Water Help Please?

Can someone shed some light on this water subject for me... I am trying to get a base result of my water. I live in Ione, California and have a link to the water source to which I get my drinking water:

http://www.amadorwater.org/PDFdocs/Annual%20CCR/CCR2012.pdf

I am trying to get a base number from which I can enter into the Brewer's Friend calculator. Simply trying to see what my water check out as.. Mostly want to get rid of any bitterness minerals.

Can someone who knows water take a look and let me know what levels I have in my water in relation to starting entries into the Brewer's Friend Calculator...

Thanks in advance...

Kaiden said:

Can someone shed some light on this water subject for me... I am trying to get a base result of my water. I live in Ione, California and have a link to the water source to which I get my drinking water:

http://www.amadorwater.org/PDFdocs/Annual CCR/CCR2012.pdf

I am trying to get a base number from which I can enter into the Brewer's Friend calculator. Simply trying to see what my water check out as.. Mostly want to get rid of any bitterness minerals.

Can someone who knows water take a look and let me know what levels I have in my water in relation to starting entries into the Brewer's Friend Calculator...

Thanks in advance...

Click to expand...

I would try the water primer sticky thread first. Your water is low in minerals/alkalinity.


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Thank you for your reply, I do appreciate you taking the time to help out. I did look at the primer sticky thread. This thread does not tell me what my base numbers are. I just am having a hard time reading the chart in the PDF. I was hoping someone could just translate it into a standard starting point for say the Brewer's Friend calculator. Once I have the starting point, I am sure the ball will start to roll. Just having trouble reading the water results.

In regards to the PDF I live in the AWS region, so the water quality which pertains to me is under this section...

I appreciate all the the help in advance.

Calcium 5.6, alkalinity as caco3 20, pH 7.6...sulfate 2...sodium 2...everything else can be 0...you should also use a campden tablet per 20 gallons of starting water

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afr0byte -

Thank you for taking the time to look this over! I appreciate it. I usually brew 5 gallon batches, in regards to the tablet would you suggest 1/4 tablet. I am in the process of reading Palmers..Water book so hopefully my water knowledge is a little refined after completion.

If I understand this correct, I can't use a tablet during the sparge correct? The only way to adjust the mash PH would be to use Acid, is this true?

I also just purchased a large carbon filtration unit which I am stopping down to less than one gallon per min in order to remove any chlorine in the water.

Again, I really appreciate your help...

Hi Kaiden - funny you say that you live in Ione ... my wife grew up there and my in-laws still live there (in fact, I'll be visiting next week).

Anyways - water. Although there are folks who really get into their water treatment, it's usually because they are trying to duplicate a water profile for a beer they want to copy, or because they are trying to maintain consistency from one beer to the next (for the latter - most homebrewers start with RO water and add salts from there).

Otherwise, I would recommend not getting too bogged down in water treatment (filter the chlorine as you say, and add a quarter of a campden tab to eliminate chloramine). Rather pay attention to your mash PH and adjust to try and keep it between 5.2 and 5.5.

Your malts will lower your mash ph, with darker malts having more impact than base malts. If you are brewing a light beer, you may need to add acid to lower ph - although, according to your water report, your water is relatively soft. If you are brewing darker beer ... I typically separate my crystal and dark malts from my base malts and add them to my mash in increments ... taking ph readings until I get to where I want. I then add the remainder of the dark malts during the last ten minutes of my mash, once enzymes have mostly done their thing.

Should you need to raise your mash ph ... either try adding more water, or get your hands on some pickling lime. Some will suggest CaCO3, baking soda, or chalk ... but those can have an undesired impact on flavor.

MrBoz -

Thanks for the reply! In regards to Ione, small world! I love this County and probably will never move! Thank you for the advice in regards to my water quality. The main purpose is to simply improve my beer. I have been brewing for years and have really only used RO water and monitored my PH with a digital PH Meter, with this said I have only ever used a PH Stabilizer which never really worked out well. I am currently building an exact replica of Kal's Electric Brewery only I am using 55 Gallon Blichmanns. I am just about done with the build and really want to focus on water as this is pretty much the main area I have been lacking in. This new system will allow me to always get the correct mash temps etc, while keeping things more automated.

To be honest my Mash PH usually higher than I would like, say 5.9 on average... Just have never messed with Acid..


