Water for your wine

[drob]

Just wondering what you guys use? Do you use tap water, spring water, or bottled? Does this effect taste?

 

[dralarms]

I use filtered water, ran through 2 carbon filters and it’s good to go. A bunch here use tap water with no problems but my tap water stinks so I filter it.

 

[meadmaker1]

My well. 130 ft deep. No filter, no boiling,

 

[Cxwgfamily]

i filter city water through a carbon filter. Our city water is well water from aquifers deep under the Mississippi River. It is low in hardiness with medium alkalinity, and low levels of minerals. I always add nutrients to my batches to help. No problems so far from the water. My problems are for the most part my own doing.

 

[NorCal]

Right out of the faucet.

 

[Scooter68]

As long as you have a pretty good idea about what's in your water and you see no harmful potential for your wine... go with it.

(I remember meeting people from locals where their water had high iron content (I think) and their teeth were stained like rusty metal. In situations like that perhaps you would not use that water without filtering or might use something other source for your wine making water.)

 

[Ajmassa]

How do you guys even know if your tap water is good or not? And whatever else is in it? From posted public info or your own testing?

 

[Cxwgfamily]

I was in the water treatment industry early in my career and I had access to the chemistry of our city water. Also, I have a chemistry background so things like that interest me. I know it is not normal, but hey, i am able to get through the day.

 

[Scooter68]

The only water that I might be concerned about would be untested well water. Most city waters supplies have to conform to federal and or state standards. I imagine the only thing that might vary much would be the amount of chlorination due to season changes and mineral content.
Basically with city waters, unless it has an odor to it or known to be heavy with minerals I wouldn't be concerned.

Well water on the other hand should be tested since the water sources could be impacted by things such as field runoff or geological variations. I checked into land in the northern part of Arizona and learned that well water is almost unheard of because most areas have to have a well drilled 2,000, 3,000 feet and even then the water may turn out to be unusable. If you are on well water and it hasn't ever been tested it might be a good idea just to confirm that it is free from any unexpected contaminates. Hopefully the "Hinkley" situation is a very very rare thing but you never know.

 

[jumby]

Bottled spring water for me.

 

[GreenEnvy22]

My water use is minimal, just for dissolving KMS and other powders for the most part. I typically use tap water or RO water for that.
I use RO water in my spray bottles of Star-San as I find it keeps clear that way. If I use tap water it gets cloudy after a couple of weeks.

Tap water for washing.

 

[Bartman]

I use tap water if I am making kits, but I generally make my wine from fresh grapes now, so no water added. That said, I have never had an issue with tap water (city treated). My wife worries about high chlorine and fluorine levels, but she can't tell me what is 'too high', so I don't worry about it. Chlorine dissipates when exposed to air anyway, so if you are letting it ferment without a stopper (highly recommended anyway), chlorine shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Fillmcl]

Just wondering what you guys use? Do you use tap water, spring water, or bottled? Does this effect taste?

I only use spring water. Also will top up using spring water if necessary.

 

[meadmaker1]

My water was tested when I bought the property 30 years ago.
It's a bit on the hard side. I know how deep because I replaced the pump a couple years ago
The only thing being grown near me in any notable amount is forests
If spring water was important to me I'd ask the nieghbor, he has water leaking out of the hill side. ( its full of bugs, moss, pine needles, and deer poop.) I suppose that's where the earthy notes come from.
I would never you water I didn't trust 100%.

 

[Monty Knapp]

I buy 1 gallon jugs of spring water.

 

[AkTom]

I’ll give you water for wine ;-)
Well water.

 

[wrongway]

I also use spring water! Maybe not necessary but the water here is rather hard!!

 

[rustbucket]

The city water where I live has a strong chlorine taste; I, therefore, use bottled spring water for wine making.

 

[wrongway]

The city water where I live has a strong chlorine taste; I, therefore, use bottled spring water for wine making.

Yes same here! One can taste and to a degree smell the chlorine!

 

[meadmaker1]

Don't get me wrong "good water for better wine"
However this little know fact has cracked me up for years. A good friend of mine moved to madras or. Where his wife got an administrative job with madras public works. This is bottled madras city water. The claims of purity are true but there is no spring. Its a well, or rather a collection of wells. The water is sent by piping burried under the streets of a little oregon farming and cow town.