Getting started with water

Can anyone offer some advice on getting started managing water quality you use in brewing? I’ve hit the point where I’d like to pay more attention to the water I’m using rather then just using bottled spring water. Searching the interwebs has only found me seriously scientific info way over my head.

I understand I probably need to get my tap water checked and then balancing the minerals and such from there to my desired type of beer correct?

If anyone has some layman term info, a basic ‘recipe’ or links please share! Thanks!

John Palmer’s book has some good info.

This https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/ is the goods though - Martin is hands down the most informative and comprehensive expert I’ve spoken with in regard to brewing water. Plus he’s a nice guy - he frequents the AHA forum if you ever want to pick his brain directly.

oh yeah, and visit:

http://www.wardlab.com/FeeSchedule/WaterAnalysis.aspx

you’ll want a W-6 test on your water.

Hey thanks blatz I appreciate you taking your time to reply, I’ll certainly check both of those out! I noticed for the water test there’s a beer test and W-6 test, just get the W-6?

Florida brewers unite!

Yep, W-6 is the one that I get.

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

There are some articles here that are very easy to understand, and some that are very technical. It seems like I go here to read and read again articles on a weekly basis.