Choosing water for making tea

[gunbuster363]

What kind of water you are using for making tea?

In weekday I make tea from water of the hot water tank.

At home, I use bottled spring water which cost about 20HKD ( about $2.5 USD ) per 1.5 Litre bottle .

I am considering installing a water filter at home but I am not sure what kind of filter is effective. Another consideration is that a full scale water filter is pretty large and my home do not have much space for that.


Right off the math I spend 20*5 = 100HKD ~= 13USD per month for tea. Because using a water filter also cost extra in replacement of parts, so I am thinking if the cost for maintaining the filter is larger than the money I could've spend buying bottle water in 1 year, I might be better just buy the bottled water for tea.


What do you think?

[CWarren]

EDITED

[Poseidon]

I buy local filtered water by the gallon. I think its about $1 a gallon. If I wanted to cut that down more I could get a 5 gallon water despenser and pick up 5 gallons for about $5-8 plus discounts when you take the empty container back. I usually split a gallon of water between two days so: 5 gallons would last 10 days-- thats makes about three 5 gallon bottles a month. I would spend $15-24 month on delicious water. Not bad.

[Muadeeb]

I buy alkaline water from an aquifer located about 30 minutes away here in San Diego, 15 gallons at a time. it's about 8.3 pH and I can tell the difference between it and the local R.O. water dispenser at the gas station by my house. There's quite a difference in price ($3.50 for 5 gallons vs. $1 for 5 gallons) but since it makes up 99% of the tea, I don't mind spending the extra money.

[eyvind]

I buy alkaline water from an aquifer located about 30 minutes away here in San Diego, 15 gallons at a time. it's about 8.3 pH and I can tell the difference between it and the local R.O. water dispenser at the gas station by my house. There's quite a difference in price ($3.50 for 5 gallons vs. $1 for 5 gallons) but since it makes up 99% of the tea, I don't mind spending the extra money.

Where is this place? I may be interested in getting water there.

[Muadeeb]

http://www.carlsbadalkalinewater.com/

[MEversbergII]

I use gallon jugs of spring water. Municipal tap makes poor tea :S

I soon plan to invest in a water cooler and those large jugs that go on top. I figure carrying one of the big ones in each hand from the local store back home should make a good workout!

M.

[PaddyB]

I consider myself lucky since my local tap water is very clean and without additives (even without chlorine). But in july i will be moving to the capital (Ljubljana) where tap water is ... well, disgusting. It is clean, but no good for making tea. Every tea just tastes flat.
I think I will need to install a water filter of some sort too (or buy a filter pitcher of some sort. Not decided yet)

[BW85]

New Wave Enviro 10 stage filter. eliminates virtually everything except the good minerals you need to bring out the teas flavor, and balances the PH

[Camilla]

I always use bottled distilled water in brewing.

[Ursinos]

just a note when buying spring water for straight drinking or for tea: Do a little checking into the "brand" of the water. there are a LOT of bottled "spring" water companies out there that are just selling bottled municipal water. (research if you don't believe me).

No point in spending money on bottled water if you can just get it out of the tap for free.

[toasterburn]

I use a three-stage filter on my tap to refill a water cooler that's next to my tea cabinet. Works well for me.

[MEversbergII]

True, Ursinos. So far, though, all four brands of water I've used have outperformed my tap, so even if it is someone elses municipal water it is better than mine.

For drinking water, nothing beats Gerolsteiner. My goodness is that stuff rich.

M.

[Misou]

We have a separate filtered water tap on the sink. We already had good water but the filter tap really makes a difference. The filter cartrige is rated for hundreds of gallons - so replacing it is periodic but for the two of us..once every year at most .
Cant beat the convenience or cost compared to bottled water. We use it for everything where water will make a difference.
I highly recommend one if your water is not good. Sure beats sourcing for and tranporting bottled water. Nothing to recycle or refill, no gas spent, no emissions, no plastic added to the pacific raft (at least directly)

[Ursinos]

True, Ursinos. So far, though, all four brands of water I've used have outperformed my tap, so even if it is someone elses municipal water it is better than mine.

For drinking water, nothing beats Gerolsteiner. My goodness is that stuff rich.

M.

Just be sure it's not psychosomatic. People sometimes associate better taste to something due to marketing rather than actual taste (like, just cause it's more expensive, it tastes better lol). Not trying to be a snob, just...if you're gonna spend money on bottled water, make sure it actually tastes better.

ugg, that does sound kinda snobbish. sorry