Help - "Making" Vienna water using RO or Distilled

I was considering using some distilled (or RO) water to "make" a Vienna type lager.  However, once I started trying to add the appropriate types of minerals, I quickly realized that I don't think I can...  The SO4 levels get WAY too high when I begin trying to set the Mg level...  As you can see, Mg only has one variable (modified by the mg of Epsom Salt MgSO4) - and it takes 39g to get me to 60ppm.  But that BLOWS the SO4 level right out of the water (hah, like that pun?)

So, is it really possible to make this water profile using distilled/RO?

Mij

You're going to find it almost impossible to get these numbers correct, or really close even. As far as having 60ppm of Mg goes; that is A LOT. Generally 30 ppm is considered excessive, and anything higher than that may be harmful to yeast. The Mg content is really only good as a yeast nutrient anyway, so you won't notice a difference in flavor profile if you have a smaller concentration. I would try to keep the SO4 around 150ppm and just go with that. Having higher SO4 contents won't hurt you too bad.

Darin

I was listening to an old Jamil podcast and he said "Burton brewers don't use Burton water," meaning they adjust their water too.  So it's unlikely Vienna brewers use water with magnesium that high.  It's a diuretic/laxative if it is too high. 

In general I do not recommend using RO or distilled water for brewing even if you are planning on adding chemicals to match a water profile.
The reason is the elimination of trace elements in the RO or distilled water.  Either mix the distilled water with spring water or just use spring water as a foundation.

Fred

I have to disagree with Fred. I worked at a brewery and we used 100% RO water for all of our beers. We had to adjust the water for each beer, and add slightly larger amounts of yeast nutrient, but we made great beers. We never had fermentation issues, or anything else for that matter (except some DMS in one beer, but that has nothing to do with the water; more so from a weak boil). I say go for it, just use some extra yeast nutrient.

Darin

I'll agree that a good teast nutrient, more than just DAP, will contain micronutrients needed for proper yeast growth,  I was remiss in not mentioning that option.

Fred

Wow, seems like there are "lots of feelings" around distilled/RO

However, my question wasn't "should I use it?" but rather "...is it really possible to make this water profile using distilled/RO?" (Can I make the water profile at all...)

"Feelings" about that?

Sure.  Your "local" water would have zero of the core minerals, and you'd have to calculate the mineral additions to hit your target.  To Fred's point, distilled would lack the trace elements like copper and selenium, but it's anyone's guess as to how much is needed and whether you'd get all you need from yeast nutrient.  You don't need an FDA food label on your beer.