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Author Topic: Post your water report  (Read 195353 times)

Offline Upstate Dan

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #240 on: July 12, 2013, 01:17:15 pm »
I envy some of these water sources! I guess that's what distilled water is for.

Offline liquidbrewing

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #241 on: July 15, 2013, 04:53:21 pm »
Panama City Beach, FL

Carbon filter through RV hose:     ( All parameters mg/L except where otherwise noted)

Sodium            5.9

Calcium            20

Magnesium         2.2

Potassium         .40

Carbonate  (Less than)      5.0

Bicarbonate         26

Chloride            9.2

Iron  (Less than)         .038

Sulfate            32

Nitrate  (Less than)         .022

Electrical Conductivity      173     (mmho/cm)

Est. Total Dissolved Solids      86

pH            5.26

Total Hardness  (Lime)      59 (est...)

Total Alkalinity         26

Total Phosphorus         .554

Let me know what you guys think.  My dark (black) beers are always killer, IPA's usually great, Pale ales, not so much.  ( Water, or recipe formulation?)
« Last Edit: July 15, 2013, 04:57:25 pm by liquidbrewing »
Justin
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Offline punatic

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #242 on: July 15, 2013, 08:25:20 pm »
I think your pH is very low for drinking water.  Perhaps a misprint?  At that pH there should be no alkalinity.
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Offline aaronmillis

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #243 on: August 21, 2013, 11:41:54 am »
Helena, MT - NE Valley - Direct from Well Sample
Testing Performed by Ward Labs

pH 7.6

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 266

Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.44

Cations / Anions, me/L 5.0 /  4.8

Sodium, Na 35

Potassium, K 4

Calcium, Ca 49

Magnesium, Mg 11

Total Hardness, CaCO3 168

Nitrate, NO3-N 0.8 (SAFE)

Sulfate, SO4-S 13

Chloride, Cl 12

Carbonate, CO3 < 1

Bicarbonate, HCO3 217

Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 178

Total Phosphorus, P 0.05

Total Iron, Fe < 0.01


Offline brianbgarber

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #244 on: October 28, 2013, 08:45:54 am »
Gonna send off a water sample to Ward Labs... do you guys recommend pre or post softener water? I've used post softener water (just brewed a couple of batches in our new house) and I'm pretty happy with the results, but now I want to take my brewing to the next level... i.e. turn it up to "eleven" by treating my mash liquor.

******EDITED******
Here are the results for Beavercreek, OH, pre-softened and post-softened.

ParameterPre-softened     Post-softened
pH7.88.0
Total Dissolved Solids Est, ppm        442465
Electrical Conductivity0.740.77
Cations / Anions, me/L8.9/9.19.2/9.2
Sodium, Na19210
Potassium, K1<1
Calcium, Ca1021
Magnesium, Mg35<1
Total Hardness, CaCO34013
Nitrate, NO3-N<0.1<0.1
Sulfate, SO4-S1312
Chloride, Cl3434
Carbonate, CO3<19
Bicarbonate, HCO3447435
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3367372
Total Phosphorus, P<0.01<0.01
Total Iron, Fe0.010.01
« Last Edit: November 18, 2013, 12:36:16 pm by brianbgarber »

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #245 on: November 01, 2013, 01:01:41 am »
If you are going to use the post softener water for brewing, send a sample of that.
If you are going to use the pre softener water for brewing, send a sample of that.
If you are thinking you might want to blend them, send samples of both.
If you are not sure which to use, send both.

Although the fact that you are using a softener at all makes me think you should be using RO water and building from there.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline mabrungard

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #246 on: November 18, 2013, 06:55:26 pm »
That is a typical result. Only the Ca, Mg, and Na results really shift. Ion exchange softeners are very good at their job. 

PS: that unsoftened water has fairly high Mg. There is no need to ever add Mg to that water, so don't consider it. RO water would be a good addition to the brewing tools...just to reduce that Mg content.  The rest of the profile is OK...well excepting for the alkalinity that needs to be neutralized!
Martin B
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Offline brianbgarber

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #247 on: November 19, 2013, 06:45:42 am »
That is a typical result. Only the Ca, Mg, and Na results really shift. Ion exchange softeners are very good at their job. 

PS: that unsoftened water has fairly high Mg. There is no need to ever add Mg to that water, so don't consider it. RO water would be a good addition to the brewing tools...just to reduce that Mg content.  The rest of the profile is OK...well excepting for the alkalinity that needs to be neutralized!

Thank you for your insight Martin, your great article in the Nov/Dec '13 Zymurgy is what got me interested in looking into my brewing liquor. After working with the numbers on your spreadsheet I plan to use at least 50% RO from now on in my brews. So to help with the alkalinity, would you recommend using acid or just start with more RO?

P.S. I made a couple of beers with the softened tap water... no wonder my IPA tasted a bit harsh and salty! Lesson learned.

-Brian

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #248 on: November 25, 2013, 04:56:13 pm »
Klickitat Jim's Ward Report
PH 7.8
TDS 125
CAT/ANION 2.1/2.2

Sodium 8
Potassium 2
Calcium 17
Magnesium 10
Total hardness CoCO3 84
Nitrate .3
Sulfate <1
Chloride <1
Carbonate <1
Bicarbonate 130
Total alkaline 107
Total phosphorus .08
Total iron <.01

How's that?

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #249 on: November 25, 2013, 05:14:06 pm »
Klickitat Jim's Ward Report
PH 7.8
TDS 125
CAT/ANION 2.1/2.2

Sodium 8
Potassium 2
Calcium 17
Magnesium 10
Total hardness CoCO3 84
Nitrate .3
Sulfate <1
Chloride <1
Carbonate <1
Bicarbonate 130
Total alkaline 107
Total phosphorus .08
Total iron <.01

How's that?

That is pretty good water, except for the alkalinity, and that is not super high. You could brew many styles by adding some gypsum or CaCl2 to get the Ca and flavor ions. You might want to use acid or acidulated malt for very light beers. Use the water program of your choice to adjust for the beer you brew. I'm jealous of you guys in the PNW, for the quality of your water (you don't have Portland water, but it is pretty good).
Jeff Rankert
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Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #250 on: November 25, 2013, 05:19:57 pm »
+1 to the water envy. I wonder how much you could expect the water to change throughout the year in that area, with varying amounts of runoff from the mountains.  I know Jim's on a well though.
Jon H.

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #251 on: November 25, 2013, 06:00:29 pm »
Mine seems pretty stable by taste and appearance year round but for a couple weeks each spring when it clouds up a bit.
I'll be having fun crunching numbers on brewers friend. I don't have excel for Brun water sadly.

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #252 on: November 25, 2013, 06:08:58 pm »
Definitely good water. Good for darker beers, and as Jeff said it might take a little acid (I use lactic) but not much for lighter beers.  It'd be easy to boost calcium and flavor ions with calcium chloride and/or gypsum. Beats running out for RO every brew day !
Jon H.

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #253 on: November 25, 2013, 06:14:09 pm »
Beats running out for RO every brew day !

That is true!
Jeff Rankert
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BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #254 on: November 25, 2013, 06:58:20 pm »
Ran numbers for my light n malty, calls for 1 tsp lactic in the mash.
My IPA should get 1/2 tsp in sparge
Everything will need gypsum and IPA needs a lot. Calculator said 12g!