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chucke

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Location
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Yesterday evening I received the water profile info from Ward.

The two set of numbers represent one from the house tap, and the other from the well with a carbon filter.

House tap
pH 5.9
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) < 6
Electrical Conductivity < 0.01
Cations 0.1
Anions < 0.1
Sodium, Na 1
Calcium, Ca < 1
Magnesium, Mg < 1
Potassium, K < 1
Total Hardness, CaCO3 4
Nitrate, NO3-N 0.1 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S << 1
Carbonate, CO3 < 1
Bicarbonate, HCO3 3
Chloride, CL 1
Total Alkalinity 3
Total Iron, Fe not detected

Well w/filter
pH 6.1
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) 20
Electrical Conductivity 0.03
Cations 0.2
Anions 0.2
Sodium, Na 2
Calcium, Ca < 1
Magnesium, Mg < 1
Potassium, K < 1
Total Hardness, CaCO3 4
Nitrate, NO3-N 0.1 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S < 1
Carbonate, CO3 < 1
Bicarbonate, HCO3 6
Chloride, CL 1
Total Alkalinity 5
Total Iron, Fe not detected


Do these number look right?
(The water comes from a well, and the ground is clay/acidic.)

What should I be adding to water and/or mash?

Thanks,
 
The only thing that looks a little hokey is that the water from the tap (which I assume is right out of the well) has a lower ion content than water from the well which has been through the filter. As the filter touches note of the things listed on the Ward Labs report the numbers for both should be the same. But the differences are at the measurement noise level so I would just rejoice that what comes out of your tap is about the same as what comes out of my RO system and brew on that basis.

It will be necessary to add salts to the water for all your brews (though it would be possible to brew without doing so). For guidance in getting started see the Primer here under Brew Science.
 
No. Don't ever add calcium carbonate unless a pH meter reading shows that mash pH is too low. I suggest starting with an addition of calcium chloride alone (plus sauermalz to set mash pH). Then brew the same beer again with some calcium sulfate and see if you like it better with or without the sulfate. I suggest doing this way because lots of people find they like the beer better without but obviously you could (referring to the primer) start with equal amounts of sulfate and chloride and adjust from there.
 
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