Bottled Water

[Popspicker]

I am considering using cheap bottled water for my second attempt at Home brewing, any comments about that anyone ?

 

[Runwell-Steve]

For kit brewing or Extract Brewing you will be fine.

If brewing All Grain you could have problems as the mineral content of bottled water can be comletely wrong for brewing with.

Is their something wrong with your tap water?

 

[Popspicker]

Thanks RS
Just trying to cut out some of the potential problems, our water does smell a bit chloriney and I brewed beer in the same way 25 years ago which tasted better than this new attempt.
I'm sure the treatment of the water has changed a lot since then.

 

[snail59]

Leaving the water in a container over night should help ease the chlorine problem or boil it that will help release it as will adding a campden tablet ( :hmm: I think). As Steve says you will need to add some minerals to bottled water all of which can be easily purchased from forum sponsors or other online or local home brew suppliers.

 

[Wendy1971]

Bottled water can be a great help if making certain types of lagers their soft water profile makes a great beer. We made a german kolsch with tesco bottled water and it was superb :thumb:

 

[plumpton]

Lidl selling 2L bottles for 25p which is not bad £2.75 a brew.

I have used it many a time and works a treat

 

[markp]

Bottled water is quite a good way to go imo.....providing you chose the right type and have an understanding of what you need to add by way of salts to make it suitable for brewing your chosen style.
Bottled water is consistent and has all the analysis on the label......water reports for your tap supply are generally averages and may bear little resemblance to what actually comes out of the tap at any given point.

Look for brands that are less than 30ppm carbonate and add a tsp of gypsum to the mash and boil (per 20-25 litre brew length) and you won't go far wrong for bitter and pale ale.

 

[Popspicker]

Thanks a lot for all your help on this.
It's great when you are as green as I am.