If you are in the area, I live in the golf course community, perhaps you can school me on water! LOL!

Kaiden said:

afr0byte -

Thank you for taking the time to look this over! I appreciate it. I usually brew 5 gallon batches, in regards to the tablet would you suggest 1/4 tablet. I am in the process of reading Palmers..Water book so hopefully my water knowledge is a little refined after completion.

If I understand this correct, I can't use a tablet during the sparge correct? The only way to adjust the mash PH would be to use Acid, is this true?

I also just purchased a large carbon filtration unit which I am stopping down to less than one gallon per min in order to remove any chlorine in the water.

Again, I really appreciate your help...

Click to expand...

If you're using such a carbon filter you can likely skip the tablet. The tablet wasn't for changing pH. Anyways acid is going to be one way you'd change the ph, lowering it. However, for some dark beers you may need to add a bit of calcium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide to raise mash pH. Adding calcium and magnesium also lowers pH in the mash some.

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Kaiden said:

MrBoz -

Thanks for the reply! In regards to Ione, small world! I love this County and probably will never move! Thank you for the advice in regards to my water quality. The main purpose is to simply improve my beer. I have been brewing for years and have really only used RO water and monitored my PH with a digital PH Meter, with this said I have only ever used a PH Stabilizer which never really worked out well. I am currently building an exact replica of Kal's Electric Brewery only I am using 55 Gallon Blichmanns. I am just about done with the build and really want to focus on water as this is pretty much the main area I have been lacking in. This new system will allow me to always get the correct mash temps etc, while keeping things more automated.

To be honest my Mash PH usually higher than I would like, say 5.9 on average... Just have never messed with Acid..


If you are in the area, I live in the golf course community, perhaps you can school me on water! LOL!

Click to expand...

Castle Oaks! I've lost plenty of balls and left plenty of divots there. As for water, I'm not sure I can school anyone ... my opinions/attitudes have shifted after having conversations with a whole bunch of brewers (Colorado is full of them) who all say that they mostly monitor PH and don't really do much else to treat the water. Also, I joined up with a local homebrew club that has been highly ranked nationally for medals won at various competitions and although our decorated members are versed in water treatment and its affects, they too say that their focus is on managing ph. (and starting with clean, chlorine/chloramine free water).

If you are coming in at 5.9 and with the water you are starting with, I'm guessing that you prefer to brew rather light styles (which makes sense given the hot summers you have). Work some acid malt into your routine, but add it like I described before about dark malts, in increments at the beginning of your mash so that you don't overshoot and drop below 5.2. In my 6-gallon batches I usually have to add about 4ozs for my light beers (pilsners, etc) and my water starts at 8.3ph.

If I get some down time from family while in Ione over the next couple weeks, I'll look you up on this forum and see if you're brewing ... would be fun to stop by and talk shop Cheers.

afr0byte said:

If you're using such a carbon filter you can likely skip the tablet. The tablet wasn't for changing pH. Anyways acid is going to be one way you'd change the ph, lowering it. However, for some dark beers you may need to add a bit of calcium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide to raise mash pH. Adding calcium and magnesium also lowers pH in the mash some.

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Click to expand...

I'd like to hear other opinions on this. I thought carbon filtering was all I needed to do as well, but got a couple score sheets that told me that they could taste chloramine in my beer. This got me asking folks who told me that carbon won't filter chloramine and that I would need to drop in some campden.

Both Campden tablets and GAC are effective against chloramine but whereas the bisulfite reaction is near instantaneous water must stay in contact with GAC for some time in order for the chloramine to fully react. Thus you need to adjust the flow rate through your filter to allow that contact time. The obvious way to do this is to try different flow rates and test the output water for chloramine as you do so.

Thanks for the feedback for sure. In regards to a filter I do clear my water before it goes into use. I clean my system and brew with the same base water.

The units I have are able to be turned down, slowing the output rate.

After getting through a ton of reading the past few days, I feel like I am having a water knowledge overload!

I have lactic acid, acid malt, and a digital ph meter so with my higher ph perhaps I am in the right track. Just need to figure out what dose I am going to need. Trial and error...

As for any chloramine I have Potassium Metabisulfite which I am still on the fence about...

Again thanks for all the help..

If your in the area, look me up, would like to know more about this Colorado brew club.. Sounds like a group of solid brewers...




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