"Lumo" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I'm in Spain where the tap water is very chlorinated and has lots of
> calcium in it (and probably lots of other, less noticeable things), so
> for tea making bottled water is used.
>
> I'm wondering what to look out for in bottled water, all the bottles
> here have to have a breakdown of calcium, chlorine, sodium etc on their
> label so it is easy to tell what's in them.
>
> Is calcium quantity one of the main things to look for (I think I read
> this somewhere, but never had it confirmed)?
>
> Two of the big makers of water here have dramatically different calcium
> levels in their water, one being 5mg/l, the other being more like
> 35mg/l. The much cheaper bottles have higher amounts still. What is a
> good amount to have? Can there be too little?
>
> Any help, or other tips about what to look for in bottled water to make
> a good brew would be much appreciated.
>
My market has a machine that takes tap water and runs it through an
activated charcoal filter to remove disolved gases and a semi-permiable
membrane filter to remove dissolved minerals. It's a lot cheaper than
spring water and produces a good, fairly neutral cup of tea, but its chief
advantage to my mind is consistency. It allows me to evaluate teas without
the added variable of the effects of water quality. I don't know if this is
available in Spain, but if it is I suggest it as an alternative to spring
water.

Regards,
Dean