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Author Topic: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?  (Read 8306 times)

Offline liquidbrewing

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Re: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #15 on: December 15, 2012, 08:55:07 am »
Gotcha.  I know good water is key to making great beer.  It's unfortunate that some have to treat their water before they even start brewing.  I guess I'm fortunate to have good water to brew with.
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #16 on: December 15, 2012, 10:08:46 am »
Gotcha.  I know good water is key to making great beer.  It's unfortunate that some have to treat their water before they even start brewing.  I guess I'm fortunate to have good water to brew with.

Don't know where you live, but the Midwest has very alkaline ground water. If a lived the next town east, I would have much better water from Lake Huron.

In Brewing Better Beer, Gordon Strong states he uses RO water and adds minerals for the beer being brewed. At the NHC in WA, his comment to the locals who have the mineral free water was "I hate you!" with a big smile. That water would be wonderful to brew with.
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Offline nateo

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Re: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #17 on: December 15, 2012, 10:29:11 am »
If you live in the midwest, you're a likely candidate for lime softening, if you care to do that. My well water is insanely hard, but it's almost all temporary hardness. I've gotten my water as low as 3*dH that way, but it's more typically in the 5-6*dH range, which is still pretty soft.
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Offline hospter81

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Re: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #18 on: December 15, 2012, 12:10:20 pm »
i bought a RO filter and just add salts as Gordon says on his book....but...just wondering at what time do i need to add in order to enhance salts addtions and flavor...i've been reading that some salts could precipitate before fermentation or just do nothing to alkalinity

Offline denny

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Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #19 on: December 15, 2012, 01:31:38 pm »
i bought a RO filter and just add salts as Gordon says on his book....but...just wondering at what time do i need to add in order to enhance salts addtions and flavor...i've been reading that some salts could precipitate before fermentation or just do nothing to alkalinity

It kinda depends on the purpose.  If you're adding salts for pH adjustment, they should go in the mash tun.  If they're for flavor, they can go. either in the mash or in the kettle.
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Offline dcbc

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Re: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #20 on: December 15, 2012, 02:07:48 pm »
I like to do my mash and sparge water adjustments with acid (my water is pretty soft and it doesn't take much ordinarily).  I add flavoring salts to the boil kettle.  It's easier for me not to worry about what my mash adjustment salts are doing to flavor, how much are absorbed, etc.  Obviously, for darker beers, I don't use acid in the mash.
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Offline guido

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Re: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #21 on: December 15, 2012, 02:48:25 pm »
Americans obsess over brewing water. I don't think it's really all that important, in the grand scheme of things. Use a light touch. Only add stuff if you have a specific reason to do so. All things being equal, I've had the best results just by using the least-mineralized water I can. Make sure you hit your target pH though (use acid if you need to), because that can make a big difference.

Couldn't agree more.  Only a small percentage of people should have a problem with their water.  Of course, I'm fortunate to have very soft water.  I put a little dash of gypsum in for APA's and IPA's, but otherwise I use it as is with great results. 
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Offline dcbc

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Re: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #22 on: December 15, 2012, 05:10:29 pm »
I agree water shouldn't be an obsession.  But it should be understood (not saying you don't understand it).

I am fortunate to have some pretty low mineral water to use as a canvas.  Just takes some minor adjustment for mash pH and flavor and I don't have to worry with it or think about it, certainly not obsess about it.
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #23 on: December 15, 2012, 05:18:09 pm »
At the NHC in WA, his comment to the locals who have the mineral free water was "I hate you!" with a big smile. That water would be wonderful to brew with.
It is ;) ;D
Tom Schmidlin

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #24 on: December 15, 2012, 05:20:14 pm »
At the NHC in WA, his comment to the locals who have the mineral free water was "I hate you!" with a big smile. That water would be wonderful to brew with.
It is ;) ;D

Yeah. Had you in Denny in mind when posting that.  ;)
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Offline ibru

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Re: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #25 on: December 15, 2012, 07:01:55 pm »
The water isn't as nice to brew with on the "Nevergreen" side of the state, unless you're brewing stouts. Hard and alkaline. I mix half well, half RO for pale ales.

Bruce
« Last Edit: December 15, 2012, 07:48:37 pm by ibru »

Offline richardt

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Re: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #26 on: December 15, 2012, 07:32:05 pm »
Quote
In Brewing Better Beer, Gordon Strong states he uses RO water and adds minerals for the beer being brewed. At the NHC in WA, his comment to the locals who have the mineral free water was "I hate you!" with a big smile. That water would be wonderful to brew with.

I think AJ DeLange said the same thing during the water symposium at NHC.

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Water profile: Can someone just tell me what to do?
« Reply #27 on: December 16, 2012, 06:31:20 am »
I have used bottled spring water since about the second batch I brewed, back in the extract days...water is usually my second-most expensive ingredient.  My well water is hard as a rock and while an RO system is worth considering, my buddy has a whole house RO system and he has to change the filters out so often that he buys his brewing water at Meijers or Menards, because he figures that it is cheaper than using his own RO.
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