Tap water taste

[Tinkerbell]

I wonder if any other members experience an unpleasant taste in their water from time to time. Approx. once a month our tap water takes on a strange flavour and drinking it is to be avoided, unless it is filtered. However, filters are expensive to use and must be used correctly too, to avoid possible problems.

Our water board advises that the taste is nothing to do with any additives to the system, but they have left a bottle so that I may provide a sample the next time we have a complaint. A non return valve has been fitted to the washing machine at their suggestion, and the WB also advise that tap washer may be responsible (we cannot understand how, when it is an intermittent problem).

I know we are not alone locally in experiencing this difficulty as friends say they too filter their water for the same reason, and we have also detected the same taste when visiting family in Cornwall and Scotland. The taste may last for several days and then disappear for 2/3 weeks.

If you have had a similar experience, please tell how you have solved it, other than using a filter.

Tinkerbell

[Hedge Witch]

I have, in the past, tasted something occasionally in the drinking water that has a chemical flavour and I thought this was something the water board added as a "disinfectant", for want of a better word.

[BloomingMarvellous]

My Son often shoves a glass full of Tap water under my nose and demands me to smell It, he's convinced the Water Board are trying to Poison us. I'm a big Tea drinker myself and I notice how different tea Is In different parts of the country, best tea by far are the one's that are made In Leeds... I Love Tea

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by Tinkerbell

If you have had a similar experience, please tell how you have solved it, other than using a filter.

Tinkerbell

Only drinking real ales and wine helps

[Tursiops2]

I don't think this is the same problem, but when I first moved to Ipswich, 6 years ago, I found the tapwater tasted distinctly of Chlorine at breakfast time (and made disgusting coffee )). I complained to the supplier, who told me that, at that time in the morning, when everyone is making breakfast, the water was moving too quickly through the pipes for the Chlorine to evaporate. They advised filling a bottle with water and keeping it in the fridge overnight.

It's improved a lot since then.
T2

[LynM]

My OH is constantly moaning about the taste of our water. Words like metallic, chlorine and chemical are ones he often uses. I suspect he has more sensitive taste buds than me as I rarely taste or smell it. We use a filter all the time or we get a sort of scum on top of our tea. The only other way seems to be to keep a jug full in the fridge, the coldness takes away the flavour! That of course is only any good when you are drinking it straight, it doesn't help with your tea or coffee.

Sorry that I'm not much help, but it is good to know that we are not alone in this situation.

[Susie]

When we lived in London the tap water was repulsive at times and usually mildly unpleasant. Once I turned the taps on in the bathroom to fill the bath and left the room, when I returned the smell of chlorine was so bad it made my eyes water; it was like being at a swimming pool.

I am afraid that the way we got around this problem was to move to West Sussex. The tap water here is better than the bottled stuff.

[galanthus]

Hmmmm, may have to stop washing my wine glass then


Our water is fine here thankfully. Would think Birmingham water is gorgeous too as the water comes from the welsh hills, tho may have faint taste of sheep poo

[volence]

Actually having recently moved to brum I find the water a little sweet compared to the water in luton. I prefered the water in luton but since I drank it for at least 24 years of my life i'm stuck in the habit

[Dutchess]

Originally Posted by Billy Wobble Dagger

Only drinking real ales and wine helps

It's what they used to do in the old days, isn't it, O Wobbly One? They simply could not trust the water (and that's my excuse too ) I read historical novels and often feel just a teeny bit envious that it was ok to down a mug of ale with the customary lump of cheese and dry bread for breakfast. It all sounds so wholesome and satisying.

D.

[Dutchess]

Originally Posted by Susie

When we lived in London the tap water was repulsive at times and usually mildly unpleasant. Once I turned the taps on in the bathroom to fill the bath and left the room, when I returned the smell of chlorine was so bad it made my eyes water; it was like being at a swimming pool.

I am afraid that the way we got around this problem was to move to West Sussex. The tap water here is better than the bottled stuff.

Ah! Filtered through the chalk! Must say I didn't emigrate from London to Sussex because of the water, but do agree that even 20 odd years ago (which is when I left) the water smelled faintly of chlorine.

D.

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by Dutchess

It's what they used to do in the old days, isn't it, O Wobbly One? They simply could not trust the water (and that's my excuse too ) I read historical novels and often feel just a teeny bit envious that it was ok to down a mug of ale with the customary lump of cheese and dry bread for breakfast. It all sounds so wholesome and satisying.

D.

It is true indeed that they drank fermented something or other because the water was so unclean. I beleive they had three strengths of the "ale" to drink at different times of day.

