[Joe T]

When I switched from spring water(~100 ppm tds) a few years ago to RO(~350 ppm in and ~15 ppm out) I knew nothing of water chemistry. I used straight RO with nothing added for the first several batches, ranging from light to dark and malty to hoppy. They all just tasted dull and boring. Unless you're brewing a bopils, you'll want to at least add some gypsum and/or calcium chloride. Water chemistry can be rather intimidating at first but a basic familiarity of what kind of water makes good beer and the ability to use an online water calculator will get you there quicker than you think. The Brun water's water knowledge page is a great place to start. When you taste that first IPA brewed with water with a good amount of sulfates, you'll be hooked!

[Wort-H.O.G.]

 Spring water can be very low to very high in minerals.

+1.  At the very least, assuming the store's RO machine filter is in good shape, you'll be getting more consistent, cheaper water, Frank.  I bought a fairly cheap TDS meter like this one to check the water each time before I buy it. So far the water from the store I buy from has tested great every time.

http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_1/187-7410435-6778256?ie=UTF8&qid=1412534812&sr=8-1&keywords=tds+meter

I bought a TDS meter too. Just because.

+1. i have new RO system and the water is fairly stripped clean. i check with TDS meter regularly also.

[HoosierBrew]

 Spring water can be very low to very high in minerals.

+1.  At the very least, assuming the store's RO machine filter is in good shape, you'll be getting more consistent, cheaper water, Frank.  I bought a fairly cheap TDS meter like this one to check the water each time before I buy it. So far the water from the store I buy from has tested great every time.

http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_1/187-7410435-6778256?ie=UTF8&qid=1412534812&sr=8-1&keywords=tds+meter

I bought a TDS meter too. Just because.

+1. i have new RO system and the water is fairly stripped clean. i check with TDS meter regularly also.

Hey, as long as it's consistently stripped clean, it's a good base to build on !  I envy the RO system but not the $$ now. Someday.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

 Spring water can be very low to very high in minerals.

+1.  At the very least, assuming the store's RO machine filter is in good shape, you'll be getting more consistent, cheaper water, Frank.  I bought a fairly cheap TDS meter like this one to check the water each time before I buy it. So far the water from the store I buy from has tested great every time.

http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_1/187-7410435-6778256?ie=UTF8&qid=1412534812&sr=8-1&keywords=tds+meter

I bought a TDS meter too. Just because.

+1. i have new RO system and the water is fairly stripped clean. i check with TDS meter regularly also.

Hey, as long as it's consistently stripped clean, it's a good base to build on !  I envy the RO system but not the $$ now. Someday.

I here ya. I really didn't have much choice considering my well water is so high in bicarbonate and 114ppm sodium (naturally soft) that it took so much lactic acid to get the ph to shift lower....one of my early brewing frustrations I'm glad I'm done with.
this is why i installed an RO system.

my well water:

pH                                            8.0
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 283
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.47
Cations / Anions, me/L 5.3 / 5.4
ppm
Sodium, Na           114
Potassium, K          2
Calcium, Ca            4
Magnesium, Mg       1
Total Hardness, CaCO3 14
Nitrate, NO3-N          0.1 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S          3
Chloride, Cl              3
Carbonate,CO3         6
Bicarbonate, HCO3      297
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3   253

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk