In the past two days I have run across two referrences for Breweries in the Munich area using deep bored wells to source their water. The water is said to be soft, but no detailed information. Martin may have more information, or might have interest.
The first was on a site about the Ayinger tour (someday we will do that one). Scroll down a little, and there is a picture of a display depicting the geology, and a water fountain built out of a rock, and a little text. http://allaboutbeer.com/paulaner-water/
The other was this one from Paulaner. It states that the deep water is similar to the water in Pilsen. It also points out that Germany has banned fracking - which made me smile, as Germany has essentially zero petroleum resources. http://allaboutbeer.com/paulaner-water/
For my own brewing, I have been diluting 1 gallon of my water with 9 gallons of RO for Dunkels. I might as well just use RO and add some minerals.
Interesting. All of southern Bavaria sits on a mantle of clastic soils that overlie a thick clay layer which then overlies the bedrock. Since the clastic soils are largely derived from the Alps and its predominantly carbonate rock, groundwater in clastic soils tends to be hard and alkaline.
However, it appears that Paulaner is getting their groundwater from a deeper zone that may avoid the harder water above. Since they are a relatively small user of groundwater (compared to a city), they may be able to get away with drawing water from that deeper zone. Hopefully it will last.
Interestingly, Bavarian waters can generally be decarbonated fairly well into soft and less alkaline water that is more suited to brewing. Look at the ‘boiled’ Munich profile in Bru’n Water to understand the change that can be produced.
Yeah, one gallon of my tap water in 9 gallons of RO hits the treated profile you had in Zymurgy.
Mrs. R has started to ask me about a trip she wants to do. I might try and line up some brewery tours if not too pricey - Ayinger is pricey unless you have 15 or more.
It means that that profile is easily replicated in Munich and some breweries do employ a lime softening pre-treatment system for their water prior to it entering the brewhouse. Lime softening produces a similar result to that of boiling and decanting.