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Author Topic: water  (Read 4834 times)

Offline neelyba

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water
« on: January 18, 2010, 03:43:16 pm »
I have been trying to get the right water ie. consistent water for a few brews now. I have settled on bottled Kona water from the ocean depths. It is loaded with minerals and I add a little gypsum to it. Anyone else try this. It is not cheap. I can get 50 ounces of it for 1.30. That takes about 13 bottles for  a 5 gallon batch.

Offline a10t2

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Re: water
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2010, 04:27:44 pm »
Wait, seriously?
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: water
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2010, 05:29:49 pm »
Uh, why?   You can buy distilled for cheaper, or RO would be cheaper still.  Then add minerals in as needed.  That changes for the style you are brewing.

I think you are falling for marketing here.  Look at this site, compare to data below.  Your sodium and chloride are off by about 2 orders of magnitude.  Even for deep water off of Antarctica.
http://www.seafriends.org.nz/oceano/seawater.htm#composition 

Here is you water analysis (from their website).  Calcium and  sulfates are both low for brewing.
Kona Deep Analysis:
224 TDS
6.5 ph factor
1 Calcium
135 Chloride
2.5 Magnesium
1 Nitrate
4 Potassium
1 Silica
76 Sodium
4 Sulphates 
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boulderbrewer

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Re: water
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2010, 10:44:05 pm »
Looks like softened water but worse.

Offline ndcube

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Re: water
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2010, 07:02:14 am »
It takes more than 5 gallons to make a 5 gallon batch.

+1 on getting distilled/RO and adding your own minerals if you don't have an RO system.

Offline Beertracker

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Re: water
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2010, 10:32:54 am »
Sorry, but I've got to agree (+3) with the others on this. I'm sure the water is fine, but jump into something cheaper.  ;) 
CHEERS! Jeff
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Offline Podo

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Re: water
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2010, 11:57:34 am »
Honestly, for that much money, I'd use water straight out of the tap and take my chances.  Campden tablets are pretty cheap.
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Offline neelyba

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Re: water
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2010, 03:22:37 pm »
Thanks i'll go for tap water now. Redo 5 of the recipes, and let you know what the crowd says. I can add calcium a and have been adding gypsum all along

Offline roffenburger

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Re: water
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2010, 06:00:06 am »
Thanks i'll go for tap water now. Redo 5 of the recipes, and let you know what the crowd says. I can add calcium a and have been adding gypsum all along

I think making additions to you water without knowing what the current levels are is useless. Get yourself a water report if you're interested in adjusting your water. I really don't know much about making water adjustments though, so I could be wrong...
Travis R.

Offline majorvices

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Re: water
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2010, 06:07:46 am »
If this is for Extract brewing then you need to use RO water for your best results. If this is AG brewing read the wwater section in Palmer's book "How to Brew". Water is in no way, shape or form a "one size fits all" solution for AG.

Offline Kaiser

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Re: water
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2010, 06:12:36 am »
If you can get them, I found simple GH&KH test kits for pool or aquarium use to be a viable alternative to getting your water tested at a lab. They give your a good estimate about calcium/magnesium and alkalinity which you need to know to estimate the mash pH and determine necessary water treatments. They don't tell you much about the other possible ions which is why it might be a good idea to get a more comprehensive test done eventually.

Kai

Offline euge

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Re: water
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2010, 11:33:11 am »
Oh a subject near and dear to my heart...

Instead of buying expensive water why not try to work around the water you have? Unless it is totally useless like overloaded with iron or the like.

Palmer's nomograph and spreadsheet really helps in this once you begin to understand what the hell he is talking about. And there is a great series on the BNN's Brew strong (http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/Brew-Strong/Page-2) all about water. It is a must IMO.

Just a few simple adjustments to my grain in the recipe to account for my water profile dramatically improved the results without adding anything other than darker grains. Though, I evidently need to add some chloride according to Palmer's spreadsheet to make it "balanced".

Hope this helps.
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