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Author Topic: Post your water report  (Read 195771 times)

Offline zwiller

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #375 on: August 22, 2016, 09:25:29 am »
This is a Ward Labs report from a few years ago. Pretty stable Lake Michigan sourced NW Indiana water. What do you all think of it?

Ca: 35ppm
Mg: 12ppm
Na: 8ppm
Cl: 18ppm
So4: 24ppm

Alk: 106
Bicarbonate: 128
ph: ~8

It looks like water from a Great Lake - they are all look similar.

Good for Amber-ish to brownish beers. You need to cut with RO or distilled water for light colored lagers or ales.

+1; You can also use acid to adjust for these quite successfully.   
Sam
Sandusky, OH

Offline smalenberg

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #376 on: November 05, 2016, 08:02:56 am »
Warren, MI (Detroit water), tested with LaMotte kit 10/5/16

pH 7

Total hardness 80
Calcium hardness 50
Calcium 20
Magnesium Hardness 30
Magnesium 7.2
Chloride 20
Sulfate 5
Total Alkalinity (CaCo3) 80
Sodium 13
Steve Smalenberg
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Offline Larix

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #377 on: January 05, 2017, 09:26:04 pm »
From Ward Laboratories
Just move to Porter Indiana - well water with water softener :(


pH 7,4
Total Dissolved Solids                 1241
Electrical Conductivity mmho/cm  2,07
Cations/Anions me/L                  19,1/19,4

Sodium, Na                                436
Potasium, K                                2
Calcium, Ca                                2
Magnesium, Mg                           <1
Total Hardness, CaCo3   5
Nitrate                                       <0,1
Sulfate, SO4-S                            22
Chloride, Cl                                460
Carbonate, CO3                           <1,0
Bicarbonate, HCO3                      297
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3                 244
Total Phosphorus, P                     0,03
Total Iron, Fe                             0,02


Should I start collect rain water, or just stick with gose :D

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #378 on: January 06, 2017, 11:06:22 am »
From Ward Laboratories
Just move to Porter Indiana - well water with water softener :(


pH 7,4
Total Dissolved Solids                 1241
Electrical Conductivity mmho/cm  2,07
Cations/Anions me/L                  19,1/19,4

Sodium, Na                                436
Potasium, K                                2
Calcium, Ca                                2
Magnesium, Mg                           <1
Total Hardness, CaCo3   5
Nitrate                                       <0,1
Sulfate, SO4-S                            22
Chloride, Cl                                460
Carbonate, CO3                           <1,0
Bicarbonate, HCO3                      297
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3                 244
Total Phosphorus, P                     0,03
Total Iron, Fe                             0,02


Should I start collect rain water, or just stick with gose :D
Low Ca, high HCO3, Na, and Cl make that not suited to brewing.

I would use RO water.
Jeff Rankert
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BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline Larix

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #379 on: January 07, 2017, 10:49:21 am »
Thank you!
I'm searching on reverse osmosis products. Some systems have to enrich the levels of oxygen in their water. Is this have any impact for brewing?  https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01MSWO8HC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=RGRQDF0G60MC&coliid=I33744VXFI45Q4

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #380 on: January 07, 2017, 11:30:15 am »
Thank you!
I'm searching on reverse osmosis products. Some systems have to enrich the levels of oxygen in their water. Is this have any impact for brewing?  https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01MSWO8HC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=RGRQDF0G60MC&coliid=I33744VXFI45Q4
There are several threads on removing O2 from water, and the whole process.

The system you linked is nice, but it adds alkalinity back in, which may not be so good for brewing depending on the amount, but it is good for your plumbing.
Jeff Rankert
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Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline curtdogg

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #381 on: January 10, 2017, 12:09:45 pm »
The water for San Diego, CA in May 2009:

pH:                              7.8
Sodium (Na):                  99
Potassium (K):                 5
Calcium (Ca):                 70
Magnesium (Mg):            25
Sulfate (SO4):                66
Chloride (Cl):                  96
Bicarbonate (HCO3):       141     
Total Hardness (CaCO3): 279
Total Alkalinity (CaCO3):  115
Looks good for a malty Brown Ale?
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Offline WattsOnTap

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #382 on: January 13, 2017, 11:19:51 am »
Tried getting my water report from the local utility, but they would only provide what the EPA requires them to report (contaminants) and total alkalinity. 

I've seen folks posting the results from Ward Labs and I think I'm going to go that route.  Question is, if I normally use a 10" carbon block filter on brew day to remove the chlorine should I filter the sample just as if brewing (I think I can already hear the screams of Yes!) or test a totally unfiltered sample, or open the wallet some more and test filtered and unfiltered?  Would there be that much of a difference in the mineral content between the two?

