Tap water vs bottled

[Amanda660]

I am also blessed with amazing well water. Another perk in beer making - its so darn cold going through the chiller the wort cools down wicked fast.

 

[NorCal]

Interesting. I use tap. Figure it is safe, chlorine blows off, sediment falls out.

 

[user 32114]

question why is it most big cities dump refined sewer into the same water shed they get their drinking water from,, as stated before, to each their own, but treated or not i don't care to drink from a water shed where millions take a dump and whiz in, gross to say the least::
Dawg

 

[drainsurgeon]

My practice is to use bottled spring water. I buy it at Walmart for 68 cents a gallon. At that price, it's probably the cheapest component that goes into my wine and gives me piece of mind that I've done everything possible to make a good wine.

I'm afraid Spikedlemon has it right. You have no idea whats in spring water. Spring water means "ala naturale". You get what you get. Most spring water that I've tested has a higher TDS (total dissolved solids in parts per million) than average well water. That means there's a lot of stuff in it. There is also a very popular bottled spring water (sold in our area) from Wisconsin. Every bottle I've tested shows Nitrates in it. NITRATES! Usually around 4 ppm. EPA says it's ok to drink up to 10ppm nitrates.....unless its a baby, then NO! Nitrates usually come from poop! You would be MUCH better off buying the osmosis water out of the machine at Walmart. For about 35 cents a gallon. With spring water you are gambling.

 

[drainsurgeon]

Interesting. I use tap. Figure it is safe, chlorine blows off, sediment falls out.

NorCal, do you pick just any oil off the shelf for that nice Mustang of yours? I figure they are all safe...right?

 

[NorCal]

I'm old skool on the oil. Pennsoil 10-30 baby.

 

[Spikedlemon]

NorCal, do you pick just any oil off the shelf for that nice Mustang of yours? I figure they are all safe...right?

I have used the cheapest diesel oil possible in my Honda CBR sportbike that meets the API classification. One jug even had a picture of a tractor on the front of it!
I figure if it's good enough for a heavy diesel (high-soot, high-heat) with a turbo spinning at >200,000rpm that my >10,000rpm motorcycle engine would be just fine. And it was just fine.

 

[rustbucket]

I've gone totally to synthetic oils; no burnt carbon on my cylinders!

 

[wineforfun]

Interesting. I use tap. Figure it is safe, chlorine blows off, sediment falls out.

I agree.

If it is good enough for me to drink, it is plenty good enough for my wine.

 

[drainsurgeon]

The hard part about all of this is that most "Bad" things that can be in water have no taste. A simple TDS meter tells (part of) the story....at least how MUCH stuff is in your water. You can only guess WHAT that stuff is. A small community just N of me (on a municipal well) thought their water was just great. Sent a sample to a lab for testing and it had Arsenic in it. A high level too. They shut down the well immediately! One more time...treating your water with Reverse Osmosis will remove up to 97% of WHATEVER is in the water....even if it is arsenic, which has no taste. I call that peace of mind. And it tastes great too!

The choice if yours.

 

[wineforfun]

Well, here are my thoughts on water, food, air, etc., let's just say germs in general.

We all need germs. I truly believe that is why so many people get sick in this day and age. Antibacterial this, antibacterial that. If I drop food on the floor, it gets the 5 sec. rule.
I have a guy I work with that is like "bubble boy". Constantly washing his hands, washing any fruit or vegetable he eats, disinfects his work area constantly, etc., etc.

Anyway, this is how I live, may not be for all. It probably helps that I eat a very clean diet and exercise regularly. I am sure this helps ward off "evil" too.

 

[drainsurgeon]

wineforfun, I agree with your thoughts about everyone becoming germaphobic and going overboard with the antibacterials. I have do disagree however, with your opinion of water. There is nothing more important to health than a clean, pure source of water. Your body is a filter, and it works through sweat, bowels and bladder, and it is imperative to help that filter with the purist water available. You add Kmeta to protect your wine, don't you? Why would you take the chance of drinking in bugs, nitrates, toxins, heavy metals, chemicals by man or nature (like arsenic) when there are many (affordable and convenient) sources of pure, safe drinking water available? Unless you have "recently" spent $150 or so testing your water, you don't really know. There have been many cases through the years of contaminated water that people had (unknowingly) been drinking for years. With devastating results. Cancer is running rampant in recent years because of our exposure to toxins and chemicals, mostly man made. What we put into our body's matters. We can't eliminate all exposure, but clean drinking water is an easy way to protect ourselves from some.

Off my soap box now. What started this conversation was the best water for making wine. Water "makes" a difference. Try the tea test. One cup with your water, one cup with osmosis water...side by side. You are not going to believe the difference in aroma, color and taste! I'm serious, try it!

The decision is still yours.

 

[wineforfun]

Cancer is running rampant in recent years because of our exposure to toxins and chemicals, mostly man made.

I fully agree with this. ^^^^^

Not disputing the taste claim of regular tap vs osmosis, again, just stating how I live and do things.
For me personally, I have made it 52 yrs. drinking the tap water I currently drink, therefore making it fine for my wine.