Is distilled water always better?

[CRBrewHound]

I've heard Jamil and/or John Palmer mention it a couple times. I'll try to figure out which podcast it was. Best guess is one of the water-ganza Brew Strong shows.

This would be dependant on the extract producer and what there water profile is. If they are using highly refined water or distilled to produce the extract then this is not the case, as the reason for Jamil/Palmer saying that was that the mineral comes from them mashing with their water and that mineral concentration remaining after the extract concentration processes.

[RajunCajun]

Thanks guys, very useful info. I am new to brewing so I'm only doing extract/partial mash brews right now...so it was interesting that I could get away with using distilled water. I think I'll just stick with the filter tap water right now. Thanks again.

[ajdelange]

You certainly can brew with distilled water. If you actually hit 100% efficiency in a brew what that means is that you have extracted the same amount of sugar from a grain as the lab did when they used a Congress mash which is a distilled water mash. Some beers (Bohemian Pilsners) are made with water so soft it might as well be distilled.

The malt itself has quite a bit of mineral content - enough to supply co-factor needs dfor the various enzymes. Now you will make a better beer if you add some calcium to distilled (or other low ion water) and will have a better fermentation if you add a little zinc. Some RO users like to blend around 10% tap water with the distilled or RO water in order to be sure "trace" elements are present. No harm in doing this.

What is most important with low ion waters is that you add acid to the mash in some form so that the mash pH falls in the proper range.

[Cliff]

I've been brewing using filtered water...should I switch over to distilled? What are the benefits? Is there a difference in taste? Thanks!

Yah it's just like RO water. More work and effort and ingredients that you gotta futz with.
If OTOH you are big into copying styles and clones and contests it may be a very useful thing to learn to use distilled or RO.
I ain't got no use for nun o' dat. I like the water I get from the my hole in the ground.