Dilution with Distilled Water

[artooks]

Hi,

I have always been using normal tab water for diluting the gin, but when I do it I keep both the gin and the water in room temperature for 24 hours then I start to dilute it, I learned this the hard way while I was making raki, which you go into tails through the end there is too much anise oil and even a small temperature difference could result to cloudiness, anyway I have been reading about using distilled water, but what I mean is the one that you distilled in your still, do you use it and do you think it has benefits over to a normal tab water ?

[NormandieStill]

I have very hard tap water and after wondering recently if it was affecting the flavour of my spirits after dilution (and during blending!) I switched to using a bottled mineral water with very low mineral levels (~50mg/L IIRC). I feel it makes a difference but I confess I've not done a side-by-side comparison.

I thought about distilling some water but I have enough trouble finding still time as it is without distilling tap water as well!

[NZChris]

I can buy demineralized water cheaper than I can distill water for, so I've never considered distilling my own. I could, I have an Airstill I could use. If I get solar, I might use it. I would never use my main still because it would be too much trouble to clean the fusel oils out of it before doing the water run.

The gin I blended today was proofed with storm caught rainwater that was sterilized with UV light before storing.

[NZChris]

I have a stove top still that could be used for water. If I had a wood fired stove at home, I could use it.

You've just given me an idea. During a power cut a couple of weeks ago, I boiled water for our coffees in eight minutes using a vintage thermette sat on the chimney outlet of a fireplace in our BBQ area. I could easily design and build one that distills water while we burn garden prunings or have an evening by the fire.

[artooks]

I have a stove top still that could be used for water. If I had a wood fired stove at home, I could use it.

You've just given me an idea. During a power cut a couple of weeks ago, I boiled water for our coffees in eight minutes using a vintage thermette sat on the chimney outlet of a fireplace in our BBQ area. I could easily design and build one that distills water while we burn garden prunings or have an evening by the fire.

That is great NZChris, but what I am asking is would it be ok to distill the tab water and use it as a dilution water for the gin do you think it has more benefits over using standart tab water ?

[NZChris]

That would depend on the quality of the tap water. I don’t use mine, the mineral content is too high for my liking.

[Yummyrum]

My tap ( not tab) water is triple filtered rainwater . So for me , I’d use that over sterile distilled water any day .

At the end of the day , it all depends on the quality of your tap water . Everyones will vary .

I have to say I really don’t like drinking City treated and Chlorinated water . …. but I am spoiled . So yes , I can understand the desire to not use it .

I do agree with NZChris though that its much cheaper to buy distilled or even demineralised water per litre than to distill it yourself and having to deal with residue fusels in the still prior to using .

[artooks]

Thanks for the replies, but I have a small lab grade still, which I can easily use it to make distilled water, but do you think distilling water this way will eventually lead to the distilled water that we are looking for, I mean top you think the outcome of this will be the same as demineralized water ? and if so it is safe to distill water with a still and use it ?

[NormandieStill]

Thanks for the replies, but I have a small lab grade still, which I can easily use it to make distilled water, but do you think distilling water this way will eventually lead to the distilled water that we are looking for, I mean top you think the outcome of this will be the same as demineralized water ? and if so it is safe to distill water with a still and use it ?

Safe? Yes. Worth the effort? Possibly not. But that may depend on your access to better water. Boiling your water first will chase off the chlorine and help precipitate out some calcium if it's hard water. Let it cool and try with that. Only you can decide if it's worthwhile... but I see no reason for it to be unsafe.

[Truckinbutch]

I prefer bottled water from the Roaring Springs , PA area . Deer Park is a locally available brand .

[8Ball]

I prefer bottled water from the Roaring Springs , PA area . Deer Park is a locally available brand .

+1

I use bottled natural spring water.

[Demy]

I built a small dedicated head just for distilling water, I think it makes a difference on delicate products, especially those left white.

[CopperFiend]

Our tap water is bore hole water and it is 10 times as nice to drink as any bottled or tap water I've ever encountered. The mineral content of water can certainly complement the flavour and stability of a spirit or beer. There's a good reason why all scotch distilleries and all breweries are situated in an area where they have abundant access to excellent quality water. No distilleries or breweries use bottled water (but I suppose this could be due to cost, though all the bottled water people are doing is situating their plant on a natural spring and harvesting it so that's what the distilleries do).

In your situation if all you have access to is chlorinated mains water then I definitely wouldn't use that as is from the tap. Distilling it in your still would be a good option if bottled water is very expensive where you are. I personally would go for bottled water in your situation as I believe the mineral content is a good thing, you'll lose a lot of those tasties if you distill it.

[artooks]

I got myself a small TDS Meter, I have taken some measurements, In my house I have an Amway Water Filtration System which I use for drinking water, today I took a measurement and I got 246 ppm I also take this water to my small lab grade glass still and start distilling, I also took a measurement from this distilled water and I got 5 ppm, so as you can see distilling water really get rid of all the solids in the water, I am planning to use this water for my gin, I hope it will be a good improvement, what do you think about using distilled water in gin ?

[Yummyrum]

I’m curious what TDS reading you get before the Filter ?

[cob]

I have 2 water distillers that get NO use whatsoever,

I also don't make water with my alcohol stills.

4gal. pkg. of RO water is 1/2 USD per gallon at the store.

I know you are far from the US, but I can't rationalize making it.

[artooks]

I’m curious what TDS reading you get before the Filter ?

Well I got 280 from my unfiltered tap water

[artooks]

I have 2 water distillers that get NO use whatsoever,

I also don't make water with my alcohol stills.

4gal. pkg. of RO water is 1/2 USD per gallon at the store.

I know you are far from the US, but I can't rationalize making it.

Well this is the first time that I am doing it with my mini 2 liter still, even with this small still, it is taking ages to distill water, I am really bored not worth the energy and time consumed definitely.