Water Treatment.

[Billy No Mates]

I went on a Fuller's brewery tour a couple of years ago and asked where sourced their water. I assumed that they had a well and in the past they did, but now they just take it straight off the Thames Water main. Doesn't go through a water treatment plant or anything. My kitchen tap is on the same main just 3 miles away and so if it's good enough for Fuller's it's good enough for me. I just have to make sure that I leave them some.

 

[bobukbrewer]

they probably carbon filter it though..............

 

[Billy No Mates]

they probably carbon filter it though..............

There's no point, because Thames Water have already carbon filtered the water as part of their treatment process.

 

[Slid]

There's no point, because Thames Water have already carbon filtered the water as part of their treatment process.

Very unlikely, from what I know about water treatment (which admittedly is jolly little). Sand filtration is about as much as you get from the North West provider.

Here is the link to the Thames Water website:

https://cycles.thameswater.co.uk/accessible/the-water-treatment-process

 

[Slid]

I find it hard to imagine that anyone would carbon filter water that is going to be boiled for an hour in an hour or so's time. Or have I completely missed the point?

 

[bobukbrewer]

boiling does not get rid of Chloramine...........

 

[Billy No Mates]

I find it hard to imagine that anyone would carbon filter water that is going to be boiled for an hour in an hour or so's time. Or have I completely missed the point?

I don't think you have missed the point.
Thames Water filter drinking water through Granulated Active Carbon vessels, which removes the organic matter from the water. This is a major operation using the best water treatment plant in the world. Why would anyone think that they need to replicate this, let alone better it?
But even though people might enjoy the water engineering as much as any other aspect of brewing, it seems to me to be something that is contrary to the whole spirit of the thing. Never before have brewers got bogged down with this: brewers developed their recipes with available ingredients which suited the water they had. It's only with the development of homebrewing and the desire to copy another brewer's beer that people now seem to want to modify the water to suit the ingredients they want to use.
And besides, if you want to drink a particular beer that is brewed by somebody else, why not just buy it?

 

[Slid]

I don't think you have missed the point.
Thames Water filter drinking water through Granulated Active Carbon vessels, which removes the organic matter from the water. This is a major operation using the best water treatment plant in the world. Why would anyone think that they need to replicate this, let alone better it?
But even though people might enjoy the water engineering as much as any other aspect of brewing, it seems to me to be something that is contrary to the whole spirit of the thing. Never before have brewers got bogged down with this: brewers developed their recipes with available ingredients which suited the water they had. It's only with the development of homebrewing and the desire to copy another brewer's beer that people now seem to want to modify the water to suit the ingredients they want to use.
And besides, if you want to drink a particular beer that is brewed by somebody else, why not just buy it?

Thanks, for this information, Billy. Much appreciated.

I am currently experimenting with Gypsum and Epsom salts, mainly for Pale Ales. Does it make a difference? Hard to say (sic).

 

[strange-steve]

But even though people might enjoy the water engineering as much as any other aspect of brewing, it seems to me to be something that is contrary to the whole spirit of the thing

Is it against the spirit of brewing to make your beer as good as it can be? Or if your water is suited only to stouts is it against the spirit of brewing to adjust it to allow you to brew pale ale?

 

[chrisb8]

The water where I live is very hard so I usually filter my brewing water through a brita jug (which I understand uses a carbon filter). Takes a couple of hours (whilst doing other things of course) the night before brew day to collect enough. But if the information here is right, am I wasting my time then?? Should I just treat my tap water instead?

 

[Billy No Mates]

Is it against the spirit of brewing to make your beer as good as it can be? Or if your water is suited only to stouts is it against the spirit of brewing to adjust it to allow you to brew pale ale?

If that's what you enjoy and want to do then by all means do it.
But if your recipe does not suit your water it makes more sense to me to modify your ingredients rather than to modify the water. Maybe it shows that I gave up on clones a while ago.
I can't imagine that there is anywhere in the UK where the water is so diabolical that it is not possible to brew what you want. That same Thames Water main has successfully been used to brew stouts, IPAs, lager, all sorts of beer, and often in the same brewery.

 

[Drunkula]

But if your recipe does not suit your water it makes more sense to me to modify your ingredients rather than to modify the water.

Said nobody who wants to progress as homebrewer ever.

 

[chrisbjones202]

Thames Water main has successfully been used to brew stouts, IPAs, lager, all sorts of beer, and often in the same brewery.

Surely only with water treatment.

It's so easy to do, especially with the guides on the forum that why wouldn't you do it to allow the brewing of different beers...........buy beer instead

 

[Martin O]

I have just started to dabble in water treatment Thanks to guides on this forum, personally I think it helps get the best out of the ingredients and work towards creating beers to my taste

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I can't imagine that there is anywhere in the UK where the water is so diabolical that it is not possible to brew what you want.

I believe the water in London is pretty bad and the subject has been discussed in the past. (long before Steves threads)

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