San Diego Water?
- Thread starter cedenburn
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Are you brewing all grain or extract? What styles of beer are you brewing?
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Not living there, I can't comment on your city water.
I purchase RO water and build from there with Gypsum, Calcium Chloride, Epsom salt, pickling salt, and lactic acid. This allows me to build whatever profile suits the style I am brewing. I had no idea what the profile of my city water was, and they use chloromine, so this was just the easiest way for me. Only pennies a pint more to buy the water. I found an instant improvement to my beer.
I purchase RO water and build from there with Gypsum, Calcium Chloride, Epsom salt, pickling salt, and lactic acid. This allows me to build whatever profile suits the style I am brewing. I had no idea what the profile of my city water was, and they use chloromine, so this was just the easiest way for me. Only pennies a pint more to buy the water. I found an instant improvement to my beer.
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Depending on what kind of filter it is, charcoal will remove chlorine, VOC's (volatiles) and DOC's (Dissolved organic solids, tannins etc) however it will not remove minerals or decrease TDS (total dissolved solids). I'm not really sure what your after (I have just started experimenting with water myself). If you're really trying to figure it out I would do one of two things.
First option - use RO water and build from there.
Second option - send water off to Ward Lab and get a water report. Once you know what you have you can build on that or dilute with (guess what) RO.
I myself do the first option. It is just easier for me to make water from scratch. I have a 100gpd Reverse osmosis unit under my sink so that makes it easy. It runs through two carbon blocks so there is no chlorine and I don't need to put in Campden tablets. I can have 10 gallons made up in a couple of hours.
My advice to you is to get your water tested and go from there. You really won't know what your starting with until you do. This is what mine looks like; Quite high in Bicarbonate which is why I use RO for light colored beers. Per John Palmer that's right in the wheelhouse for pale ales and IPA's which is probably good for the brewery in town with the addition of some gypsum and CaCl2.
First option - use RO water and build from there.
Second option - send water off to Ward Lab and get a water report. Once you know what you have you can build on that or dilute with (guess what) RO.
I myself do the first option. It is just easier for me to make water from scratch. I have a 100gpd Reverse osmosis unit under my sink so that makes it easy. It runs through two carbon blocks so there is no chlorine and I don't need to put in Campden tablets. I can have 10 gallons made up in a couple of hours.
My advice to you is to get your water tested and go from there. You really won't know what your starting with until you do. This is what mine looks like; Quite high in Bicarbonate which is why I use RO for light colored beers. Per John Palmer that's right in the wheelhouse for pale ales and IPA's which is probably good for the brewery in town with the addition of some gypsum and CaCl2.
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I use a two stage filter ones carbon the other 2-5 micron serves me well for my brewing purposes. It'd be nice to go the next step to RO but can justify the coast and my water is pretty soft so does the job for now.
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It's easy for me to justify the cost. First I already had it from my old aquarium hobby and second it has a pressure tank so I use it for drinking water or anything I don't want to have to demineralize (like my coffee maker). I also fill up a three gallon jug for my office because the water there sucks.
