I could not find information about this

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BENCO
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I could not find information about this

Post by BENCO »

Unfortunately I could not find information about this:
1. Water softening
2. Water filtration
3. Mix filtered or softened water with alcohol
If anyone on this forum wrote about this issue, please help me find it.
OnceAlive
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Re: I could not find information about this

Post by OnceAlive »

Hi BENCO!

I didn't try to search on these subjects but what is it you wish to know?

I mean... I have a water softener at home, I don't use filtration (like carbon filtration system or reverse osmosis), I use my water to proof down the alcohol before bottling. I boil the water I use for my wash and mash....

I've read that people inquire to their city about the water they get (seems like they can ask for a water report). If you have a well you can have your water analysed... it is suggested to anyone who gets his water from a well to do so every two years anyway. This way you can know what you are starting with and add what's missing.

I could go on. Knowing what you need help on will help though.

Cheers!
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BENCO
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Re: I could not find information about this

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OnceAlive wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:49 pm Hi BENCO!

I didn't try to search on these subjects but what is it you wish to know?

I mean... I have a water softener at home, I don't use filtration (like carbon filtration system or reverse osmosis), I use my water to proof down the alcohol before bottling. I boil the water I use for my wash and mash....

I've read that people inquire to their city about the water they get (seems like they can ask for a water report). If you have a well you can have your water analysed... it is suggested to anyone who gets his water from a well to do so every two years anyway. This way you can know what you are starting with and add what's missing.

I could go on. Knowing what you need help on will help though.

Cheers!
I mean ... for mixing water in spirit needs soft water. because any minerals and heavy metals have bad impact on taste. They block tastes. if the well is deep, water are hard. i think, soft water ise better for spirit. i want faind ebout this more :)

what are you think ebout this?
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Re: I could not find information about this

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BENCO wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:40 pm If the well is deep, water are hard.
I'm no water expert but I would tend to believe that deep wells will give you better water than "less deep" or surface wells. In a way, the water will go through more filtering elements as it go deeper in the ground. That being said I'm sure this will not be the case every time. To know the real answer we'd have to go back to having the water tested.
BENCO wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:40 pm I mean ... for mixing water in spirit needs soft water. because any minerals and heavy metals have bad impact on taste. They block tastes. ... i think, soft water ise better for spirit. i want faind ebout this more :)

what are you think ebout this?
Again, this is only my opinion but I can think of whisky companies who market their product based on the water they use to make it. Being in a specific location and getting THAT specific water is what allow them to make THEIR product because the water brings this and that to it. So yeah, water can bring along a particular taste to your product but it's not necessary a bad thing. I doubt someone would want a sulfury taste in his drink but, again, some peated whisky tastes come from the water and not the grain or the wood it's aged on. (and you can't get that taste if you don't use that water)

If you dilute your spirit with the water you get from your tap and do not like it, for sure you can try other stuff: buy water at the grocery store, or distilled water, you could distill some yourself, boil it... maybe dance around it idk? In the end it's a mater of taste... as long as the water is drinkable I'd say it's usable.
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BENCO
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Re: I could not find information about this

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OnceAlive wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:13 pm
BENCO wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:40 pm If the well is deep, water are hard.
I'm no water expert but I would tend to believe that deep wells will give you better water than "less deep" or surface wells. In a way, the water will go through more filtering elements as it go deeper in the ground. That being said I'm sure this will not be the case every time. To know the real answer we'd have to go back to having the water tested.
BENCO wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:40 pm I mean ... for mixing water in spirit needs soft water. because any minerals and heavy metals have bad impact on taste. They block tastes. ... i think, soft water ise better for spirit. i want faind ebout this more :)

what are you think ebout this?
Again, this is only my opinion but I can think of whisky companies who market their product based on the water they use to make it. Being in a specific location and getting THAT specific water is what allow them to make THEIR product because the water brings this and that to it. So yeah, water can bring along a particular taste to your product but it's not necessary a bad thing. I doubt someone would want a sulfury taste in his drink but, again, some peated whisky tastes come from the water and not the grain or the wood it's aged on. (and you can't get that taste if you don't use that water)

If you dilute your spirit with the water you get from your tap and do not like it, for sure you can try other stuff: buy water at the grocery store, or distilled water, you could distill some yourself, boil it... maybe dance around it idk? In the end it's a mater of taste... as long as the water is drinkable I'd say it's usable.
you are right about deep well.
It is clean biologically and from rain dust and also from heavy metal particles, but not minerals.
Minerals are very deep in the soil and it mixes with water, which is why water is hard.
Not all wells may have this, but it often does.

The distilled water is somewhat pure, but is never completely purified.
If you are making aromatic spirits and you want the alcohol to taste and smell good, the water should be clean and soft :)

If I am wrong, I am interested in the opinion of specialists. So I wrote this post :)

sorry form my english :)

thanks for the links
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Re: I could not find information about this

Post by Ben »

As long as your water doesn't contain chlorine or ammonia it can make good spirits. Getting a water test would really help you understand what is going on. Here is a list of a few famous water profiles:
https://www.brewersfriend.com/brewing-w ... -profiles/

You can often find water profiles for a region of whiskey you like. For instance if you liked a distillery that was in a karstic region it would likely have a lot of dissolved calcium carbonate, so you can duplicate that to bring your whiskey closer to the area.

