Using river water for brew?

[tropicalpalmtree]

Just an idea, i live in wales and we have lots of free flowing streams from the mountains near my house, the water is really good and ive drank it plenty of times out on walks. I was thinking i could use this water, filtered and boiled of course, in one of my brews.

Would this work? Or is there too much potential of spoilt beer as its untreated?

Thanks

 

[prog99]

Don't see why not its worth a go, plenty of distilleries have their own wells up here or divert a burn.

 

[Hoppyland]

Well, my last 2 homes have been out in the wilds a bit, both private water supplies. Basically, therefore, from burns or wee rivers. I have used the water from both for beer making, only adding some salts because they are very soft, acidic, peaty waters.
I don't do a full boil, and have used these "natural" water supplies, without treatment, to dilute my wort to the desired volume. I have had no spoilage organisms at all, in what must be a 4 year period. Maybe I've just been lucky - but I doubt it.

 

[Ghillie]

I've always wanted to try this. Many argue that where I live has some of the best quality water in the world, so why not!

Going to be a bit of an issue getting 35L back to the garage though...

 

[peebee]

Absolutely! All the water authority does is filter it (through beds of gravel), chlorinate it (which you have to neutralise) and perhaps adjust the pH so the acidity doesn't rot the pipes. The latter is a right pain, 'cos it can't be done too carefully and these soft acid upland waters will end up varying enormously (no buffering capacity - last year I couldn't get my mashes above pH5.1, this year my last brew mashed at 5.7).

I'd have your source tested. "Wallybrew" (Phoenix Analytical neil.williams (at) phoenix-analytical.co.uk) is popular and not costly. Perhaps more than once over time? The results will probably prove there is next to nowt in it. I probably would boil it if it isn't going to get boiled during brewing. Like with the tap water, local droughts and deluges are going affect the water analysis somewhat. The rocks above you are all volcanic, slates and shales so not much is dissolving out of them.

Pick your source carefully. There will always be sheep in Wales, but I'd avoid houses and other farming activity upstream. Mine effluent needs to be avoided (including from gold mines in your area!).

One of my favourite pubs around here is on the other side of that wood-wormed railway bridge you've got down there!

 

[Ghillie]

I'd have your source tested. "Wallybrew" (Phoenix Analytical neil.williams (at) phoenix-analytical.co.uk) is popular and not costly.

Second that @peebee; £26 for the test + P&P is a bargain for what you get. Certainly when compared to others offering a similar service.

 

[peebee]

I've always wanted to try this. Many argue that where I live has some of the best quality water in the world, so why not!

Wasn't always like that. The grubby occupants down south used to export all their filth up your way on the wind and when I lived up there the tap water was pH3! 1980s "acid rain" scare. But it didn't stop in the NE of Scotland, it crossed to Scandinavia and they were really fed up with "the dirty old man of europe".

 

[Leon103]

Just be careful of slurry spills

 

[The Baron]

What better way of drinking fertilisers and carcinogenic pollutants than in beer Mmmmm (tongue in cheek Lol)

 

[Gulpitdarn]

Mine effluent needs to be avoided (including from gold mines in your area!).

Your so right about this.... The Afon Mawdach has no fish, I've never seen any when we used to go gold panning up near the Gwynfynydd Mine. Someone I knew who went into one of the abandoned mines came out covered in yellow sludge it was sulphur, a lot of this water was seeping out from there, there is also arsenic, cyanide, mercury in the river used for forming an amalgam etc. Don't think I'd want to use this water for my Golden ales.

 

[kelper]

What's the point? UK has excellent tap water that you know is wholesome.

 

[GerritT]

Have it tested, a few times over the course of a year, and act accordingly.
Otherwise: tapwater is good enough 99% of the times.

 

[peebee]

What's the point? UK has excellent tap water that you know is wholesome.

So it is. But not having to worry about seemingly random chlorine additions, not being subject to seemingly random pH corrections, not having to be blinkered to what might find its way into water from lower lying sources … If you have a easily accessible source of good brewing water, use it! I guess there are lots of folk on this forum who'd love a good source of water: They are always going on about supermarket bottled water, RO water, etc., and whatever else they are using to avoid their tap water.

 

[kelper]

But river water quality changes every day. No river water is going to magically improve your beer, it could even poison you. There's always some disease-ridden sheep in the water, just uphill and out of sight.

Now, a borehole is a different matter!

 

[peebee]

Aye, a borehole would be ideal. But I don't think that will be an option; the nearby Irish Sea won't help either. Nor will "rivers" be involved; we've heard earlier about the Mawddach being full of cyanide, arsenic, mercury and … gold mmm. The sheep do get everywhere, including the drinking water reservoirs, but I don't think the water will be used unboiled?

The water ought to be good, they used it at the Ginger Beer factory for sometime on the other side of the hill. I bet it doesn't change as much as the tap water (outside droughts or deluges). Not "magical" you say - careful, this is Wales and that comment could be seen as heresy (punishable by … well that might of changed recently, but I bet it will involve a sheep).

This isn't talking about some brook running through the farmer's fields; it's one of the biggest lumps of rock sticking out of the Welsh landscape, and it doesn't have smelly trains full of tourists trundling up it like another Welsh rock nearby.

 

[ssashton]

Would simply sticking a Camden tablet in the water be enough to sanitise it, plus the wort boil of course?

 

[Hoppyland]

What's the point? UK has excellent tap water that you know is wholesome.

Well....... Some of the UK does!
I'm now living in Dumfries & Galloway - a wee bit up in the hills. The "tap water" comes courtesy of the hydro power station next to us. Prior to that we stayed on Skye, earlier a smallholding in S Ayrshire, all with private water supplies. If all goes to plan, we'll be back on Skye before next spring - which will make it our 4th house in a row without mains water.
OK we are a bit unusual!

 

[peebee]

Would simply sticking a Camden tablet in the water be enough to sanitise it, plus the wort boil of course?

The boil sanitises it. The Metabisulphite neutralises (reacts with) the chlorine, but also happens to be used as a sanitiser (for wine-making usually). I think it works as a sanitiser better for wine because it is kept much longer; it hangs about too long to use as a successful sanitiser in beer.

 

[alice-edmund]

Just an idea, i live in wales and we have lots of free flowing streams from the mountains near my house, the water is really good and ive drank it plenty of times out on walks. I was thinking i could use this water, filtered and boiled of course, in one of my brews.

Would this work? Or is there too much potential of spoilt beer as its untreated?

Thanks

As someone who works in water treatment - and with the Utilities - filtered and boiled should be fine (previous points about avoiding industrial etc waste and significant animal faecal contamination are excellent - but frankly, why bother if you have mains supply? Seriously, UK tap water is very consistent and monitored. Private borehole great - though still advise that you get it checked to meet Private Water Supply regs. Water for brewing is a massive topic in its own right - and if you ever do a tour of a big brewery - ask to see their water treatment plants.

 

[peebee]

As someone who works in water treatment …

Cor. A real live water treatment worker sticking their head over the parapet - must take a shot at that!

"UK tap water is very consistent" you say, so why does the "alkalinity" of tap water, probably the most important aspect of treating brewing water, vary so widely (water with source in acid moorland)? For example last year I couldn't get my mash pH above 5.0-5.1, this year I'm seeing 5.7 and backing off (calculated) alkaline salt additions quite considerably. Calculators are no help (I use Bru'n Water).

Chlorine content will vary wildly too, but that probably has acceptable reasons and is easily dealt with (metabisulphite doses are not measured accurately and are overdone most times - presuming it works).