How do I combat this, other then plugging in that report into something like EZ Water Calculator? Because we already put normal tap water through a filter. Will buying something like a carbon filter do the trick? I know it’ll vary by style and what Mash PH I want, but I just was looking for some advice on something I know little about.
Yep. Just my opinion - municipal water supplies can change in mineral makeup throughout the year, so unless you send off to Ward every few months (or are on a well), you don’t really know what you’re working with. RO water and a cheap TDS meter gives you control.
Thanks for the response - haven’t looked into RO water before, is the best option to buy a filter? Any suggestions on something to hook into a garden hose?
It’s more of a system of filters and a membrane. They are generally designed with NPT fittings to be connected to your water supply lines. They run very slow.
If you see machines outside (or inside in some cases) your local grocery store, those should be RO. Local to me I pay $0.25/gal.
The price per gallon varies greatly from dispenser to dispenser - but the best price is from units that dispense into your own container (as with many things, the container/packaging is often the most costly component). My local grocery store (chain) had it for $.29 a gallon at one time, but it kept creeping up and when it went over $.65 a gallon, I went with a home RO system and haven’t regretted it. I can collect 9 gallons a day and I simply keep it in 5 gallon water jugs until I am ready to use it. Then on the day of brewing, I treat according to Brun Water and my beers have been the better for it.
YMMV - good luck and Cheers to your move to better water (and hopefully better beer!)
+1 for RO - I was using tap water for brewing extract for about a year. Started to notice the same twang/bitterness from my beers. Switched to using RO and things seem to be looking up. I can get RO from a machine where you fill your own containers for $0.25 per gallon. So it adds less than $2 for a 5 gallon extract batch brew day.
+1 in favor of RO. Made a German lager and went with RO from a machine outside a local store. A very noticeable difference. After reading the water chapters in Palmers new How to Brew I’ll never go back. I purchased my own RO system off CL. Now simple salt additions and minimal acid for pH and things taste better.
I am on well water with a water softener. You can bypass it but mine is so old I am afraid to turn the valve to bypass anymore. I went with RO water and Bru’n Water and have noticed a huge improvement to my beers.