BeerBorg

i decided to spend some $$$$ because i am lazy.
since i have started the hobby i have always used filter water from my fridge water source.
i have about 9 - 3L water bottles that i fill after brewing, so instead of standing at the fridge filling water bottles, i
bought an inline water filter and adapters to fit a water hose. cost about $20.
so now i will fill my 10.5 gallon brew pot outside and recycle the water bottles.

i also got a custom brew bag, probably will start partial boil 10 gallon batches.

the paint strainer bags just dont cut it any more.

all my mr beer and TBM mixes (fire sales) are in the bottle and going fast.

time to get a 50lb sack of 2 row.

brewon

Make sure the hose you are using is certified for drinking water. A typical garden hose cannot be used for drinking water, it leeches chemicals.

Love the 50lb bag of grain.

Before I was married and brewed at my bride to be's house, I found those fridge water filters tend to go fast and are expensive. If you plan on brewing as it sounds it may make sense to get one of those under the counter jobbies. When she moved in and we started brewing at my house I found they last a lot longer.

The setup we have on our pilot system uses drinking water quality hoses attached to a spigot installed inside the garage. It then goes to an in-line 100 micron RV water filter before heading into a water filter kit (10 inch) I picked up from More Beer. It did cost a few dollars to go with something like this, but the water is one of the most important ingredients in brewing so I wanted to make sure the water was the quality I wanted. Below I listed out everything I purchased to setup our water filtration system.

Aqua Fresh Drinking Water Hose - $20.00
TastePure 100 Micron Water Filter - $18.00
More Beer 10" Water Filter Kit - $44.99
Total: $82.99

You could probably get by with just the More Beer water filter kit if you wanted, but I would not skimp on picking up some good quality 'brewing only' drinking water quality hoses to pump water to your system with. It sure beats having to get water from somewhere else or keep wasting money on buying filtered water every brew day.

It's actually the water PH in the mash you need to be more concerned with and not just the water you are brewing with. Per Palmer's book; "You would think that the pH of the water is important but actually it is not. It is the pH of the mash that is important, and that number is dependent on all of the ions we have been discussing. In fact, the ion concentrations are not relevant by themselves and it is not until the water is combined with a specific grain bill that the overall pH is determined, and it is that pH which affects the activity of the mash enzymes and the propensity for the extraction of astringent tannins from the grain husks.

Many brewers have made the mistake of trying to change the pH of their water with salts or acids to bring it to the mash pH range before adding the malts. You can do it that way if you have enough experience with a particular recipe to know what the mash pH will turn out to be; but it is like putting the cart before the horse. It is better to start the mash, check the pH with test paper and then make any additions you feel are necessary to bring the pH to the proper range. Most of the time adjustment won't be needed."

I read and reference this section of the book probably more than any other portion of it to be honest with you. I find the whole water deal interesting and pretty in depth.

I speak from experience when suggesting that you check into the filtration system you are going to use for your brewing water.

A lot of the off the shelf type carbon filters only claim to reduce chlorine taste or reduce chlorine from the water but not to remove it all together.

Also if your water department is using chloramnes (sp?) instead of chlorine in the treatment plant your filter may not be as effective. And to this point be advised that the amount of either can and will change as the treatment plant adjusts to fluctuations in temperature and/or water levels and you will not know it.

If you're brewing involves any mashing, AG or partial mash, you need to be wary of the chlorination process your water supply uses lest you get the dreaded chloriphenol syndrome in your beer;
it tastes like sucking on a bandaide and does not go away with time or treatment ( believe me, I've tried everything).

If your filter doesn't say it removes outright then consider treating your brew water with Campden tablets as a precaution; if not always then during the height of summer or change in water levels.

i have always used filtered water, i would not think there is a big difference between whats on/in a fridge and my water cooler filter. i have had only one batch of beer that i could not drink. i have heard if the water taste good to you, its ok for beer.

brewon