Water Treatment for Homebrewing

A careful approach to water chemistry can have a profound effect on homebrewed beer. After fermentation, temperature control, and proper yeast management, it’s one of the secrets to great homebrew. The first step to taking control of your water is using a charcoal filter to remove chlorine from any tap water you’re using in the mash or boil, but using reverse-osmosis (RO) water isn’t out of reach for dedicated homebrewers. You won’t even need a wholehome RO system because smaller setups are available that will give you a blank slate to dial in the perfect water profile. Or if you’re looking to experiment with building your own brewing water on a smaller scale, you can purchase distilled water and blend in filtered tap water.