Offline WattsOnTap

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #383 on: January 30, 2017, 07:03:44 pm »
Ward Labs results came in today.  I sent two samples: 1) for Brewer's test and 2) for Household test.  Based on the results listed, I think the samples got crossed.  I ran the same water supply through your generic 10" carbon block filter one of the tests.  Results below -

                               Sample 1      Sample 2
pH                                       6.6      8.6
Total Dissolved Solids               65      62
Electrical Conductivity             0.11      0.10
Cations/Anions                1.0 / 0.9      1.0 / 1.0
         
Sodium, Na                               10      10
Potassium, K                             1        1
Calcium, Ca                               10      10
Magnesium, Mg                       < 1      < 1
Total Hardness, CaCO3                29      29
Nitrate, NO3-N                        0.3      < 0.1
Sulfate, SO4-S                           5       3
Chloride, Cl                                 7      5
Carbonate, CO3                    < 1.0      < 1.0
Bicarbonate, HCO3                     19       36
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3                16       31
Total Phosphorus, P                 0.02      
Flouride, F                                          0.3
Total Iron, Fe                       0.03       0.11

I was a little surprised to see the bicarbonate, alkalinity, and pH go up so much with the filter in place.  This was an old filter, one used often.  Maybe it hasn't been stored so great.

Source is public water supply, Anne Arundel County, MD - Odenton/Crofton supply.

Offline muzak

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #384 on: March 15, 2017, 10:06:16 am »
I just moved to a new city and figured I'd research what the water is like.

Rialto, Ca. 2015 Water report

Sodium (Na):                 15.3
Potassium (K):               3.5
Calcium (Ca):                 70
Magnesium (Mg):            13
Sulfate (SO4):                50
Chloride (Cl):                 8.9
Bicarbonate (HCO3):       229.7     
Total Hardness (CaCO3):  228
Total Alkalinity (CaCO3):  191

Can this very hard water be "fixed"? Or what styles is this profile suited to?
John L.
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Offline stpug

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #385 on: March 15, 2017, 10:57:46 am »
I just moved to a new city and figured I'd research what the water is like.

Rialto, Ca. 2015 Water report

Sodium (Na):                 15.3
Potassium (K):               3.5
Calcium (Ca):                 70
Magnesium (Mg):            13
Sulfate (SO4):                50
Chloride (Cl):                 8.9
Bicarbonate (HCO3):       229.7     
Total Hardness (CaCO3):  228
Total Alkalinity (CaCO3):  191

Can this very hard water be "fixed"? Or what styles is this profile suited to?

I believe that water is fairly well suited to decarbing via boil/decant method, which would leave you with a bicarbonate level that's easily dealt with using a little acid.  An alternative would be not decarbing, and just using acid to deal with bicarbonate which would require a fair amount more acid but potentially still reasonable enough to stay under a taste threshold (especially if using phosphoric acid, or mix of acids).  I'm still a water novice so my suggestions may be a little off the mark, or I may have overlooked something glaringly obvious.  If nothing else, it's a decent base water for dark beers but you'd probably want to up the chloride in most cases.

Offline kramerog

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #386 on: March 15, 2017, 05:35:51 pm »
I just moved to a new city and figured I'd research what the water is like.

Rialto, Ca. 2015 Water report

Sodium (Na):                 15.3
Potassium (K):               3.5
Calcium (Ca):                 70
Magnesium (Mg):            13
Sulfate (SO4):                50
Chloride (Cl):                 8.9
Bicarbonate (HCO3):       229.7     
Total Hardness (CaCO3):  228
Total Alkalinity (CaCO3):  191

Can this very hard water be "fixed"? Or what styles is this profile suited to?
The water is probably pretty good for making dark beers with little to no mash pH adjustment.  Other beers will benefit from adjusting.

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Offline muzak

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #387 on: March 16, 2017, 12:36:39 am »
Thanks for all the advice.

I brewed some of my house recipes and they just didn't taste the same, and the only variable that changed was the water. Which led me to research what my new water was like.

I did some research on water chemistry and now my head is spinning, but I do feel that I learned some things.

It looks like Pilsners and other light styles will be best if brewed with RO and some Calcium.

Bitter beers will either require acid, additives and or dilution.

Malty Ambers and Dark beers can be brewed as is.
John L.
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Planning: Simcoe SMaSH
Bubbling:
Drinking: Saison, Amber Ale, APA, American Strong Ale

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #388 on: March 16, 2017, 08:27:54 am »
Thanks for all the advice.

I brewed some of my house recipes and they just didn't taste the same, and the only variable that changed was the water. Which led me to research what my new water was like.

I did some research on water chemistry and now my head is spinning, but I do feel that I learned some things.

It looks like Pilsners and other light styles will be best if brewed with RO and some Calcium.

Bitter beers will either require acid, additives and or dilution.

Malty Ambers and Dark beers can be brewed as is.
Your take on Pilsners is correct.

Hardness in itself is not a problem, as you want Ca in the water for various reasons. Mg is not bad either, if not to high.

Alkalinity is a problem, and that is why you can try acid, boiling, or slaked lime treatments. All of those take some time and work on your part. All of those techniques will drop the alkalinity, and boiling takes out some of the Ca too. The flavor ions, Na,Cl, SO4, are not dropped with those techniques.

 I find RO is the way to go for me. I have used a blend of RO and tap for a couple of beers. It is easy for me to just use RO and add some brewing water salts.
Jeff Rankert
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Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline bayareabrewer

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #389 on: March 16, 2017, 09:32:28 am »
My house has can receive water from two different sources and sometimes they blend the two. That means I have no way to reliably tell what my water contains. pretty big bummer but there's a water shop less than a mile from me that I get RO water from.