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Author Topic: Boiled Water Lab Test Results  (Read 3816 times)

Offline mabrungard

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Boiled Water Lab Test Results
« on: June 09, 2013, 08:55:29 am »
As some of you may have read in the Decarbonation by Boiling thread, boiling reduces calcium content in waters with alkalinity.  All of my engineering texts indicate that the minimum practical limit for calcium content is about 12 ppm.  But those results are always presented in the Lime Softening section.  Since boiling is not a practical method for the large-scale treatment that we engineers typically deal with, there is no discussion on boiling and the practical minimum calcium level for that method.  I have someone else telling me that the practical limit for calcium after boiling is 20 ppm.  I'm not sure that the higher limit is factual.  I'm hoping that there are brewers that have had lab testing performed on their post-boiled water and they will share them here.

Please post laboratory testing results for your water after it was boiled. 

Thanks!
Martin B
Carmel, IN

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Offline james

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Re: Boiled Water Lab Test Results
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2013, 10:25:53 am »
I have a TDS meter and even one of the aquarium GH/KH test kits.  I could test those before/after and post the results.  My water here is so variable as the city picks different wells to draw off of so I switched to using all RO.

Offline joe_feist

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Re: Boiled Water Lab Test Results
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2013, 11:28:48 am »
Martin, here's my water report post boil. I just got this recently, so even though I've plugged the data in Bru'n water I have not brewed a a beer with any adjustments yet.
pH 9.5
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 389
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.65
Cations / Anions, me/L 6.8 / 7.0

Sodium, Na 60
Potassium, K 7
Calcium, Ca 13
Magnesium, Mg 40
Total Hardness, CaCO3 199
Nitrate, NO3-N 8.8 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S 12
Chloride, Cl 99
Carbonate, CO3 37
Bicarbonate, HCO3 97
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 141
Total Phosphorus, P 0.47
Total Iron, Fe < 0.01

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Offline beersk

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Re: Boiled Water Lab Test Results
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2013, 07:32:40 am »
Martin, here's my water report post boil. I just got this recently, so even though I've plugged the data in Bru'n water I have not brewed a a beer with any adjustments yet.
pH 9.5
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 389
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.65
Cations / Anions, me/L 6.8 / 7.0

Sodium, Na 60
Potassium, K 7
Calcium, Ca 13
Magnesium, Mg 40
Total Hardness, CaCO3 199
Nitrate, NO3-N 8.8 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S 12
Chloride, Cl 99
Carbonate, CO3 37
Bicarbonate, HCO3 97
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 141
Total Phosphorus, P 0.47
Total Iron, Fe < 0.01


This is post boil? Is it me or does that look totally whack?
Jesse

Offline mabrungard

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Re: Boiled Water Lab Test Results
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2013, 09:15:20 am »

This is post boil? Is it me or does that look totally whack?

No.  The limited amount of calcium restricts the degree to which the decarbonation reaction can proceed.  In this case, there is a significant Mg, Na, SO4 and Cl that conspire to limit the reaction.  But the primary limitation is the amount of calcium in relation to the carbonates (alkalinity).  The final Ca content and the remaining carbonates are not a surprise.  I think I mention in the Decarbonation by Boiling thread that there is a limit to the ending bicarbonate content of 60 to 80 ppm. But even that ending bicarbonate value can go up if there isn't enough calcium in the water.  That's the case with the Munich water.  Its full of alkalinity, but not enough calcium to allow the bicarb to drop into the 60 to 80 ppm range.

By the way, the elevated carbonate concentration is typical since the boiling drives off the CO2 and that takes out the carbonic acid.  The water pH goes up with boiling and those remaining carbonates will exist not only as bicarbonate, but carbonate too.  When I mention carbonates, that refers to all the species such as carbonic acid, bicarbonate, and carbonate.
Martin B
Carmel, IN

BJCP National
Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI)

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Offline joe_feist

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Re: Boiled Water Lab Test Results
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2013, 03:53:54 pm »
So, Martin, I'm thinking in general dilute my water with distilled to cut the Mg, Na and possibly Cl depending on style.

I've had good luck brewing a Dortmunder before I ever looked at my water. I'm not that far off if I'm reading Bru'n water correctly. For the salts I'd actually add gypsum to raise the Ca and S04 and maybe some Cl. Looks like adding some lactic acid puts the alkalinity and RA in the neighborhood.

Am I close or just way off base?
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
Mark Twain