Dilution Water - Mineral Composition

[Warthaug]

Not sure if the novice forum is the right place for this question, but no where seems to be better.

I come from a beer brewing background, and a common thing we do in beer brewing is adjust the chloride:sulfate ratio of the water we use, with chloride "bringing out" more malt character and body, and sulfate bringing out a crispness and emphasis of hops.

I was wondering if anyone had experimented with similar additions to their dilution water when diluting a spirit during packaging? Is there a noticeable effect of adding sulfate or chloride? Does it just precipitate out? Is it best to stick with distilled?

Any insights are appreciated!

[Bolverk]

I haven't experimented at that level but I have tried different waters from distilled, spring, drinking, even different brands of drinking.

Personally, I like the mineral content of Smart Water, It's hard to explain but it seems to add something to the spirits I've made.

[Warthaug]

Smartwater is a modest chloride, no sulfate water...interesting!

[MooseMan]

I also used to adjust my water for beer, preferring a higher sulphate for my big IPAs.

I'll never be sure of this of course, and can't prove it was the cause but I believe it was. Right when I was at my most active in brewing and drinking big, triple hopped IPAs and heavy stouts, after years of gradually improving recipes, all with water additions, I got kidney stones. Very, very painful.

For distilling I use RO for watering down and proofing neutral, and a Welsh spring water for everything else.

[Warthaug]

Kidney stones are typically calcium oxalate,so you wouldn't get them from water mineral additions...but alcohol can aggravate their formation.

[NormandieStill]

I buy bottled water with the lowest dissolved mineral count I can find for dilution purposes. Our tap water is very chalky so I'd rather use something a little cleaner.

[TwoHedWlf]

I don't taste any difference using tap water, any flavor of alcohol or mix drowns out the little bit of chlorine. But for the cost of $2/liter I thought I might as well use bottled water.

[Avalir]

Haven't experimented with mineral composition in dilution water as I don't dilute my low wines or finished product (I make bourbon and keep it barrel strength because I get sad when the flavor is diluted). However, I have experimented with my mash water. I've found with mash water in an AG ferment, less is more. With municipal water I'd always find an odd taste that I had always attributed to the heads, but since switching to well water, I believe the chemicals in the municipal water was the culprit. Also found increased heads/off flavors adding any minerals/nutrients to either municipal water or well water. Nowadays I use straight up well water and only add some oyster shells as a ph buffer and couldn't be happier.