to use a secondary other than to bulk age for at least 6 months. The jug has potential written all over it, except you need a 6 gal jug, or you need it to be made of a different plastic. My vote is always going to be for sacking up and buying a real fermenter.

 

Would it be wrong to use New York City tap water for home brewing?

 

A few points.

1. Water chemistry is recipe-dependent.

2. If you are brewing with extract, you should arguably use distilled or reverse osmosis water, as the extract has the chemicals you need (having already been through a mash).

3. That said, New York water is very soft, so I wouldn't have a problem using tap water with extract. Here is a water report for NYC water: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/wsstate11.pdf (PDF)

4. Because NYC water is so soft, I typically add some calcium sulfate and calcium chloride when I brew all-grain, in part to get the calcium up to the recommended range. People also say that sulfate and chloride are important for hop and malt flavors, respectively. I typically add about 1/2 gram of each per gallon of water for a balanced beer. But I am a relatively inexperienced brewer and so you shouldn't give my practices very much weight.

 

no, it would not be wrong. homebrewers have been using tap water for a long, long time. the majority still do.

in fact, commercial brewers in NYC use the same tap water you would be using, though some carbon treatment for chlorine is a good idea. NYC has some of the best muni water anywhere on this planet. it is chlorinated and lightly treated. just plain good Catskill water, and you are fortunate to have a cheap and endless supply.

if you want to nail a certain style, you will need to know a bit about water chemistry. i suspect this is not all that important to you.
Cheers.

 

Did not read all posts, However I do spend most of my time homebrewing and know for a fact Distilled water is BAD for brewing. If you use that add minerals. I use Water From like safeway, piggly wiggly, Kroger etc.. That is filtered with minerals added back. Hope this helps a little. Cheers