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Author Topic: Post your water report  (Read 195332 times)

Offline beersk

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #90 on: December 01, 2010, 12:06:29 pm »
How's this?  It's Madison, Wisconsin's report.  I'm planning to move there next summer.

Regulated Inorganics

Fluoride mg/L     1.2
Nitrate mg/L       3.9
Alkalinity mg/L   305
Calcium mg/L     70
Chloride mg/L     12
Copper μg/L        43
Hardness mg/L    350
Iron mg/L             0.03
Magnesium mg/L  41

pH (lab) s.u.  7.8
Sodium mg/L  6.6


I'm not sure how to read this...I'm assuming it's somewhat hard water, but with a little Camden, I'm sure it will be good for brewing most ales, like my water here in Iowa City.
« Last Edit: December 01, 2010, 12:36:30 pm by beersk »
Jesse

Offline Tim McManus

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #91 on: December 01, 2010, 05:31:21 pm »
Haskell, NJ (Wanaque Boro)

Code: [Select]

pH....................................................................7.8
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est .....................................245
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm ....................................0.41
Cations / Anions, me/L .........................................4.0 / 3.8

                                                                      ppm
Sodium, Na ............................................................21
Potassium, K ...........................................................1
Calcium, Ca ...........................................................44
Magnesium, Mg .........................................................11
Total Hardness,CaCO3 ................................................ 156
Nitrate, NO3-N ............................................... 0.3 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S .........................................................7
Chloride, Cl ..........................................................41
Carbonate, CO3 ......................................................  <1
Bicarbonate, HCO3 ....................................................132
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 ..............................................108

"<" - Not Detected / Below Detection Limit

Tim McManus
Haskell, NJ

Offline James Lorden

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #92 on: December 01, 2010, 06:28:15 pm »
Forest Hill, MD - near Jarretsville (well)

Ward Labs (Sulfate as Sulfer conversion applied)

Calcium        Magnesium         Alkalinity as CaCO3        Sodium                Chloride         Sulfate                  Water pH

   19               7                              33                        9                    18                 18                        6.3
« Last Edit: December 08, 2010, 08:44:10 am by James Lorden »
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Offline James Lorden

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #93 on: December 07, 2010, 12:50:30 pm »
AJ deLange has a post on the Brewing Network forum about something he just found out about the Ward Labs report (if you don't know who he is, let me just say that when he writes about water chemistry I read it and hope I understand what he has to say).   If you look at the reports, SO4 is listed as SO4-S, which means the number reported is the sulfur.  AJ says to multiply by 3 to get the Sulfate as ppm.


Can someone explain why the multiplyer is three?
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Offline johnf

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #94 on: December 07, 2010, 01:00:34 pm »
AJ deLange has a post on the Brewing Network forum about something he just found out about the Ward Labs report (if you don't know who he is, let me just say that when he writes about water chemistry I read it and hope I understand what he has to say).   If you look at the reports, SO4 is listed as SO4-S, which means the number reported is the sulfur.  AJ says to multiply by 3 to get the Sulfate as ppm.


Can someone explain why the multiplyer is three?

ppm SO4-S is ppm of sulfate in terms of the sulfur component of the sulfate only. The molecular mass of sulfur is about 1/3 that of sulfate so to get to SO4 as sulfate you multiply by 3. The latter is what is discussed in brewing texts, assumed in spreadsheets, etc.

Offline James Lorden

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #95 on: December 07, 2010, 04:20:02 pm »
So then parts per million is a measure of weight and not actual particles?  Don't know why this confuses me - it just doesn't seem logical.  I'm thinking sulfate is 1 sulfer surrounded by 4 oxygen so if I have so if I have 5 sulfate particles then I have 5 sulfers and 20 oxygens.

In that case assuming all sulfer is part of sulfate the parts per million of sulfer is the same.... I guess it doesn't work like that though?
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Offline hopbumpingbrewer

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #96 on: December 10, 2010, 03:34:07 pm »
Sonoma California 95476

pH 8.5

All in ppm
Na = 17
K = <1
Ca = 23
Mg = 14
CaCO3  =116
NO3  = 0.4
SO4 = 6
Cl = 7
CO3 = 6
HCO3 = 142

Total Alkalinity as CaCO3 = 126

Fairly balanced.

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #97 on: December 11, 2010, 01:24:34 am »
So then parts per million is a measure of weight and not actual particles?  Don't know why this confuses me - it just doesn't seem logical.  I'm thinking sulfate is 1 sulfer surrounded by 4 oxygen so if I have so if I have 5 sulfate particles then I have 5 sulfers and 20 oxygens.