I must try a nice light ale on my crunchy nut cornflakes

Dutchess do you really need an excuse

[Digit]

Countrymen of my youth BWD normally drank Cider or Ale, not beer.
The method of home brewing, by the farmers wife very often, was to use the mashings two or even three times.
This was the 'small ale' that was the staple drink with meals or for workers out in the fields.
There was nothing small about it as I recall the AC was about 3.5 percent.
Makes you wonder what the Ale in the pubs was like though!

Roy.

[ron1863]

Our Scottish water is lovely - and there's lots of it. Nice in whisky too

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by ron1863

Our Scottish water is lovely - and there's lots of it. Nice in whisky too

What what....
A SCOTT putting water in whisky Sacralidge

[Dutchess]

Originally Posted by Digit

Countrymen of my youth BWD normally drank Cider or Ale, not beer. The method of home brewing, by the farmers wife very often, was to use the mashings two or even three times. This was the 'small ale' that was the staple drink with meals or for workers out in the fields. There was nothing small about it as I recall the AC was about 3.5 percent. Makes you wonder what the Ale in the pubs was like though!
Roy.

Interesting that you should say that Roy. Years ago I used to watch a friend make his home made beer and wines and all that faffing about with chemicals and sterilising put me off But recently I have been surprised by an online friend by how simple home-brewing can be. He said he'd got a couple of carrier bags full of apples and smashed them up in an elderly Kenwood chef. Voila! 1.5 gallons of delicious juice which he waiting to spontaneously combust into cider! Now I was intrigued...was it really that easy???

He went into a bit more detail for my benefit, but basically I think it is very much as your farmer's wife's method. He squashed the pulp into a net curtain/muslin bag in a bucket with a hole in it, squashing it down with another bucket on top. (Perhaps using a mesh or something to keep the bag from blocking up the hole.) Next? Apple juice into mouth and swallow (!!) or straight into a demi john.

He then added a teaspoon of dried yeast and left a 2 inch space at the top. 2 weeks later the ferment had almost stopped, so as it was very dry he I added 200gm of sugar and the ferment restarted immediately. He reckons maybe the apples weren't too ripe or were cookers; as the juice was quite sharp. But no worries, he's just going to keep tasting and adding sugar "until he gets bored!"

Minimal hygeine was used, he cleaned the bottles with hot soapy water, and the chopping up stuff was clean; the buckets had boiling water sloshed around but no chemicals added.

Someone else chipped in with her p'n'th, she said some yeasts may not produce nice tastes, oxygen can spoil things and so on, so it's generally far more sensible to do as my friend has done. Suits me! Even I could manage that!

Hmm, what was this thread about again? Sorry to have hi-jacked it, but this seemed too much like an invite to share my good news

D.

[Digit]

There's a great deal of BS stated about home brewing Dutchess.
When the government of the day finally permitted home brewing, (1970s?) I started making my own fruit wines.
First I bought a book, read it carefully, followed it to the letter, and I enjoyed the results.
One day mother in law came round, and out of politeness took a glass.
A week later she was making her own wine, same thing with a neighbour.
Within a few weeks the whole street was brewing.
With an experimental turn of mind I finally found, like your friend, that a lot of what the book said, and I practised, was unnecessary.
Basically mashed fruit, hot water, sugar (some times) and yeast.
With apples I normally use a fermentation tub and a cotton cover over the top as the fermentation can be quite fierce.
Best fruit for me is Raspberries.

Roy.

[Dutchess]

Thanks Roy!

*Sighs* I wished I'd known all this two weeks ago when I was in Hadlow, tons of blackberries were literally dripping off the bushes all around us

D.

[Digit]

There's plenty of time for apple wine or Cider still. In bulk apples can be mashed very well in a garden shredder.

Roy.

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

What what....
A SCOTT putting water in whisky Sacralidge

A Scot once told me that the only thing you could put into whisky was water, since it was made with water!

henryA

[Baggins]

Same thing happened to me - the waterboard is right. Tiny amounts of backwash from the pipes (particularly when first replaced) can give this metallic taste.

It goes away with time - or maybe I just got used to it!

Peter

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by thunder

A Scot once told me that the only thing you could put into whisky was water, since it was made with water!

henryA

Very true but only a splash.

[epops]

My mrs is convinced she can taste the difference of the water down here from where she comes from up north yet when we go up there i cant tell the differece at all i think shes just to picky lol

[Bouncytigger]

We are very fortunate in Birmingham as our tap water as always tasted wonderful!!

You can always drink it straight from the tap and i often chill large bottle of it in the fridge.

The only time i have tasted hard water or foul tasting water has been on hols to far off places

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by thunder

A Scot once told me that the only thing you could put into whisky was water, since it was made with water!

henryA

Yes..but it tastes better neat.