RO, tap, spring, etc., which is best for beginner?

[Hayzer]

Alright, I am just using the BrewDemon kits so far, adding nothing else but my own water. I have decent tap water, as well as a recently installed RO faucet on sink. We have excellent spring water (that I'd probably still boil or distill) and can obviously purchase water in the store.

Because I am not at too technical of a stage yet in my brewing, do I need to be overly concerned with which water source I use? Which would you recommend and what testing, if any, can a rookie do?

[RickBeer]

If you're brewing with Mr. Beer or Brew Demon kits, there is ZERO reason to use any water other than your tap water, if it tastes good. If it tastes like chlorine, simply fill a pot the day prior and the chlorine will dissipate overnight.

[Hayzer]

If you're brewing with Mr. Beer or Brew Demon kits, there is ZERO reason to use any water other than your tap water, if it tastes good.

It's pretty "hard" water. I have to use CLR on shower heads about every two weeks. I installed the RO so I could have decent drinking water. Will it not be good for brewing?

[BlackDuck]

I have really hard water too. When I first started and was using kits and extract, I used nothing but tap water and the beer came out pretty darn good. It was only when I went to all grain recipes that I started screwing with my water. And even now, I dilute my tap water with distilled water to get to a certain profile. You probably don't need to worry about that just yet. I would recommend using your tap water. You could also experiment a little by using half tap and half of your RO water if you want, and see which one you like better. You may not even be able to tell much of a difference.

As for the RO water, I know when using it for an all grain recipe, you'll need to add back certain things like brewing salts, calcium chloride and a few other things since the RO process strips all that out from the water, and you actually need some of that stuff for mashing all grain. I can't answer if it's good to use RO for a kit or extract recipe. Someone with more knowledge of RO water will surely chime in.

[berryman]

What RickBeer said is good advice. I have good tasting but hard well water, and started out using it, but then thought might be better with boughten spring water but switched back to my own with no noticeable difference, but that was with extract and or partial mash. Now doing AG and have still made some good ones, I am looking more into the water aspect now.

[RickBeer]

If you're brewing with Mr. Beer or Brew Demon kits, there is ZERO reason to use any water other than your tap water, if it tastes good.

It's pretty "hard" water. I have to use CLR on shower heads about every two weeks. I installed the RO so I could have decent drinking water. Will it not be good for brewing?

The simple question to answer is - does the water TASTE good? If it does, use it. If it doesn't, don't use it. Whether you have to decalcify your shower heads or not has nothing to do with taste. In my experience, hard water usually tastes just fine. And most people with hard water have a water softener, which is also fine to use with extract brews (but not with all grain brewing).

[Banjo-guy]

If you not going to use your tap water I suggest buying distilled or RO water for extract brewing. If you are using Mr Beer or Brew Demon you are extract brewing.
The reason is that the extract will have been made with the correct water profile for whatever style you are brewing. You will be adding back the water that has been removed from the concentrated extract. Putting back the most pure water is the way to go with these extract kits.
If your home water tastes good than go ahead and use that. It will be just fine.