Psssst! Hey, the secret to good beer is water!

Surely you have heard the joke: “Save Water, Drink Beer!”  Funny! But technically… beer IS water!

Water is a Key Ingredient in the Brewing Process

Water is a key ingredient in the brewing process and 95% of the finished product. This main ingredient that seems so simple is often overlooked, when it actually determines the style, taste and quality of beer.

The source of water used to brew beer can vary from a municipal distribution system, private well or can be purified water or bottled water. Either way, parameters such as hardness (amount of Calcium and Magnesium contained in the water), presence of chlorine or other chemicals, pH and alkalinity of the water can cause great variations in your tasty beverage.

Municipal water supplies and private wells have impurities like chlorine, arsenic, iron, hard minerals, heavy metals and other nasty stuff which produces funky beer.  If you want your buddy to crack open your beer and say “Good Job! This rocks!“ you’ve got to clean up your water before you start brewing.

Okay, you removed the stuff that can make your beer funky, now what?

Now You Choose What Style Beer You Want So You Can Select the Right Type of Water

English Stouts are defined by the water used to brew them.  Want to make a certain style of beer? You have to look into the style of water that comes from that region and mimic that. For example, Pilsner Beer comes from Pilsner in Czech Republic, they have very low levels of Calcium and Magnesium in the water, in essence they have soft water.  Get it? Got it? Brew it!

In Gainesville, Swamp Head Brewery hired us to install 2 huge Backwashing Carbon Filters designed to remove chlorine, chloramines, Trihalomethanes (THMs), Haloacetic Acids (HAAs) and any organics present in their water.  This ensures the consistent high quality beer they produce.

Regardless of your brewing experience level or your choice of doing all-grain or extract batches, getting to know the composition of the water you plan to use for your beer and adjusting it to the needed style is crucial in the final result and will give your beer the unique taste you are looking for.

Happy Brewing and Call us today for a FREE Water Analysis and find out which Water Treatment solution is best for you!

P.S. Water quality plays a significant role in your home brewed wines as well!

Have you ever experienced a Boil Water Advisory? If so, you know they inconvenience you greatly but must be followed in order to protect you and your families health.

Boil Water Advisories are given by the government or health authorities when a communities drinking water may be contaminated by bacteria, viruses, protozoa or parasites that can make you very sick.   Contamination of the municipal water supply can be caused by various factors such as equipment failures, leaking or broken pipes, or deficiencies in the amount of disinfectant used.

Contamination of wells can be due to flooding and other factors.  If you are in an area where there is a Boil Water Advisory follow it even if you are on a private well.

Boil Water Advisories should be taken very seriously as they are designed to deliver critical information in order to protect your health.

Below are guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and the Environmental Protection Agency to be followed during a Boil Water Advisory.

Fact Sheet About What to Do During a Boil Water Advisory

Boil your water:

• Fill a pot with water
• Heat until the water bubbles up from bottom of the pot (212 degrees F)
• Let it boil for 1 minute
• Turn off the heat & let cool
• Pour cooled water into a container for future use

Disinfect your water:

If tap water is clear:

• Use unscented bleach
• Add 1/8 tsp household bleach to 1 gallon of water
• Mix well & wait 30 minutes before drinking
• Store disinfected water in clean container with cover

If tap water is cloudy:

• Filter water through a clean cloth
• Add ¼ tsp unscented household bleach to 1 gallon of water
• Mix well & wait 30 minutes before drinking
• Store in clean container with cover

To sanitize containers:

• Make a sanitizing solution by mixing 1 tsp of unscented household bleach to 1 quart of water
• Pour sanitizing solution into a clean storage container and shake well making sure it coats the entire inside of the container
• Let solution sit in container for at least 30 seconds
• Let empty container air dry or rinse with water that has been previously sanitized

Water Filters:

• Boil tap water even if it is filtered. Most household water filters do not remove viruses or bacteria

Preparing and cooking food:

• Wash all fruits and vegetables with boiled water that has cooled or with bottled water
• Bring water to a rolling boil for 1 minute before adding food to cook
• Use boiled water when preparing drinks, such as coffee, tea and lemonade
• Wash food preparation surfaces with boiled water

Feeding babies & using formula:

• Breastfeeding is best, but if that is not an option:
• Use ready-to-use baby formula, if possible
• If you must use concentrated or powdered formula, prepare it with bottled water. Use boiled & cooled water if you do not have bottled water. Disinfect water for baby formula if you cannot boil your water

Ice:

• Do not use ice from ice trays, ice dispensers or ice makers
• Throw out all ice made with tap water
• Make new ice with boiled or bottled water

Bathing & showering:

• Be careful not to swallow any water when bathing or showering
• Use caution bathing babies and young children. A sponge bath is a good alternative during times of boil water alerts

Brushing teeth:

• Brush teeth with boiled or bottled water. Do not use untreated tap water

Washing dishes:

• Wash dishes using hot water
• Add 1 tsp unscented bleach for each gallon of warm water
• Soak dishes in water for at least 1 minute
• Let dishes air dry

Laundry:

• You may continue your normal laundry routine during a boil water alert

Pets:

• Give pets water that has been boiled and cooled

Source: www.cdc.gov

For more information on Boil Water Advisories:  http:www.cdc.gov/healthywater/pdf/emergency/drinking-water-advisory-communication-toolbox.pdf

There is an easier way to protect your family year round.  Call us for a Free Water Analysis and we can advise of Water Treatment Equipment that can provide you hassle free safe pure water even when there are Boil Water Advisories in your community.

Gainesville: 352-372-2707 Ocala: 352-369-1707