Using bottled water

[Flamenco]

I have just made up my first brew of Brewferm ABDIJ and I used a large 5L bottle of spring water plus a couple of 2L bottles (dead cheap 25p each - from Lidl) and was wondering if this was a good way of avoiding having to use campden tablets to remove chlorine from tap water?

I know I'm adding to the cost a bit but would happily do that if I can guarantee good quality liquor.

Am I mad?

[Monkeybrew]

No, you're not mad, many people brew with bottled water.

If it works for you, and the results are good, then happy days.

MB

[rootsbrew]

I wanted to ask about this too...

The cheapest spring water I can find is ASDA's Eden Falls at 15.6p/litre (16 lires for £2.50), where as all supermarkets seem to sell budget water at 8.5p/litre (17p/2litre bottle). However, there's no summary water analysis provided for the budget bottles and the budget one is clearly labled as filtered mains water, so not sure if it's clear of all the bits that cause tap water to give less good results than spring water.

What are people's milage with the budget ones, especially re: chloramines and mineral content?

[barneey]

Have a read through an old post of mine. it has the make up of Tesco 17p / 2 ltr stuff, with a few additions it makes great ales.

Have fun

[Barloch]

I've always used bottled, usually get asda or tesco 5ltrs. Cos i do mine in the loft, getting 20l would be a hassle

I have never made a bad brew using them

saves using campden tabs too, if you don't mind looking like you are panic buying incase the zombie apocolypse arrives, i would recommend them

I get some strange looks from the delivery guy when i buy 10 x 5ltr bottle of water then i explain by the power of alchemy, i will magically turn them into tasty beer!

[rootsbrew]

I've always used bottled, usually get asda or tesco 5ltrs. Cos i do mine in the loft, getting 20l would be a hassle

I have never made a bad brew using them

saves using campden tabs too, if you don't mind looking like you are panic buying incase the zombie apocolypse arrives, i would recommend them

I get some strange looks from the delivery guy when i buy 10 x 5ltr bottle of water then i explain by the power of alchemy, i will magically turn them into tasty beer!

Yeah, guess you'd have to carry bottles up there anyway. I know in your case, the small increase in price is greatly off-set by the reduced number of trips up/down the stairs/ladder! It does seem a bit odd, though, that 4 x 2 litre bottles is cheaper than 1 x 5 litre one. I saw in ASDA the other day, they sell 15 litre mini carboys of water, for water coolers. If I can find a way of hauling them home on my bike and capping them, I might have to look into them!

I'm always amused at the thought of bulk buying water - seems an odd concept in a country whose water supply has been pretty safe for decades! However, I saw someone the other day with a large trolley completely full of economy water (50 odd bottles); I thought they'd gone a bit barmy - based on appearances, it's unlikely it was for brewing!

Anyway, I opted for the economy water, having heard it does a perfectly good job. I hope the Sundew it goes into proves good!

[barneey]

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=44958&p=479532&hilit=+tesco#p479532

Sorry forgot the link to water profile

[Jocky]

I do pretty small brew lengths - 10L or less - which means that 2-3 of the 5L bottles work well. I also then use the empty 5L bottles as ready made sterile demijohns for fermenting in.

[crafty john]

I watched a programme about supermarkets, can't remember what the programme was called. And it seems that the cheap bottled water is just tap water which is filtered and bottled for re sale

[barneey]

I think the name of the water you are refering to is "Peckham Spring" not too sure how much filtering goes on tho?

[crafty john]

You would be better off using council pop and treating with sodium met.

[crafty john]

I think the name of the water you are refering to is "Peckham Spring" not too sure how much filtering goes on tho?

Take a look at this http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z2K1P5lPwM Makes you think about buying the cheap stuff for brewing.

[Barloch]

I've always used bottled, usually get asda or tesco 5ltrs. Cos i do mine in the loft, getting 20l would be a hassle

I have never made a bad brew using them

saves using campden tabs too, if you don't mind looking like you are panic buying incase the zombie apocolypse arrives, i would recommend them

I get some strange looks from the delivery guy when i buy 10 x 5ltr bottle of water then i explain by the power of alchemy, i will magically turn them into tasty beer!

Yeah, guess you'd have to carry bottles up there anyway. I know in your case, the small increase in price is greatly off-set by the reduced number of trips up/down the stairs/ladder! It does seem a bit odd, though, that 4 x 2 litre bottles is cheaper than 1 x 5 litre one. I saw in ASDA the other day, they sell 15 litre mini carboys of water, for water coolers. If I can find a way of hauling them home on my bike and capping them, I might have to look into them!

I'm always amused at the thought of bulk buying water - seems an odd concept in a country whose water supply has been pretty safe for decades! However, I saw someone the other day with a large trolley completely full of economy water (50 odd bottles); I thought they'd gone a bit barmy - based on appearances, it's unlikely it was for brewing!

Anyway, I opted for the economy water, having heard it does a perfectly good job. I hope the Sundew it goes into proves good!

taking the bottles up the ladder is a lot easier than filling up the fv and trying to take 23 litres up at the one time, so i stick to the 5ltr bottles, as i said i have never made a bad brew with them, no metallic taste, no tcp taste, just good old beer, i don't make it for the price, for me it's down to easiest process and best results

[operon]

considering our tap water smells like bleach at times, I'd rather use the 17p 2 litres of Asda/Tesco water for my brewing

[rootsbrew]

... so i stick to the 5ltr bottles, as i said i have never made a bad brew with them, no metallic taste, no tcp taste, just good old beer, i don't make it for the price, for me it's down to easiest process and best results

Definitely the easiest way of making good beer.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=44958&p=479532&hilit=+tesco#p479532

Sorry forgot the link to water profile

Thanks for the link - quite useful. Fingers crossed the chlorides of budget water from my local sains aren'tgoing to cause any ill effects!