Distilled water

[fury_tea]

Stupid question time: where do you get distilled water from in the UK?

Can't find it in the supermarket, eBay has 250ml for a fiver, Amazon 1L for 8 quid.

I want some for my PH meter (El cheapo version that didn't come with test solutions).

Also read about adding distilled water to tap water when making pilsners etc to lower the mineral content but at those prices it's not exactly cost effective.

 

[Bigjas]

I get mine from the local hardware shop. Its £3 for 5 litres.

 

[BeerCat]

A car spares shop. Some people collect the condensed steam from the lid of their kettle and use that. I use RO as it's the correct ph.

 

[strange-steve]

Another option is to buy pre-made buffer solution like these, a bottle each of pH 4 and 7 for £6.99.

 

[fury_tea]

Another option is to buy pre-made buffer solution like these, a bottle each of pH 4 and 7 for £6.99.

Ah I just bought powders. Do you not still need the distilled to rinse it between calibrations?

 

[strange-steve]

Ah I just bought powders. Do you not still need the distilled to rinse it between calibrations?

Technically yes you should, but I rinse mine in tap water, dab it dry with some kitchen roll then into the other buffer solution.

 

[strange-steve]

@fury_tea what sort of pH meter do you have, is it an expensive one?

 

[fury_tea]

@fury_tea what sort of pH meter do you have, is it an expensive one?

Nah it's cheap n nasty from ebay, think it cost me 8 quid.

 

[The Baron]

Halfords sell it in 5 litres under a fiver

 

[fury_tea]

Halfords sell it in 5 litres under a fiver

Would that be safe to dilute tap water and use in a beer?

 

[cheeseyfeet]

Halfords sell it in 5 litres under a fiver

Isn’t that de ionised water rather than distilled?

 

[The Baron]

Yes it is de ionised water from Halfords that what it says on the container

 

[strange-steve]

Nah it's cheap n nasty from ebay, think it cost me 8 quid.

OK, I was gonna ask about storage solution but in that case you probably won't bother with it (I don't keep my cheapo meter in storage solution).

As for making a pilsner, if your tap water is hard then yes you might want to source soft water, but I wouldn't use distilled, Tesco Ashbeck isn't a bad choice and it's a bit cheaper at £1.10 for 5L.

 

[The Baron]

I would not use either distilled or De ionised for brewing as Steve says. Use bottled or RO that has been adjusted to the style you require for specific beer if your water is at the other end of the scale . Mine is good for ales etc and ok for lighter beers but if I wanted to make a authentic Lager I would use bottled and Ashbeck being the most popular in brewing circles

 

[Longhead23]

A car spares shop. Some people collect the condensed steam from the lid of their kettle and use that. I use RO as it's the correct ph.

Would this work for calibrating the Refractometer I just purchased?

 

[BeerCat]

Would this work for calibrating the Refractometer I just purchased?

I use water that has collects from condensation on the lid of my boiler when i am heating the strike water. RO and tap water gave the same reading for what its worth.