Newport RI water report just in! What do you think.

So I just got a water report in what do you think? I would like to make a wit beer next should I try any alterations?


Total hardness as CaCO3 - 50ppm
Alkalinity as CaCO3- 29ppm
pH- 8.5 (+/- 0.2)
Sodium- 29.5-49.5 ppm ( Jan-Mar 2012)
Chloride - 47ppm


Lawton Valley Water Treatment Plant effluent:

Total hardness as CaCO3- 50ppm
Alkalinity as CaCO3- 32ppm
pH- 8.5 (+/- 0.2)
Sodium- 25.0- 26.7ppm
Chloride- 50ppm

We do not have data for Ammonia, sulfate, calcium or magnesium

The Nitrite Nitrate data is sampled from the reservoirs prior to treatment. This information is provided in the CCR

2012 Nitrite (range from all reservoirs) ND to 0.03 ppm
2012 Nitrate (range for all reservoirs) 0.24- 1.37ppm

Nice. See the Primer. You are close enough to qualify.

How did you go about having the water tested?
I just finished building a kal clone in NK and will be trying my first AG brew this weekend!

I would like to have the analysis on my water in NK so I can start making sense of the brew science.

Thanks and good luck!

I just shot an email to the water company asking for the specifics. They took a long time to respond but I finally got that as a reply good luck!

I'm still fairly new at brewing and from what I understand my ph is fairly high. What's the best way to lower it taking into account my water profile?

aarong said:

I'm still fairly new at brewing and from what I understand my ph is fairly high. What's the best way to lower it taking into account my water profile?

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The pH is high because the water company adds slaked lime to raise it to reduce corrosion of metal pipes. Since the residual alkalinity is low just ignore it. The mash pH is what is of concern here and with the low alkalinity the mash will drop the pH quickly, especially with a small Calcium addition.

aarong said:

I just shot an email to the water company asking for the specifics. They took a long time to respond but I finally got that as a reply good luck!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip! As soon as I read your post, I called up the North Kingstown water # and left a message. Less than 2 mins later they called me back. I told them I was getting into home brewing and they offered to mail me the current water report for the water tower that handles my area. It arrived the next day! Best customer service I have ever experienced.

My all grain batches have been consistently very bitter. More then the recipes are designed for I diluted with half spring water last batch. I'm going to try 2 tsp of calcium chloride and 1/2 r/o water.

It worked my brew did not have a terrible bitter after taste. Thanks for the advice.