Distilled water: YES! late extract addition: YES!

[Jgrundstad]

I just brewed and kegged a Northern Brewer Belgian Tripel extract kit, which is my first extract brew since moving to all-grain.

Using distilled water and doing a late extract addition (boiled about a third of the extract for an hour, added the rest during the last 10 minutes), has yielded a fantastic beer! The quality is so much better than the first extract batches I made with tap water, and concentrated boils. The color is still a tad darker that it should be, but that's the only shortcoming so far.

I recently moved and don't have the space or time to do all grain at the moment, so it's nice to know I can make some good stuff in the meantime! If you are an extract brewer and want to see some immediate improvements, give these techniques a shot!

Jason

[KFBass]

I actually did my first distilled water w/ late extract in my past brew. The results were very noticeable and awesome!

We have terrible water where im from. All I can describe it as is super processed. I went out and got a 19L jug of distilled water, and it worked out perfectly. Just had to top off a litre or two, using my brita at pitching time.

As far as colour goes, yeah it was a bit darker still. I don't consider that a shortcomming. Just a factor I have to live with doing extract brews. And I can deal. So yes to both of those methods!

[mikebiewer]

Is the capability of using distilled water in extract brewing only because you are using extract, which generally has all the vital nutrients and minerals that yeast need to reproduce?

Just curious. I recently finished Palmer's book and it doesn't really talk to much about water profiles for extract brewing. This is why I'm assuming the previous statement.

[TapItGood]

That's exactly it. If you don't use distilled water you double up on all the minerals that are already in the extract.

[11amas]

Right, just think about it, you think they use super soft, nearly mineral free water when they brew extract? Probably not. The minerals don't go anywhere when they dry it out so you don't really need to add any more minerals when you add back water.

[mikebiewer]

So, would you say its best to use distilled water as an extract brewer?

Funny, that type of information has never really been presented to me before.

Thanks for the advice!

[11amas]

Well, I would say if you knew the mineral profile of the water the extract was made from and then you knew the mineral profile you wanted to hit, you would then ideally add some or none depending on where you need to be. To be safe, I tend to use RO water. If I know I need a little more of one thing or another I add back minerals very lightly assuming the extract contains either some or a bunch, really hard to say what you are starting with though!

[mikebiewer]

Agreed.

It seems difficult to know exactly what I'm getting with the extract. I can get a water analysis sheet easy enough, but I'm not 100% sure what I'm looking for as combined totals in my water. I may have to refer back to the book!