[denny]

The best water treatment is the least water treatment.  But that doesn'tnecessarily mean none.  Try adding some sulfate to a glass to see if you like the results. Just because yiur beer is good doesn't necessarily mean it couldn't be better.

[Bel Air Brewing]

The best water treatment is the least water treatment.  But that doesn'tnecessarily mean none.  Try adding some sulfate to a glass to see if you like the results. Just because yiur beer is good doesn't necessarily mean it couldn't be better.

That is a good idea. I do know this...drinking straight (unfiltered) tap water, then filtered tap water, then RO filtered water, the hands down winner is the water filtered with a countertop filter.

Unfiltered has a definite chlorine taste. The RO water is very dry.

RO water is good for cleansing the palate in between samples of different beers.

[denny]

The best water treatment is the least water treatment.  But that doesn'tnecessarily mean none.  Try adding some sulfate to a glass to see if you like the results. Just because yiur beer is good doesn't necessarily mean it couldn't be better.

That is a good idea. I do know this...drinking straight (unfiltered) tap water, then filtered tap water, then RO filtered water, the hands down winner is the water filtered with a countertop filter.

Unfiltered has a definite chlorine taste. The RO water is very dry.

RO water is good for cleansing the palate in between samples of different beers.

I'm lucky to not have to deal with that stuff.  The water from my well is fantastic for brewing and drinking.  I do minimal adjustment for s0me beers, little to nothing for others. It depends on the beer style and desired results.  But for German pils there's always a sulfate addition to supplement the 57 ppm already in the water.

[Bel Air Brewing]

Here is the response from the Hofbrau Brewery, in Munich, when asked about water treatment:

The well water runs through the so-called double-deck filter , means it runs through gravel + active carbon filters, ion exchangers (strongly acidic) and remove Na +, Ca2 + and Mg +.

The degree of hardness is further adjusted with lime saturators, softening the water.

Then an activated carbon filter is used again for the perfect brewing water.

So it looks like they mainly taketh away, adding nothing to the water.

 

[ynotbrusum]

It would be nice to know some numbers or even just ending pH, but I’d guess it is pretty neutral….

[Bel Air Brewing]

It would be nice to know some numbers or even just ending pH, but I’d guess it is pretty neutral….

I agree, but that info most likely is proprietary.
My take is the water is pretty soft.

[Bel Air Brewing]

Two good German breweries use local, low mineral soft water. So water does not need to be high in mineral content (sulfates) to brew a classic German Pils.

Krombacher, situated in the hills of Westfalia, uses local mountain spring water which is soft and low in minerals, making for an ideal beer.

Warsteiner - The Kaiserquelle, a natural reserve of extra soft water, is the water used at the brewery since 1927.
 

[denny]

Here is the response from the Hofbrau Brewery, in Munich, when asked about water treatment:

The well water runs through the so-called double-deck filter , means it runs through gravel + active carbon filters, ion exchangers (strongly acidic) and remove Na +, Ca2 + and Mg +.

The degree of hardness is further adjusted with lime saturators, softening the water.

Then an activated carbon filter is used again for the perfect brewing water.

So it looks like they mainly taketh away, adding nothing to the water.

That means nothing unless you know what was in there to start with.

[denny]

Two good German breweries use local, low mineral soft water. So water does not need to be high in mineral content (sulfates) to brew a classic German Pils.

Krombacher, situated in the hills of Westfalia, uses local mountain spring water which is soft and low in minerals, making for an ideal beer.

Warsteiner - The Kaiserquelle, a natural reserve of extra soft water, is the water used at the brewery since 1927.

I really think you're misinterpreting the info.  They could remove stuff and still have high mineral water.

[Bel Air Brewing]

Here is a some interesting info on water profiles for various beer styles. We are lucky, as our city water supply fits nicely in the middle of these stats.

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Various_water_recipes