Distilled or Spring water for mashing

[bigbuk200]

I have been using distilled water to make my mash. Should I be using spring water instead? Any advice would be appreciated.

[bitter]

Distilled and RODI is not the best choice. Yeast need nutrients, and if they are lacking the yeast are not as happy of the fermentation cause stall.

Spring water has a better chance of having the things you want. You still can use distilled or RODI water but you then need to add those missing things. It also depends on what mash you are doing what will work best. Heck rain water can work well for some mashes to help with getting the ph down.

B

[jedneck]

Distilled water is lacking minerals for a healthy ferment. There is stuff added to town water that isn't good for yeast(chlorine and such). I use mountain spring water from my own spring.
Posted with bitter

[still_stirrin]

All grain mashes like calcium to aid in starch extraction. And yeast like phosphorus for strong ferments.

If you go to a homebrew site, you can read tons about water treatment. Since mashing for beer and whiskey are essentially the same, homebrewing data is invaluable (priceless) towards your desired outcome. Using distilled or reverse osmosis water provides you a clean slate upon which you can "paint" your desired water treatment to build upon.
ss

[bigbuk200]

Thanks guys.. your responses are exactly what im looking for. This site has helped me alot. Thanks again

[bitter]

Here is a good calculator I have used before in the past when stating form rodi water

http://www.brewersfriend.com/water-chemistry/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Keep in mind these numbers/profiles are for beer. But gives an idea of how much of a few chemicals you can used to get your mash water were you want it.

B

[nissath]

Would well water be okay? We have a river near us but well water is closer to us lol.

[still_stirrin]

Would well water be okay? We have a river near us but well water is closer to us lol.

Depends.....

I don't know if the well water is good or not. Have you had an analysis done yet? Do that and post your results. And then we can determine if it's good or not.

Ditto for the river water. Remember, fish crap in the river.

Would you drink from the river? Do you drink from the well?
ss

[nissath]

The well should be good as to the person still uses it. The river is in pretty good Standing. Guess I could research about adding or minerals and vitamins or which ever. I have a ton of learning and research to do before my first batch.

[still_stirrin]

...I have a ton of learning and research to do before my first batch.

I reckon...

[shadylane]

Just my opinion.
Distilled or bottled spring water is a poor and expensive option for mashing/fermenting water.
Yeast need nutrients, nitrates and minerals, that are not found or wanted in normal drinking water.
Pasteurized water from a pond, river or crick is better than pure water.
And water from a well, county or city is good enough.

Posting with still_stirrin and nissath

[Truckinbutch]

I use tap water for fermenting . Spring water from Roaring Springs , PA for product dilution .

[DAD300]

Take a quart jar of water to the county or state Dept of Health and see if they will test it for you. My county and state both will do water assessments for free.

Consider that if the water from a pond, creek or river has fish in it, it is probably safe and good for a ferment. If it is good for a ferment, you are going to distill the alcohol from it, not the water. In effect you never drink anything from the water!

All the commercial distilleries that claim they use spring water...they don't chlorinate it before use.