Spring or distilled water with wine kit?

[geek]

This will be my first kit, a Chilean Malbec.

Which water is preferred? I cannot/do not want to use my home water as I have a well.

The kit should be home later but I want to stop by Walmart to get the water before I get home.

 

[cmason1957]

I always use spring water. Distilled water has no (actually very little) minerals and such in it. Those minerals are good for wine making. As a side note, your well water may well be perfectly good to use. City water, with chlorine and fluoride should be avoided.

 

[geek]

I use spring water for my fruit wines but wanted to double check.
Not sure about my well water, I have a water softener and water neutralizer in the system so I don't know if that may be good or bad?

 

[cmason1957]

Don't know for sure about water softener. My guess is you do want to avoid using that water or get it before it gets softened.

 

[rjb222]

Try to avoid distilled water as the minerals and oxygen content are low. I know a lot of people use distilled but I was informed that even RO water ( which I use by the way in my U-Brew) with certain high concentrate kits can cause a kit to hang up due to the lack of minerals in it. I have never had an issue with my RO but that does not mean it can not happen.

 

[pjd]

I would use spring water.

 

[jpsmithny]

I f your well water is good enough to drink, then it's fine for beer or wine making.

 

[Stefani]

I use well water.

My parents have a well at their home and I get the water from a tap of theirs that is not softened water.

Well water has some trace amounts of minerals that helps the propagation of the yeast.

And getting water from my parents does give me an additional excuse to visit them!

 

[geek]

so you get it before the water goes through the softener.
They dont have a PH issue, I do and the reason I have a neutralizer.

So not sure how good my water could be before it goes through the system without doing more recent tests.

 

[Stefani]

I guess that depends on how off your PH is.

The PH in your well water would only neutralize some of the acid in the fruits. If your acid is off because of the water PH, you could adjust the acid level in the must or before bulk aging or bottling.

An acid tester would help you determine how much additional acid to add.

 

[geek]

An acid tester would help you determine how much additional acid to add.

yep, it's on its way..

 

[sdelli]

Hmmm... Gona have to remember that in the future... I made a few kits and never thought about my softner in my house. Kits are fine but may not take a chance in the future....

 

[geek]

yeah, I've been buying spring water from Walmart but my fruit wines and now for this my first kit, better be safe than sorry.