In that case assuming all sulfer is part of sulfate the parts per million of sulfer is the same.... I guess it doesn't work like that though?
Correct, it is typically parts of mass.  If it is 20 ppm, then it is 20 g per 1000 kg, or 20 mg per kg, or 20 ug per g, etc.  And since 1 liter of water weighs 1 kg (ish) it can sometimes be referred to as weight/volume.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline micsager

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #98 on: December 13, 2010, 09:19:56 am »
OK, here's my report:

pH ..................................................................6.9
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est .......................249
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm ......................0.41
Cations / Anions, me/L .....................................4.1 / 4.0

Sodium, Na ......................................................11
Potassium, K ....................................................< 1
Calcium, Ca .....................................................42
Magnesium, Mg ................................................18
Total Hardness, CaCO3 .....................................180
Nitrate, NO3-N ..................................................7.1 (UNSAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S ...................................................5
Chloride, Cl .......................................................14
Carbonate, CO3 .................................................< 1
Bicarbonate, HCO3 .............................................157
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 .......................................129

I knew my nitrates would be high, and glad to see the hardness level.  Anyone got any words of wisdom?  I generally brew IPA's, Ambers, and Pales.  

Oh, this is just outside Sequim, Washington, 80 foot well at 47.872  122.909   (and through a sediment filter)
« Last Edit: December 13, 2010, 03:50:00 pm by micsager »

Offline mabrungard

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #99 on: December 13, 2010, 03:06:37 pm »
As micsager expected, the water is fairly hard and alkaline.  The RA comes out at about 90 which should be good for Amber to Brown beers with little adjustment.  He would probably need to cut the alkalinity with minor acid additions to brew a crisp pale colored beer.   I calculate that he would need about 0.4 to 0.5 mL of 88% lactic acid per gallon of mash water for the pale beers.  He still can use a little more alkalinity to brew black beers, but might be able to get by. 

The sparge water will need about 0.6 mL of 88% lactic acid per gallon of sparge water to bring the pH down under 6.0. 

I notice that Ward Labs calls the 7.1 Nitrate concentration "safe".  The maximum level that EPA allows for nitrate is 10 mg/L, but that is for nitrate reported "as nitrate" and Ward reports "as nitrogen".  That means that the actual nitrate level for this water is about 31 mg/L, which is getting up there.  This water is OK for adults to drink, but not newborns.  Just be aware of that. 
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Offline micsager

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #100 on: December 13, 2010, 03:51:18 pm »
As micsager expected, the water is fairly hard and alkaline.  The RA comes out at about 90 which should be good for Amber to Brown beers with little adjustment.  He would probably need to cut the alkalinity with minor acid additions to brew a crisp pale colored beer.   I calculate that he would need about 0.4 to 0.5 mL of 88% lactic acid per gallon of mash water for the pale beers.  He still can use a little more alkalinity to brew black beers, but might be able to get by. 

The sparge water will need about 0.6 mL of 88% lactic acid per gallon of sparge water to bring the pH down under 6.0. 

I notice that Ward Labs calls the 7.1 Nitrate concentration "safe".  The maximum level that EPA allows for nitrate is 10 mg/L, but that is for nitrate reported "as nitrate" and Ward reports "as nitrogen".  That means that the actual nitrate level for this water is about 31 mg/L, which is getting up there.  This water is OK for adults to drink, but not newborns.  Just be aware of that. 
Thanks for catching that.  I just retyped, did not cut and paste.  The Wardlabs report does say unsafe for the nitrates.  No newborns for the last 16 years, and never at this house. 

Also, thanks for the advice.

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #101 on: December 13, 2010, 04:42:21 pm »
Thanks for catching that.  I just retyped, did not cut and paste.  The Wardlabs report does say unsafe for the nitrates.  No newborns for the last 16 years, and never at this house. 
Now I know why your neighbor got that new water system installed.  I think I'd be tempted to pipe some water over from your neighbors for brew day Mic, and leave the tap water for the dishes, toilet, and shower.  On the other hand, your hops and other plants should be happy getting that water. :)
Tom Schmidlin

Offline micsager

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #102 on: December 14, 2010, 08:48:56 am »
Thanks for catching that.  I just retyped, did not cut and paste.  The Wardlabs report does say unsafe for the nitrates.  No newborns for the last 16 years, and never at this house. 
Now I know why your neighbor got that new water system installed.  I think I'd be tempted to pipe some water over from your neighbors for brew day Mic, and leave the tap water for the dishes, toilet, and shower.  On the other hand, your hops and other plants should be happy getting that water. :)

Is it just the nitrates, or is there something else?  (I guess you'll avoid my beers when judging the Cascade Brewers Cup, huh?  LOL)

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #103 on: December 14, 2010, 10:28:54 am »
It's just the nitrates.  Even if it is below the cutoff level for adults, it's still pretty high.  I'd be worried about seasonal variations causing a spike.  I would imagine with all of the rain we've been having the level is quite a bit diluted now, so it could be higher at other times of the year.  I don't really know how that stuff works, and besides you're in the rain shadow, aren't you?

Anyway, call me paranoid but I'd want to get the water tested again at different times of year and see if it changes.
Tom Schmidlin

jaybeerman

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Re: Post your water report
« Reply #104 on: December 15, 2010, 12:02:03 am »

Should I be concerned with Lithium content?  How much campden would you use? Should I dilute with distilled?  Mmm sodium, sulfate, bicarbonate  ;D ...but it did make for a nice soak today.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2010, 12:16:09 am by jaybeerman »