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Reverse Osmosis or Not?


AKBIGK

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We have submitted our DSP to the TTB, and are awaiting (good) news... We are trying to figure out a game plan

for our reverse osmosis system. Do you vodka producers (from raw product), use water strictly from reverse osmosis

systems? We have great water, from glacial sources, and don't want to loose our flavor completely. Any opionions?

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A lot of Russian Vodkas proudly say they use either glacial water or deep well water (which has a pronounced hard water/mineral taste.

IMHO only the people catering to the fear of flavor crowd use reverse osmosis to dumb down taste or create lack thereof ( at least in most cases).

If you use a local water at least you have a chance at distinctiveness or terrior for a vodka (the Russians and others certainly have developed some through distinct, identifiable by taste characteristics). Otherwise you are at risk of joining the oceans of nondescript vodka that is already overloading the market.

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Alcohol reduces the solubility of minerals. Mineral rich (but perhaps really good tasting) water added to alcohol can become cloudy when the minerals come out of solution. This can leave a ring of precipitate on the bottom of the bottle. Mineral solubility is also reduced at lower temperatures, so a cold test is a good idea. Another good reason to condition your water is to remove stuff like chlorine, chloramines, fluoride compounds, etc. from your city water, as you may not want to pass everything on to the consumer.

Two cognac-style brandy producers here in the west claim that they capture rain water to use in their process. I tried that, but it got all stinky and funky....probably from the seagull "nutrient" that came down. Rather nasty, actually. Don't know what those guys do to make their catch water usable.

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chlorine, chloramines, fluoride compounds

I was looking at several RO systems (manufacturer web sites) and they say you have to remove the chlorine before the RO system. Charcoal filters apparently can remove the chlorine, but apparently the chloramines are a different matter.

I'd be interested is simply removing the chlorine, chloramines, and fluoride compounds from the water as the mineral content of my water is very very low.

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As per CFry and will, you'll probably find that unfiltered water clouds your spirits with precipitate and that you need to use RO water. Mineral heavy water is great for your ferment but may be a headache for cutting.

Do a quick and dirty test. Add your glacial water to a sample of spirit that approximates what you'll make (store bought 190 proof grain spirit in a pinch) and add some RO or distilled to a second sample.

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I can attest that Germain Robin does use rain water that they collect.

Alcohol reduces the solubility of minerals. Mineral rich (but perhaps really good tasting) water added to alcohol can become cloudy when the minerals come out of solution. This can leave a ring of precipitate on the bottom of the bottle. Mineral solubility is also reduced at lower temperatures, so a cold test is a good idea. Another good reason to condition your water is to remove stuff like chlorine, chloramines, fluoride compounds, etc. from your city water, as you may not want to pass everything on to the consumer.

Two cognac-style brandy producers here in the west claim that they capture rain water to use in their process. I tried that, but it got all stinky and funky....probably from the seagull "nutrient" that came down. Rather nasty, actually. Don't know what those guys do to make their catch water usable.

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