What is the best water to brew with?

As you are probably aware, what is good brewing water for one style of beer may not be good brewing water for another. That is why certain regions of the world became famous for certain beer styles.

If you want to use city/municipal or well water, you will need to have a water report performed. Ward Labs can help you with this for a reasonable price and a quick turnaround. You should also understand how your local water supply works. It is possible for one area to be supplied by multiple sources of water depending on availability. Also, the mineral content/pH can change throughout the year so it would be a good idea to get a water report at, say, summer as well as winter, and then again a few years down the line.

If you are buying jugs, make sure you buy distilled as opposed to spring, unless you can find out what the mineral content/pH is from the commercial spring water source.

I know of breweries that use all three options.

 

You need to know the starting point to get to the desired end destination. Get a water report from the city if you are on a municipal system, if on a well get a water analysis done by Ward Labs. The mash pH is what you want to hit in a range of 5.2-5.6, water pH counts for little. Get a pH meter (or at least paper if you don't have the $ for a meter). A TDS meter is a good thing to have down the road.

For some styles you don't want much in the way of minerals, in other styles you do. RO water is a good starting point as it can be very low in minerals. You can then add minerals to hit the desired target. There are several water spreadsheets that calculate the additions based on the base water and malt bill for the beer. Investigate Bru'nwater, Brewers Friend, and Vikeman's Brew Cipher.

If you are using "spring water" get a report, as some springs are low mineral content, others are very high, depending on the geology of the spring. For a well get a report, make sure the iron is low, and adjust, you can dilute with RO or distilled to hit your targets.

Commercial breweries adjust the water (at least the good ones do). Some use an RO system or nano filters to reduce the mineral content. Then they will add minerals depending on the beer. I have seen pallets stacked with 50 lb bags of gypsum and CaCL2 in many a brewery, used for water adjustment.

 

In this case ... the OP's best course of action is a well water test from Ward Labs.
https://producers.wardlab.com/BrewersKitOrder.php

The test results from the 'W-5 Household Complete' ($28.65) are all you need for Bru'n Water.

You'll treat your brewing water during mash-in and in the boil kettle by adding small ... inexpensive amounts in various combinations of Gypsum (CaSO4), Epsom Salt (MgSO4), Canning Salt (NaCl), Baking Soda (NaHCO3), Calcium Chloride (CaCl2), Chalk (CaCO3) Pickling Lime (Ca(OH)2) ... and Magnesium Chloride (MgCl2)

 

Where do you find inexpensive food grade Magnesium Chloride? The stuff I find using google searches is often dubious for purity, and not so cheap. Honest question, as it would be a good salt for building Pilsen water.

 

Good advice, but Chalk is an exercise in futility, because it does not readily dissolve in the mash. Fortunately Baking Soda and Pickling/Slaked Lime are also readily available to raise pH where needed.

 

Take a peek here :

http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15.html

 

I see the OP is on well water. However, I would to add one addition regarding municipal water for those that are on it. Make sure they identify all of their water sources. Many municipal system will switch back and forth between surface and well. You want to make sure that the water report you get matches the water you're getting.

 

If someone is on a system like that a TDS meter would be a good tool. It the reading changes fairly quickly, not seasonally , it would indicate the water has been switched to a different source or blend.

 

Haven't a clue where to get food grade Magnesium Chloride.

The chem list was a cut'n paste from Bru'n water 'Water Adjustment' worksheet.

 

I'd read chalk was hard to dissolve in water ... worked better in a mash ... but was only about 50% effective ... so subbing baking soda is a good suggestion.
.

 

I need to find a Walter White type guy who can get any chemical.