Water Water Everywhere... What’s Your Water?

[swordofmytriumph]

My town's water comes from an aquifer, apparently it is at a very deep level, so they don't treat it either.

Wow, how great is that. So your water as-is is good for tea? Are you on the outskirts of Seattle?

Yeah, my water is really good. Back when I was trying out different bottled waters, my own water was continually the best. It was closest to VOSS, but I personally like my own water better. And yeah, I live about 35 minutes east of Seattle, in the Cascade foothills.

[gatmcm]

Went to get water from a local source last week, glad to see its good this year, last year the drought made it change for the worse.

IMG_20190505_154036.jpg (412.84 KiB) Viewed 10655 times

IMG_20190505_154749.jpg (189.73 KiB) Viewed 10655 times

[swordofmytriumph]

Woah, this is awesome @gatmcm! Such a pretty view too. You could take a hot thermos with you and make tea. Looks so peaceful.

[Dresden]

Perhaps I'm being too much of a simpleton when it comes to water, but honestly I usually just fill my Zojirushi with the artesian spring water that I normally drink. Usually either Kentwood, Abita Springs or Ozarka.

[Rickpatbrown]

Perhaps I'm being too much of a simpleton when it comes to water, but honestly I usually just fill my Zojirushi with the artesian spring water that I normally drink. Usually either Kentwood, Abita Springs or Ozarka.

I don't think it's as complicated as we are making it out to be, lol. It's seems like one of those things that is not a problem, unless it's a problem. I never realized I had a problem until I spent 2 months in Germany. When I returned, I realized my filtered tap water was killing my teas. Searching for a solution sent me down a rabbit hole. This thread is basically my life from October -December

[Rickpatbrown]

I've recently noticed that my Poland Springs water has a sweet, floral smell. Maybe it's soap from washing the bottles in the factory? Worse could be some sort of industrial chemical contamination. I think I'm going to stop using Poland at this point. I don't like contributing to the plastic problem of society either.

[Victoria]

I've recently noticed that my Poland Springs water has a sweet, floral smell. Maybe it's soap from washing the bottles in the factory? Worse could be some sort of industrial chemical contamination. I think I'm going to stop using Poland at this point. I don't like contributing to the plastic problem of society either.

So what water are you now using for your tea, tap?... here in Santa Monica, I’m good 90% with filtered tap, or as a backup using Nice Icelandic Spring and or Crystal Geyser, Alpine Spring (by CG Roxane from Olancha, California) as a back up. When I go back to Maryland I still need to get bottled water (because of RO system in house) either Walgreens Nice Icelandic Spring, Trader Joe’s Artesian New Zealand, or Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring (by CG Roxane from Blue Ridge Mnts. SC).

[Rickpatbrown]

So what water are you now using for your tea, tap?...

I've been doing a 50/50 mix with Mt. Valley Spring water and either Poland or filtered tap to cut the high TDS of the MV water.

I do think Walgreens Nice! Icelandic Glacier water was the best, but it's really expensive.

When you come back to Maryland, let me know. I'd be happy to give you some Mt. Valley to experiment with

[Baisao]

WholeFoods' Starkey brand and Keurig's Peñafiel brand have unsafe levels of arsenic:

https://www.consumerreports.org/water-q ... fe-levels/

https://www.ceh.org/news-events/press-r ... dr-pepper/

I mention this because "as human beings, you and I need fresh, pure water to replenish our precious bodily fluids."

[Dresden]

WholeFoods' Starkey brand and Keurig's Peñafiel brand have unsafe levels of arsenic:

https://www.consumerreports.org/water-q ... fe-levels/

https://www.ceh.org/news-events/press-r ... dr-pepper/

I mention this because "as human beings, you and I need fresh, pure water to replenish our precious bodily fluids."

I am not surprised to see Prop 65 mentioned. Prop 65 also resulted in cancer warnings on things like coffee, soda, dentist offices, amusement parks, hotels, restaurants, and parking lots.

I'm not saying that this isn't a valid concern because the article does state that one of the brands went over the federal limit, but honestly I take any Prop 65 warning with a grain of salt and a healthy dose of skeptical research.

Case in point, the EPA standards for arsenic are 10 ppb (Parts Per Billion). By contrast, Prop 65 standards are 4 ppt (Parts Per Trillion)

[Victoria]

Here in California we have very high standards . Also, higher than nationwide water filter standards.