Or work with what you have, tinker with the ingredients and find what works well for you. There are also malts that can make adjustments for you, IE acidulated malt.

No bad water, just have to adapt a bit.
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Re: I could not find information about this

Post by cob »

BENCO wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:40 pm
I mean ... for mixing water in spirit needs soft water. because any minerals and heavy metals have bad impact on taste.
A water softener will not remove any thing from the water it is treating and may add sodium.

distilled water and RO water are in theory mineral free.
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Re: I could not find information about this

Post by OnceAlive »

cob wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 1:07 pm
BENCO wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:40 pm
I mean ... for mixing water in spirit needs soft water. because any minerals and heavy metals have bad impact on taste.
A water softener will not remove any thing from the water it is treating and may add sodium.

distilled water and RO water are in theory mineral free.
We have a water softener at home because there is too much iron in the water that comes out of the well. With the WS the water is fine. The way I understood how it works is that the water go through a resin tank and the bad stuff (like iron and manganese among other crap) stick to that resin. The system comes with a salt bin which is used to clean the resin on a regular basis (the salt is converted to clorine in some way I think)... I guess that would be the source of the sodium you are talking about.
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Re: I could not find information about this

Post by cob »

OnceAlive; I stand corrected. my water softener seams to leave iron and minerals behind.
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BENCO
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Re: I could not find information about this

Post by BENCO »

Ben wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 8:34 am As long as your water doesn't contain chlorine or ammonia it can make good spirits. Getting a water test would really help you understand what is going on. Here is a list of a few famous water profiles:
https://www.brewersfriend.com/brewing-w ... -profiles/

You can often find water profiles for a region of whiskey you like. For instance if you liked a distillery that was in a karstic region it would likely have a lot of dissolved calcium carbonate, so you can duplicate that to bring your whiskey closer to the area.

Or work with what you have, tinker with the ingredients and find what works well for you. There are also malts that can make adjustments for you, IE acidulated malt.

No bad water, just have to adapt a bit.
thank you for this. Especially for the link, it's interesting data!
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BENCO
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Re: I could not find information about this

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cob wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 1:07 pm
BENCO wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:40 pm
I mean ... for mixing water in spirit needs soft water. because any minerals and heavy metals have bad impact on taste.
A water softener will not remove any thing from the water it is treating and may add sodium.

distilled water and RO water are in theory mineral free.
yes, it's true!
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BENCO
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Re: I could not find information about this

Post by BENCO »

OnceAlive wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 1:21 pm
cob wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 1:07 pm
BENCO wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:40 pm
I mean ... for mixing water in spirit needs soft water. because any minerals and heavy metals have bad impact on taste.
A water softener will not remove any thing from the water it is treating and may add sodium.

distilled water and RO water are in theory mineral free.
We have a water softener at home because there is too much iron in the water that comes out of the well. With the WS the water is fine. The way I understood how it works is that the water go through a resin tank and the bad stuff (like iron and manganese among other crap) stick to that resin. The system comes with a salt bin which is used to clean the resin on a regular basis (the salt is converted to clorine in some way I think)... I guess that would be the source of the sodium you are talking about.
RO It is the best of all systems. you can clean water 99.9% and after add the minerals and Anything what you need.
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Re: I could not find information about this

Post by SmokyMtn »

cob wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 4:47 pm OnceAlive; I stand corrected. my water softener seams to leave iron and minerals behind.
There are three different types of iron you could be dealing with in a well. A softener won't fix them all.
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Re: I could not find information about this

Post by still_stirrin »

SmokyMtn wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 5:53 pm
cob wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 4:47 pm OnceAlive; I stand corrected. my water softener seams to leave iron and minerals behind.
There are three different types of iron you could be dealing with in a well. A softener won't fix them all.
Yes, and iron in the water will destroy the catalyst in a softener. So, a good pre-filter is required to remove the iron. Iron will stain the porcelain plumbing in your household, so you’ll no doubt know you have it. It’s not smelly but it is a PITA.
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Re: I could not find information about this

Post by LWTCS »

Too bad Kapea can't seem to get along here.
He can qualify everything about water you'd ever need to know.
Pity.
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Re: I could not find information about this

Post by OnceAlive »

BENCO,

When you think about it the only influence that minerals would have on taste is if they change anything during fermentation. When you distill your product, the water that follows along is "distilled" so there shouldn't be much stuff left in it. Remember that we have to use various products anyway to regulate and control the fermentation process and we pay attention to use products that won't affect the taste. Without being a pro in anyway in this I would imagine that a lot of the stuff we add is either consumed during fermentation or left behind during distillation.

Like Bee mentioned in the other thread, it's more important when you brew beer and to me that makes a lot of sense because the water used to make the beer is the same you'll end up drinking. You can dilute your distilled spirit with distilled water to adjust the ABV if you want to stay in that path.

Once again, (if you have extra money) maybe you could distill water in your still and have it analysed to know what's left of it?
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