[303brews]

I've recently started treating brewing water, and the Denver water profile changes over the year. I'd like to know exactly what I'm starting with without having a testing kit or installing a RO treatment system. Where do folks go for RO water generally? And if you have a good spot in Denver, that would be even more helpful.

[Stevie]

Grocery store machines. Larger national brand machines have service dates. I use a cheap TDS meter to check the overall quality. I imagine RO water in Denver is damn near distilled.

I actually have a store that sells RO and distilled about five minutes away. RO is 7-10ppm at $0.25/gal

[majorvices]

Denver water is going to be extremely soft! Check your local water report before you bother investing in RO water, it probably is pointless. You most likely just need to filer.

[hopfenundmalz]

Denver water is going to be extremely soft! Check your local water report before you bother investing in RO water, it probably is pointless. You most likely just need to filer.

It is fairly soft, but not Portland OR soft. Low number come from water diverted from higher altitude through the Moffat tunnel. Higher numbers are generally from the Platte River. Not bad water, but RO would improve it.
Ca=17-32 ppm
Mg=3-9
NA=5-17
Cl=6-24
SO4=21-64
HCO3=24-88

http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/water-profiles/
http://www.denverwater.org/docs/assets/FCB8A422-155D-01CB-0C315C01BE75096C/TreatedWaterSummaryReport2014.pdf

[303brews]

Denver water is going to be extremely soft! Check your local water report before you bother investing in RO water, it probably is pointless. You most likely just need to filer.

It's soft, but it's a combo of a few different water treatment plants, and that combo changes throughout the year. I just want to know what I'm starting with, and the local water report is just a guess.

[hopfenundmalz]

Denver water is going to be extremely soft! Check your local water report before you bother investing in RO water, it probably is pointless. You most likely just need to filer.

It's soft, but it's a combo of a few different water treatment plants, and that combo changes throughout the year. I just want to know what I'm starting with, and the local water report is just a guess.

You should see if the local grocery stores near you have them.

Here you go.
http://locator.glacierwater.com/locator/viewer/map.php?lat=&lng=&accuracy=&search=Denver+co&value=5

[303brews]

Thanks folks!

[HoosierBrew]

And some local water supplies that are good for brewing aren't necessarily equally good at all points in the year. My $0.02 - use RO water to build on and verify its quality with a cheap TDS meter. No guesswork.

[fmader]

Yeah. I get mine at my local Wal-Mart. I think it's $1.65 for a five gallon fill. They also do a relatively good job of changing and cleaning the filter. I bought a TDS meter that HoosierBrew recommended. I've gotten it where it's as low as 3 ppm. It probably averages around 8 or 9 though. My beer has improved immensely.

[deadpoetic0077]

Along with this, what are the common salts/ acids to use to change water PH and water profile? I see several different products available, some that automatically set the mash at 5.2 (somehow???) and others that are just containers of different salts and such. Where do you guys purchase those? LHBS? I haven't used Bru'n water before either so the info im looking for may just be on that program. I just don't know if I would understand what to do.

[Hand of Dom]

Along with this, what are the common salts/ acids to use to change water PH and water profile? I see several different products available, some that automatically set the mash at 5.2 (somehow???) and others that are just containers of different salts and such. Where do you guys purchase those? LHBS? I haven't used Bru'n water before either so the info im looking for may just be on that program. I just don't know if I would understand what to do.

Personally I use Calcium Chloride and Gypsum for altering the SO4 and Cl levels, and phosphoric acid for pH adjustments.  I very occasionally use Baking Soda.  The first three I buy from Ebay, the baking soda from the supermarket.

[Stevie]

5.2 is garbage according to many here. I used it for my first dozen or so all-grain batches, but moved to Bru'n Water and salts after that.

Common salts are Gypsum, Calcium Chloride, Epsom Salt, Baking Soda, Non-iodized Table/Canning Salt, Pickling Lime, Lactic and Phosphoric Acid. There are others, but those are most common in my experience.

I but most by the pound from MoreBeer and pack in mason jars. The exception is Epsom Salt, that is from the local CVS/Rite aid. They are all cheap even in small quantities. Maybe $1 per ounce, and $4 per lb.

[Visor]

And some local water supplies that are good for brewing aren't necessarily equally good at all points in the year. My $0.02 - use RO water to build on and verify its quality with a cheap TDS meter. No guesswork.

   I am leery of cheap TDS meters, and everything else cheap for that matter. The "cheap" TDS meter I recently bought says that store bought RO water and distilled water contains MORE dissolved solids that the river water from our municipal supply, something which the tests from Ward labs proves is not the case. Ya pay for what ya git, and hope ya git whatchya pay for.

[Stevie]

My $12 tds reads 1ppm on distilled. I'm sure there are some bad units out there.

[HoosierBrew]

And some local water supplies that are good for brewing aren't necessarily equally good at all points in the year. My $0.02 - use RO water to build on and verify its quality with a cheap TDS meter. No guesswork.

   I am leery of cheap TDS meters, and everything else cheap for that matter. The "cheap" TDS meter I recently bought says that store bought RO water and distilled water contains MORE dissolved solids that the river water from our municipal supply, something which the tests from Ward labs proves is not the case. Ya pay for what ya git, and hope ya git whatchya pay for.

I can't speak to that, except that Martin(our resident water guru) says that a cheap TDS meter is fine to use, as we don't need to know TDS to the exact ppm, just be in the ballpark. All I know is that I (and many brewers here ) use a meter like this one with reliable results.   https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1474559085&sr=1-1&keywords=ez+tds+meter


As for the store's water, there's no guarantee that their water was as advertised. And RO machines are susceptible to not being maintained, which drives up the TDS. Which is why I carry a meter.