# Making water



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

It would be useful if someone could explain just how to produce a decent water mix for brewed. I gather you need 50% this, 50% that and something added in. Sounds easy but could someone explain just how easy.

I had a pal who was a Maltese barista who went back to Malta and every time I went to see him he would have me drinking and sampling waters he had concocted


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

How much faff do you want?

Try 1 part Highland Spring to 1-5 parts Waitrose Essential. You can do this by eye, but no water will help you if the recipe isn't sound.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

MWJB said:


> How much faff do you want?
> 
> Try 1 part Highland Spring to 1-5 parts Waitrose Essential. You can do this by eye, but no water will help you if the recipe isn't sound.


By the way, that's the 2L & smaller WE (Stretton Hills) bottles, the 5L are water from somewhere else!


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

MWJB said:


> How much faff do you want?
> 
> Try 1 part Highland Spring to 1-5 parts Waitrose Essential. You can do this by eye, but no water will help you if the recipe isn't sound.


Any other combos you'd recommend for brewed? Also do you have a link to that spreadsheet you did awhile back?


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## the_partisan (Feb 29, 2016)

Do you have access to RO and/or distilled water?


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

the_partisan said:


> Do you have access to RO and/or distilled water?


Afraid not. I always get around to dabbling eventually, so am just thinking about water. My water at home is fairly soft. No scale in the kettle and I run the stuff for the machine through a Brita C30 Purity system, but I doubt my taste buds would know the difference!


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## the_partisan (Feb 29, 2016)

OK, then your water is probably quite decent. You can get a test kit and measure the KH and TH. I use the BWT test kit and it's easy enough to use.


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

Hi Dave

Not sure how the head is set up on the C30 but if the "flushing" output comes out post filter (as the 600 / 1200 do) and you not already got a separate tap plumbed between filter and machine, could be worth trying this vs any bottled water combo's to see if you can notice any difference. Would, whilst not hitting ideal composition, at least provided consistency between espresso / brewed of same coffee if that makes sense.

A bottled solution that works well for me also for brewed is 50% Volvic / 50% WE essential (2L bottle) when we can find Volvic in bigger bottles than 500ml and near the closest waitrose (12 or 16 miles away) so will often resort to using water from the C600 when run out, which does make a small difference (am running at 20% bypass though with super hard Cotswold water) but acceptable.

Hope of help

John


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

fatboyslim said:


> Any other combos you'd recommend for brewed? Also do you have a link to that spreadsheet you did awhile back?


https://www.dropbox.com/s/g95rcm0vr9fgr4q/Bottled%20Water%20Combos%20x2%2027.10.15.pdf?dl=0

Don't know how long this link will stay up for, they're mucking around with Dropbox.

There are literally hundreds of options for brewed if you exclude boilers. I suggested the HS:WE combo for David because the waters have a similar Ca:MG ratio and mixing them predominantly changes GH:KH but only a little, so you don't need to weigh/measure, a rough eyeball of 1:2 or 1:4 will do.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Glaceau Smart Water & Volvic also seem to be a practical mix, you can stick the Volvic straight in a machine, or use 1 Glaceau: 2-5 parts Volvic in the machine.

For brewed with a kettle, you can try 'water from outer space' with a 1Gl:1Vol, or 2Gl:3Vol mix.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> but I doubt my taste buds would know the difference!


Not being funny, but then why are you concerned?


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## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

do a google of your water provider, they might publish the content you're getting from the tap.

personally I have a jug that I empty a bottle of WE and volvic into, it's not 1:1 as the bottles aren't the same size, but it's near enough and much less faff!


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## Boucaneer (Feb 11, 2017)

I seem to remember hearing about what we used to call " liquor " a water prepared for brewing beer, and Epsom salts were involved to turn the hard London water into a soft water " liquor " for brewing the malt and hops with, and then to " sparge ones wort . " : )

something similar could be made, but I cannot remember the full recipe.


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Boucaneer said:


> I seem to remember hearing about what we used to call " liquor " a water prepared for brewing beer, and Epsom salts were involved to turn the hard London water into a soft water " liquor " for brewing the malt and hops with, and then to " sparge ones wort . " : )
> 
> something similar could be made, but I cannot remember the full recipe.


Epsom salts, calcium carbonate, magnesium sulphate and table salt can be added to the liquor, depending on the treatment needed when brewing. The starting point is the analysis of the water and changing the characteristics, depending upon whats being brewed. There are on line calculators for beer. Not sure if the same is available for coffee


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## Boucaneer (Feb 11, 2017)

Yes, it would be nice to hear of a treatment/recipe for making a coffee " liquor " water.

I would try it being in London with hard water here.

Thanks.


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## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

Boucaneer said:


> I seem to remember hearing about what we used to call " liquor " a water prepared for brewing beer, and Epsom salts were involved to turn the hard London water into a soft water " liquor " for brewing the malt and hops with, and then to " sparge ones wort . " : )
> 
> something similar could be made, but I cannot remember the full recipe.


Addition of Epsom salts will make your water harder.

It may be added to bet brewing water increase sulphate levels which will in turn accentuate hop bitterness.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Xpenno said:


> It may be added to bet brewing water increase sulphate levels which will in turn accentuate hop bitterness.


and perceived acidity/sourness


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