Distilled and Reverse Osmosis

[firstbrew]

Water > Is distilled and revers osmosis water ok to use ? I can get reverse
osmosis water very cheap, but is it suitable for home brewing..

[bredmakr]

I have been using Reverse Osmosis (RO) processed water for brewing for the last year with no problems. I was forced to go this route because of the chemistry of my tap water. pH and chlorine concentration way too high for brewing. One thing to be aware of is that RO water has been stripped of all the bad things and also some of the good things because the concentration of total dissolved solid (i.e. hardness) is lowered. Depending on the style of beer you are brewing and the type of brewing that you are doing (extract, partial or full mash) you may want to alter the RO water chemisty with additives to lower the pH and increase the hardness. Such additives are available at homebrew shops and are clearly labeled for intended use.

[Mudbone]

RO or distilled water is great for pilsners, but will need additions for ales. Pilsners require very very soft water, while ales require hard water. This is an oversimplification, but you need to be aware that the flavor profiles change significantly when you don't use the right water profile for the beer style. Good luck