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**chipsah** · 01-14-2013, 11:39 PM

I just got my water report back from Ward Labs. I've run the numbers through the EZ Water Calculator and Bru'n Water and compared my results with Palmer's recommended ranges. Essentially, it looks like everything is pretty low. I already use campden tablets to remove chlorine, but I am wondering how worried I should be about the low values. I guess my question is, at what point am I adding to many things to my water? Thanks in advance for the help.

Starting Water:
pH 7.8
TDS 59
Electrical Conductivity .10
Cations/Anions me/L 1.0/0.6

Na 4
K 1
Ca 13
Mg 1
Total Hardness, CaCO3 37
NO3-N .1
SO4-S 3
Cl 5
CO3 <1
HCO3 15
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 12
P 0.42
Fe <0.01

***Yooper*** · 01-14-2013, 11:51 PM

Wow- I have water envy.

I bought an RO system about a year ago for my house, so that I could have water similar to yours!

You can make any beer, with a few additions. I'm jealous.

**chipsah** · 01-15-2013, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yooper

Wow- I have water envy.

I bought an RO system about a year ago for my house, so that I could have water similar to yours!

You can make any beer, with a few additions. I'm jealous.

Thanks, Yooper. So... no worries about adding grams of brewing salts (e.g. 4 g calcium chloride and 4 g Epsom salt) to achieve an intended target?

Also, is it best to just treat the mash (continuous recirc, direct fire) or should sparge water be treated as well?

Finally, do the campden tablets need to be considered with regards to a water profile target?

***Yooper*** · 01-15-2013, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chipsah

Thanks, Yooper. So... no worries about adding grams of brewing salts (e.g. 4 g calcium chloride and 4 g Epsom salt) to achieve an intended target?

Also, is it best to just treat the mash (continuous recirc, direct fire) or should sparge water be treated as well?

Finally, do the campden tablets need to be considered with regards to a water profile target?

No epsom salt! Use gypsum instead if you want to increase sulfate. (Malt has plenty of magnesium, and it has a, um, laxative, effect in higher concentrations. You never need to add it).

Remember that since your sulfate is reported as S04-S to multiply by three in the spreadsheets. It's still low, but I thought I'd mention that.

I don't treat my sparge water for 10 gallon batches, as all the water doesn't fit in the HLT! But normally you would.

I normally go on the "low" end of acceptable for all things in Brunwater, but I like lower sulfate even in my IPAs. I'd suggest starting low (following the water primer in the sticky) because oftentimes "less is more" works well.

**chipsah** · 01-15-2013, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yooper

No epsom salt! Use gypsum instead if you want to increase sulfate. (Malt has plenty of magnesium, and it has a, um, laxative, effect in higher concentrations. You never need to add it).

This is exactly why I ask before doing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yooper

Remember that since your sulfate is reported as S04-S to multiply by four in the spreadsheets. It's still low, but I thought I'd mention that.

Thanks for the reminder. Luckily, the folks who put the spreadsheets together illustrated that and I did read it in the sticky.