Water source

[Distillingchris]

What does everyone use for there mashing water and the. To dilute after stripping run then to dilute after spirit run ?
What ph would be good for a kale wash ?

I used to use tap water for mash, tape water to dilute and then bottled water after spirit run.

I recently went to a distillery and they use de ionised purified water after the spirit run so just seeing what everyone else's preference is as it all comes down to how good the water is to how good the spirit is.

[Icefever]

The water from our tap is ok..I use that for mashing...but I use bottled water for the cuts.

[Mash]

Tapperty tap tap tap

[Benoit]

If I need buckets in a hurry & I know there's no chance of doing a run with a finished mash for a bit then I'll get 4/5 of the 5 litre bottles of water from the supermarket so start a new mash then use the bottles to store the finished mash until distillation. Otherwise, like Mash, tap water to mash with & like Ice bottled water to cut with. It does some times get a bit cloudy but the Glacaeu smart water has a nice mouth feel & makes a nice spirit

[Mash]

Glaceau. You are pre diluting your spirits with Coke. Well technically

[Phantom]

Whereas, I RO, RO, RO my boat.........

Happy using tap water to dissolve my sugar, but once the wash has been run, all letting down, whether for redistilling or to dilute down to 40%, I use RO water (too many variables in bottled water, and it's more expensive).

I get 25 litres of RO for 350.........

[mrbob]

Is there any reason to use RO over distilled water or it it just down to availability?

[Distillingchris]

Another stupid question what is RO ?

Does nobody use the still to distill water and use that to dilute ? Obviously there's stuff in tap water, there's stuff in bottled, or do you want some of the minerals in the bottled water where as distilling it would get rid of everything ?

[Phantom]

Is there any reason to use RO over distilled water or it it just down to availability?

Cost. It's many times cheaper than distilled water.......

[GrunthosTheFlatulent]

Another stupid question what is RO ?

Reverse Osmosis.

I believe you can buy RO water from aquatics and tropical fish centres.

Personally, I use tap water for my washes and bottled water or Brita filtered tap water for reducing.

[Phantom]

Another stupid question what is RO ?

Does nobody use the still to distill water and use that to dilute ? Obviously there's stuff in tap water, there's stuff in bottled, or do you want some of the minerals in the bottled water where as distilling it would get rid of everything ?

Reverse Osmosis water. With distilled water, a lot of the expense is in the energy used to heat it. With a reverse osmosis filter, it depends on the filter membrane as to how much of the dissolved solids passes through it. The one I have (not plumbed in as we're on a water meter) produces (from memory) water that is 100 PPM (parts per million) TDS (total dissolved solids). TDS varies around the country for many reasons, here I can't recall the number for TDS, but our water is about 300 PPM of calcium/chalk, which is hard to very hard. Irrespective that I only make sugar turbo neutral for vodka and flavour essences, I can taste the difference (which is why I use tap water for the ferment, then double distill, letting it down to below 40% with RO for the spirit run and exactly 40% for carbon filtration and drinking/flavouring).

That sorts out any harshness caused by the calcium/magnesium in the water.

The RO process not only removes the chalk, but also chlorine/chloramine, iron and other elements.

With RO filters/membranes, you only get about 25% of the water that goes in, as RO, the rest goes down the drain. That said, it's still many times cheaper than distilled.

And yes, around here, the local breweries have to soften their water for the beer because it causes flavour issues without that.......

[Easydrinker]

Not arguing with you Phantom,

My own washes are made with tap water.

My Strip washes are diluted with our local soft tap water,- it is gonna be re-distilled afterall.

I always let down my neutral with our tap water and run it through the Essencia, seems to work for me.

My AG whisky spirit attempts get diluted to drinking strength with cheap bottled water.
I haven't found hazing or taste issues, but that could be me not wanting to criticise my own efforts.

Jiggery pokery is a very important part of this hobby/small scale booze production thing.
And while I am very happy with the guides and guidlines that we dispense here, to new 'Stillers, - I really do believe that there is no one way of doing it, and I would encourage every new 'Stiller to read all, and try all ,and maybe then come up with their own variation.
And by then you will be having so much fun, that time spent online will seem hard to find.

Have fun!

Robert.

[Phantom]

Not arguing with you Phantom,

My own washes are made with tap water.

My Strip washes are diluted with our local soft tap water,- it is gonna be re-distilled afterall.

I always let down my neutral with our tap water and run it through the Essencia, seems to work for me.

My AG whisky spirit attempts get diluted to drinking strength with cheap bottled water.
I haven't found hazing or taste issues, but that could be me not wanting to criticise my own efforts.

Jiggery pokery is a very important part of this hobby/small scale booze production thing.
And while I am very happy with the guides and guidlines that we dispense here, to new 'Stillers, - I really do believe that there is no one way of doing it, and I would encourage every new 'Stiller to read all, and try all ,and maybe then come up with their own variation.
And by then you will be having so much fun, that time spent online will seem hard to find.

Have fun!

Robert.

You're at the other end of the country Rob. I seem to recall reading that most of Scotland has soft water (mostly through granite etc).

I'm down the other end and it's all through chalk......

[Easydrinker]

I agree Phantom, part of it is down to where you live as to what comes from your domestic mains tap.
I have previously lived in places where you struggle to work a lather from the soap because the water is so hard.
When I first moved to my current address the mains water was peat stained, but SO soft, these days it is clear and the chlorine detectable usually.
I'm not sure that I call that an improvement.
But I can be a grumpy old man on occassion...

Robert.