Rain water

[BoisBlancBoy]

Ok some of you may have seen me post questions on water cause in my area there is nothing but HARD water. Some are better than others.

Can I use rain water? What issues are there associated with it or things I should watch out for?

[S-Cackalacky]

I've read some posts that would seem to indicate that it's the best water to use. Picks up some nice nutrients on it's way down your roof - bird crap (nitrogen) in particular.

[BoisBlancBoy]

I have a shingled roof which I wouldn't want to collect from because of all the petroleum products it takes to make them, but I have a large barn that is all steel which should give a very clean rain water. Of course there is always some crap, leaves and what-not, that would need to be strained. But if it's worth collecting I wouldn't mind doing it.

[BoomTown]

yep, rain water is nearly as good as a deep well in limestone. makes a great drink.

Boom

[NZChris]

Set something up that lets you collect a cut during a storm, then let the first downpour clean the roof before you start collecting.

[alpine]

If you want to get serious about water, do yourself a favor and get it tested. After that, Bru'n Water makes it pretty simple to hit whatever profile you're after.

[NZChris]

Rain water is mineral deficient, so isn't great for yeasties because of osmotic pressure. Somewhere between your hard water and rain water is what will keep them happy.

Set up several test jars of a wash similar to what you want to make. They only need to be enough to float your hydrometer in. I use 500ml jars for tests because I have lots of them.

Use different ratios of rain & hard in each jar.

The yeasties will tell you what they like.

[Soggy Bottom Boy]

Rain water is mineral deficient, so isn't great for yeasties because of osmotic pressure. Somewhere between your hard water and rain water is what will keep them happy.

Yep, rainwater is essentially distilled water, ....with pollutants like dust, pollen, and smog added in. I remember back in the late '50s to early '60s growing up in New Mexico, there were several times that we were not allowed to go outside to play in the snow .....because it was radioactive! Gotta love that above-ground, nuclear device testing!

[BoisBlancBoy]

Set up several test jars of a wash similar to what you want to make. They only need to be enough to float your hydrometer in. I use 500ml jars for tests because I have lots

Can you explain your test?

Let me explain my issue a little better. In my area just about everyone has hard water to a degree. But in my house i have hard water that include lots of iron. From the reading I've done iron is something yeast don't like or it can cause off flavors.

The place I get my water for my ferments had lime and calcium but does not have iron. So far it seems to work out really well

It would be nest to see a spec/test that shows exactly what yeast like and in proportions. Or how tolerant they are of iron. Just a thought.

[Cardinalbags]

Lots of people use rainwater with proper treatment systems for potable water use. I have a 1000 gallon cistern that I collect rainwater off of my roof. I use it for cooling water recirculation (untreated) and to fill up a hot tub. For that. i treat it with in the following order: sediment filter, carbon filter and UV light.

the UV light is important to kill off cryptosporidium and giardia which will be present in the rainwater from the birdshit on the roof.

[T-Pee]

I remember back in the late '50s to early '60s growing up in New Mexico, there were several times that we were not allowed to go outside to play in the snow .....because it was radioactive!

Years ago, I was in a position to know when the Chernobyl cloud came through. The rain was washing the stuff out of the air and concentrating in outside pet water bowls so we kept them inside for the duration. We also put on booties before entering the building.

A little unnerving thinking back on it and knowing what most everyone else didn't know at the time.

tp

[Soggy Bottom Boy]

Yes, we lived on a nuclear armed USAF SAC base at the time, so we were a little more aware of such things. I recall atmospheric detonation tests being delayed because prevailing winds were blowing towards Los Angeles, and resumed when it shifted eastward, towards us. How comforting that they were so considerate of the civilian population back then!

[NZChris]

Can you explain your test?

Ummmm. Not any simpler than how I put it. Sorry. If you are starting with high iron, it probably won't be much help anyway.

If you know where to get water that's better than your high iron water, that sounds like a good solution to me. Our town supply water here is ok, but a friend of mine has better artesian water a few miles away and it is worth the effort to fetch it for making ales and whiskeys.

Where I am, we don't have much in the way of pollution, so rain water caught during a storm is my preferred option for diluting low wines and final product.

[Hound Dog]

Rain water is mineral deficient, so isn't great for yeasties because of osmotic pressure. Somewhere between your hard water and rain water is what will keep them happy.

Yep, rainwater is essentially distilled water, ....with pollutants like dust, pollen, and smog added in. I remember back in the late '50s to early '60s growing up in New Mexico, there were several times that we were not allowed to go outside to play in the snow .....because it was radioactive! Gotta love that above-ground, nuclear device testing!

I thought the same thing about rain water being distilled by the giant still we call Earth. I didn't think about the glow in the dark snow though! that really sucks! Then again I wasn't playing in the 50's (cough old fartcough)

[bellybuster]

you can drop the iron out of your water with aeration. Bit of a pain but not allot. I had to do it at my last place. had an aquarium pump going with a diffuser stone for 48 hours before brewing. kettle would have a solid film of iron and manganese on the bottom. Racked the clean water off and rinsed the kettle in the yard....good to go

[BoisBlancBoy]

you can drop the iron out of your water with aeration. Bit of a pain but not allot. I had to do it at my last place. had an aquarium pump going with a diffuser stone for 48 hours before brewing. kettle would have a solid film of iron and manganese on the bottom. Racked the clean water off and rinsed the kettle in the yard....good to go

No kidding! Guess I'll have to give that a shot!