California Water Boards

Water filters in CA: “California registration means that devices sold in California that make health-related claims have been tested and certified by an independent, accredited certification organization. ”

[Baisao]

@Dresden, thanks for pointing that out. I didn’t catch that it was ppTrillion instead of ppBillion. That’s a gigantic change in scale.

Heavy metal poisoning is no joke. I’ve seen it in person.

[Victoria]

Reposting and linking to recent comments by @tjkdubya regarding effects calcium content in water has on various teas.

viewtopic.php?p=16567#p16567

I've been coveting a Kobiwako pot for a while... Reading through this thread, I may just have been pushed over the line.

Whence, the magic effect? I think the clue may be this:

The clay from these areas is rich in alkaline mineral such as calcium and potassium that contributes a lot to the body of a tea.

For the past few months, I've been trying to learn about the role calcium plays in tea brew chemistry, and looking for relatively low TDS spring water with a prominent calcium content. Having found a couple, I've noticed how significant an effect such a water has on enhancing the body of the tea. It's an interesting option for lighter greener oo, for one, where the body can use a little boost, and there's enough high notes you don't mind sacrificing a bit.

From reading all of your discussions on Kobiwako magic, I wonder if something similar is happening due to the high calcium/potassium content of the clay?

viewtopic.php?p=16694#p16694

Interesting tjkdubya, which waters are you liking that have higher calcium content and with which teas? I also find calcium beneficial in general.

A8764B1A-708A-461C-B968-AC228B78580D.png (461.3 KiB) Viewed 9499 times

o muse uk.jpg

O Muse UK. Was highly skeptical but was so good with yancha in an intriguing way, emphasizing rich substantial body and mouthfeel. Came across it quite accidentally and got us interested in similar profile waters that would hopefully be easier to find than one that comes with a Victor Hugo quote on the back

900EC87F-1F3B-420D-99F4-9191903B0208.png (545.47 KiB) Viewed 9499 times

fontauroi.jpg

Was further encouraged when we saw Fontauroi being used at a well-regarded HK vendor of yancha/puerh. This one, the high calcium is balanced by high chlorides.

498BF056-D8E4-40A2-BF60-8A431F0E239D.png (582.31 KiB) Viewed 9499 times

fanny bay.jpg

Fanny Bay (Canada) has become our go-to water in Beijing when we want to tweak things in the calcium direction. Softer than all the above, but still weighted towards calcium. It brews a rich bodied yancha, fun to try with Dong Ding, and light enough to try with greens as well. Hasn't been the best with hongcha. Relatively cheap, it does that body emphasis thing, nothing exciting, but an easy-to-get point of reference for this type water.

I should add, none of these have that crisp, high resolution feel and the detail preservation of a water like Volvic, which has a more balanced profile of calcium, chloride, potassium, and magnesium.

Back to the topic at hand, I'm wondering if a certain calcium/potassium profile water in a neutral vessel could mimic what's going on in a clay like Kobiwako..

How different minerals effect tea is the exactly the kind of information I’ve been looking for. Thank you. I’ll try and get a few high calcium waters to see if I get similar results. A few high calcium waters in my chart are:
Mountain Valley Spring at TDS 230, Calcium 69
Crystal Geyser, Alpine Spring (by CG Roxane Adirondack Johnstown, NY) TDS 210, Calcium 58.

[Ethan Kurland]

Victoria, I tried the Mountain Valley Spring & did not notice improved results to merit its price. The Crystal Geyser... is fine but I don't detect improvement over the slightly cheaper brand of spring water from Whole Foods, 365. Although discussion is about calcium & TDS, I guess that various combinations of minerals might also be flavor-boosters. My hope is to find excellent very cheap Spring water, a magical filter, and/or magical additives. Good to have you working on this. My experimentation now involves trying water from the places where one fills his own bottles for 10 - 25 cents per gallon.

[nasalfrog]

@Victoria I saw the Nice! Iceland Pure Spring at Walgreens today, but decided against it because I do not have another kettle to boil it in at the moment.

I plan on buying a cheap stainless stovetop kettle next week to use for different waters, but maybe that is not needed. I assume the scale in my kettle (Akira from HOJO recommends keeping the scale) from my high-calcium water would affect the lower-calcium Nice! water.

Anyone know if I am correct in assuming this, or am I overthinking it?