My Water Report from Ward Labs

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jakecpunut

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Anyway care to give me any input? How this will affect certain styles (I brew mostly IPA's) or what I need to add if anything to my brew day to correct anything assuming these numbers say there's a problem?

This is all Greek to me, I obviously need to learn about water chemistry!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

EDIT: This is a community well that is treated by the water company...

water.JPG
 
Pretty good stuff. A little too hard for Bohemian Pils (cut with RO water), a bit too soft for IPA (supplement with gypsum and calcium chloride). You might want to look at the Primer in the Stickies and/or one of the spreadsheets.
 
Pretty good stuff. A little too hard for Bohemian Pils (cut with RO water), a bit too soft for IPA (supplement with gypsum and calcium chloride). You might want to look at the Primer in the Stickies and/or one of the spreadsheets.

Thanks for the input! Question I forgot to ask.. I've been using a water filter attached to the end of my water hose to get rid of the hose taste and smell..

This one:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_149010-4335...=/pl__0__s?Ntt=water+filter&page=3&facetInfo=

Does that filter affect any of those numbers in the report? Meaning I didn't get the sample through the filter.
 
Activated carbon filters do not affect ion concentrations that are of interest to brewers. Be sure to keep the flow rate through these filters very low (~1 gpm) in order to remove taste and odor components from water.

That water is an envy. A great palate upon which to paint brewing flavor.
 
More to the point be sure that the hose is suitable for potable water. Many of the regular garden hoses have nasty plasticizers so that you don't want to drink water that comes from them especially water that has stood in them for some time. The best place to get suitable hoses is from a source that sells them for RV use. Even those should (according to the directions I got with the last one I bought) be flushed for a few minutes before actually taking the water you will drink or brew with from them. The fact that you need to get rid of smell and taste from the hose strongly suggests that you are not using a potable water hose.
 
More to the point be sure that the hose is suitable for potable water. Many of the regular garden hoses have nasty plasticizers so that you don't want to drink water that comes from them especially water that has stood in them for some time. The best place to get suitable hoses is from a source that sells them for RV use. Even those should (according to the directions I got with the last one I bought) be flushed for a few minutes before actually taking the water you will drink or brew with from them. The fact that you need to get rid of smell and taste from the hose strongly suggests that you are not using a potable water hose.

Well that's what I thought.. it actually is a "drinking safe" hose? Maybe I'm just getting the taste smell from the house pipes?
 
Activated carbon filters do not affect ion concentrations that are of interest to brewers. Be sure to keep the flow rate through these filters very low (~1 gpm) in order to remove taste and odor components from water.

That water is an envy. A great palate upon which to paint brewing flavor.

Thanks! Now I need to find a source on how to adjust my water for different styles..
 
Thanks! Now I need to find a source on how to adjust my water for different styles..

I have used Martin's Bru'n Water app for my last 3 brews and love it. It has been a great tool to tailor your water profile (there are dozens of standard target profiles included) as well as estimating mash pH. Highly recommended.
 
Maybe I'm just getting the taste smell from the house pipes?

Does water from the taps in the house have the same smell/taste. Is it a musty, earthy smell? If so it is probably from the well. Most municipal suppliers go through layers of GAC to knock these odors out but yours may not. If it isn't present in the taps then it is the hose and if it is the hose and the hose is drinking water quality then it shouldn't add any odors or tastes.
 
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