Glasgow water treatment

[bod]

After being a bit busy and a bit lazy over the past couple of years with only the occasional brew, I've ramped up production some what in the past few months with 10 batches!!

I've never really been bothered with water treatment other than campden tablets for the chlorine, but I've been reading more about it and it seems a few of the threads in here are missing posts, or maybe I'm just really not getting it!!! Anyway, the general consensus seems to be that water board reports are not to be trusted generally, so I recon I'll buy the aquarium test kit that seems to be recommended on here and some mash ph test strips plus the usual additions, unless there are any other suggestions?

Are there any Glasgow brewers who have an specific tips or advice on what they do with regards to water treatment? We always brag we have the best water in the uk but I still feel there's room for improvement... being in the south side of Glasgow I think I'm served from loch katrine if that's helps.


Cheers,

Bod.

[irc]

You can check where your water comes from at

http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/portal/p ... SWE_HH_WTR

I live just north of Glasgow and get my water from Burncrooks Resv in the Kilpatrick Hills. I go on the theory that coming from high moorland the water should need minimal treatment. It certainly tastes fine from the tap. So chlorine levels shouldn't be too high So I don't do anything to it. Not even Campden tabs. So far I've had no problems. The only thing I do is use 3 or 4 two litres bottles of Asda or Tesco still water in each 23L batch. My theory is that this will reduce further the (hopefully) low chlorine levels and as the still water is only a 3rd of the volume it won't matter if the still water is a bit high in any minerals.

[bod]

According to that I'm supplied by milngavie, which will be mugdock reservoir I think... Cheers for the response irc! Were you at the beer school events last year that Eric ran?

I still find the water a little too chlorine-y sometimes, even just drinking it, and I can tell a difference between batches with and without the campden tablets in pale ales, not my stouts though, so I'll leave that as it is and maybe worry about the rest depending on my mash ph. I just like making things difficult for myself really, that and learning stuff.

[irc]

No I wasn't at Eric's events. I just got into homebrewing late last summer. I'm still just doing kits, mainly Cooper's, and homemade ginger beer.

Reading more on the Scottish Water dite it says chlorine levels can vary so perhaps my supply is lower or I just am not as sensitive to the taste. Whatever works I suppose.

[Yosh]

Im no brewing expert but I live in Glasgow but come from the south west. I really like the water up here, it tastes better and you don't get any limescale in your kettle. Im convinced that usin gtap water you could make a better beer up here then in the South West.

[Invalid Stout]

I've stopped doing anything to my water. We are lucky to have very soft water round here and there's no point mucking about with it. People always say that you can't brew hoppy beers with soft water, but it's rubbish. Look at Fyne Ales, Harviestoun etc.

[gregorach]

I've stopped doing anything to my water. We are lucky to have very soft water round here and there's no point mucking about with it. People always say that you can't brew hoppy beers with soft water, but it's rubbish. Look at Fyne Ales, Harviestoun etc.

You sure they don't treat their water at all? I love the Edinburgh water, but only as a starting point...