Water Quality Report Help

Ok,

I've made 15 straight kick butt beers...then I moved to a new apartment in another county about 7-10 miles from my old place. Now all of my beers have the same taste.

1 had a brett infection, but the others don't show any filmyness like that one, so I have to assume (for the moment) that it's not that.

All the rest have this chalky charcoal aftertaste. The beer is great until the aftertaste, and it all smells like sulphur too.

The only thing that has changed since we moved is the water (since I brewed the same recipe before and after moving and the 2nd one sucks). So I found my online water report, and I have NO idea what it means and if I have crappy water.

Can anyone take a peek and let me know if I need to start buying water for brew day?

http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/dpw/ws/waterquality.html#SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT

Try getting one of those filters, I know some of the guys use them. The sulfur sounds like it could be from Pyritic rock or something. Iron is a big problem, you'll have acidic water.

Most likely you'll need a pH adjustment and flavor filter.

Are you talking like a Brita filter on my sink tap? or some sort of larger filtering device for the brew itself?

Are you doing anything to get rid of the chlorine?

Umm...no. Last place I was at was fine so I never worried about it before.

I'm truly worried that there's something SO bad in my water that just putting in a filter won't be enough.

Well, it looks like your water report is incomplete. I don't see sulfate listed, and many of the secondary cations and anions (+ and - ions) aren't listed. Your water company gets its water from both surface and groundwater sources, so it is hard to say as a general rule what could be in it without further info. You could perhaps call and ask for a Water Report for Specialized Water Use Customers (don't know if this is required by EPA regs or not, but my city does it) and they include a more comprehensive listing of concentrations of non-contaminant dissolved solids. Otherwise, if you're so inclined there is a company that many people on these forums have used to get water tests.

A chalky taste might be calcium carbonate precipitated out of your water if it is pretty hard, but this should precipitate when you boil and be swept up in sediment during a racking step. Unless you pour your yeast with your beer, you shouldn't see too much of a problem with calcium carbonate.

I suggest brewing a batch or two with all bottled water, and comparing it to your past results. This should give you an indication of whether or not it is sanitation or your water.

Edit: Both dissolved iron and hydrogen sulfide shouldn't be a problem if you're on a public water system. Both are oxidized by the chlorine used for disinfection.