An irreplaceable component of beer is water

Historically, breweries were built where there was a good source of clean groundwater. This is not as simple as it may seem at first glance. As soon as man settled down to farm or build settlements, he immediately began abusing his nearest water source. So the breweries had to find clean wells or running water that wasn't affected by humans.

Freshwater contains a variety of minerals, and it is these elements that influence what styles of beer are produced anywhere. Basic elements are called ions and have positive (cations) or negative (anions) charges, the pH of water is the concentration of hydrogen ions. Neutral water has a pH of 7 and an equal concentration of hydrogen (H+) and hydroxide (OH-) ions, water with a lower pH value has a higher hydrogen concentration and is more acidic, while higher pH values have a higher hydroxide concentration and is more alkaline : The best water for brewing is slightly acidic, with a pH range of 5-7

Distillation water affects beer in three ways.
The first is the effect on the beer's pH, which is reflected in the beer's flavor and mouthfeel.

Second, the ratio of sulfates to chlorides determines which type of beer is best for a particular water. Higher sulfate concentrations emphasize hop bitterness and harsher beer styles, while higher chloride concentrations emphasize malt character.
Finally, water can have an unpleasant odor if it contains unwanted minerals.

Although water contains several ions, the top six ions that have the greatest impact on brewing are bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate. They are anions, and the most important cations are calcium, sodium and magnesium. Everyone has a role to play in the brewing process. Bicarbonate is the major anion in milk and determines the alkalinity of beer. It also helps neutralize the acids in the dark malt and helps bring the color out of the malt.

Calcium is needed to lower mash pH to an acceptable level, reduce tannin extraction, and promote protein coagulation. It also contributes to the clarity and stability of the beer. Magnesium is useful as a yeast nutrient, but only in small amounts (10-20 ppm) so as not to make the beer taste too harsh. When the phytin in malt is broken down into phytic acid, calcium and magnesium phosphates are also formed, which regulate pH. Calcium and magnesium determine water hardness.

Bicarbonate interacts with calcium, reducing water hardness. All of these minerals have played a role in the development of beer styles. The higher concentration of bicarbonate in the waters helps to balance the acidic properties of the dark and roasted malts used in stouts, casks and casks.

Pilsen, Czech Republic has very low concentrations of all ions, as low as anywhere else on Earth. This water is great for pale malt, and its low mineral content makes local pils unique in the world. It is impossible to recreate their recipe in other places without significantly changing the water. Brewing techniques have been adopted around the world to compensate for mineral deficiencies or excesses in water. Boiled mash was created by repeatedly raising the temperature to compensate for the lack of mineral water.

 Of course, modern breweries can now change their local water source to any concentration of minerals. The addition of various salts is often called bartonation, after which the addition of salts increases the hardness and concentration of sulfates in the water. Calcium carbonate, calcium chloride, and even non-iodized table salt can also be used as additives. Reverse osmosis, on the other hand, can be used to create base water devoid of minerals such as iron, copper, and zinc.