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Author Topic: Building water for pale lager  (Read 3802 times)

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Building water for pale lager
« Reply #15 on: December 19, 2017, 03:06:46 pm »
A couple years ago I installed an RO system with a line to my kitchen sink and a line to my garage (where I brew - usually electric).  This was the best move I ever made in brewing - the TDS meter shows a typical post-treat water of 12-14 TDS.  I preboil my H2O and add a little CaCl2, some NaMeta, and some Brewtan B to my mash and run with it as adjusted for light German lagers.  I get high compliments and can't keep the helles in stock with my friends choosing it over any other I brew.

Good luck with your water!
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Offline Village Taphouse

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Re: Building water for pale lager
« Reply #16 on: December 19, 2017, 03:34:19 pm »
Have home RO systems gotten easier to manage?  I know that when I looked at them there were concerns about them using A LOT of water to run (waste water?) and also how finicky they can be with the membranes requiring constant attention or some such thing.  Turns out I didn't need to go that way.  I was buying distilled water like I was getting paid for it... if I found it for 69¢ a gallon I would by 20 gallons and use it.  I don't have to do that anymore either... thank Jeebus. 
Ken from Chicago. 
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Offline Robert

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Re: Building water for pale lager
« Reply #17 on: December 19, 2017, 03:45:20 pm »
A couple years ago I installed an RO system with a line to my kitchen sink and a line to my garage (where I brew - usually electric).  This was the best move I ever made in brewing - the TDS meter shows a typical post-treat water of 12-14 TDS.  I preboil my H2O and add a little CaCl2, some NaMeta, and some Brewtan B to my mash and run with it as adjusted for light German lagers.  I get high compliments and can't keep the helles in stock with my friends choosing it over any other I brew.

Good luck with your water!


Thanks for the encouragement, now that I've pulled the trigger!  The unit I ordered is a "portable" or stand-alone unit: no reservoir, no need to install, so I can just break it out to prepare brewing water and then store it away! That was a major requirement for me.  I already have a carbon filter under the kitchen sink, in line -- all the cold water goes through.  That's all I want for cooking, baking, and beverage use.  And until now I thought it was good enough for brewing.  The only problem I have now is that the RO arrives tomorrow and I won't be brewing until the 30th --  can't  wait!  The other day I did my Helles with "worst case" liquor,  my supply with the minimum possible treatment.  Look forward to seeing the difference!
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

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Offline Stevie

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Re: Building water for pale lager
« Reply #18 on: December 19, 2017, 03:55:18 pm »
Have home RO systems gotten easier to manage?  I know that when I looked at them there were concerns about them using A LOT of water to run (waste water?) and also how finicky they can be with the membranes requiring constant attention or some such thing.  Turns out I didn't need to go that way.  I was buying distilled water like I was getting paid for it... if I found it for 69¢ a gallon I would by 20 gallons and use it.  I don't have to do that anymore either... thank Jeebus.
Waste varies but most systems I’ve seen quote 3-4 gallons wasted per gallon produced. Waste goes up as back pressure from a pressure tank builds or if the source water doesn’t have the best pressure.

Offline Robert

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Re: Building water for pale lager
« Reply #19 on: December 19, 2017, 04:01:27 pm »
Have home RO systems gotten easier to manage?  I know that when I looked at them there were concerns about them using A LOT of water to run (waste water?) and also how finicky they can be with the membranes requiring constant attention or some such thing.  Turns out I didn't need to go that way.  I was buying distilled water like I was getting paid for it... if I found it for 69¢ a gallon I would by 20 gallons and use it.  I don't have to do that anymore either... thank Jeebus.

Maybe they haven't changed since your experience, but all I'm doing is brewing water, not whole house.  And at under $250, and using a good 500 gallons a year, it should pay for itself before long.  And as I said earlier, I'll save a bunch by no longer having to test my water before treatment.  I won't know until I read the manual what the life of the membranes and filters is, but with my use I hope they last.  I think I'll run it off the faucet with the carbon block, so that might extend it a bit too.  Ooh, Amazon just shipped it! So, I used to buy $0.89 water sometimes, but this seems the cheaper way after all. Maybe in a couple of months I'll post a review of sorts.
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question.

Offline Robert

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Re: Building water for pale lager
« Reply #20 on: December 20, 2017, 03:28:19 pm »
^^^^^
UPDATE
RO arrived and escaped porch pirates!  Couldn't wait to play with my Christmas present so hooked it up for a test run.  It's putting out a quart in about 6 minutes off my utility faucet, and surprisingly only 2:1 brine to purified water (but then it's a brand new membrane, don't know how rapidly that will change.)  It's also astonishingly reducing TDS from 201ppm to 9ppm! Well that will change too. 
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question.

Offline Village Taphouse

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Re: Building water for pale lager
« Reply #21 on: December 20, 2017, 04:42:48 pm »
Nice!  Merry Christmas Robert!  :D
Ken from Chicago. 
A day without beer is like... just kidding, I have no idea.

Offline Robert

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Re: Building water for pale lager
« Reply #22 on: December 22, 2017, 09:43:55 am »
Okay,  been doing some testing and planning.  My RO product is showing ~8ppm total alkalinity. (Actually that TA is after adding calcium chloride, which may not be pure, may have affected measurement.  Titration might have been sloppy too. TDS of permeate on its own is 7ppm.)  I'm planning to bring Ca++ to ~50ppm in all my liquor, and add lactic acid to the the mash liquor equivalent to about 2% Sauermalz in the grist.  Does anybody think I'll need further acidification of the sparge liquor (assume 100% Pilsner malt)?  I want to minimize treatment, but don't want to have the runoff pH rise up too much.  I've always brought the sparge liquor to.5.6, but hope not to?
« Last Edit: December 22, 2017, 07:24:32 pm by Robert »
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question.