What to ask for in water report??

I think my water is really messing with my beers and I've read a ton of the threads on this board regarding water profiles. So don't tell me to use the search. I've done it and I found 10 different answers so I'm looking for some clarification please

I just called my city water department and talked to a really cool guy that said if I send him a list of what I want to know about the water, he will come up with every number that I need.

So I've read that some things matter and some things don't but I want a comprehensive list of every water statistic that could effect my brewing.

Can you help me build a list of what I need to ask for??? Thanks a lot!

A mineral ion analysis.

"A mineral ion analysis."

I'm sure this would cover it but he wanted specific numbers of what would help. Plus don't I want to know things like if chlorine or chloramine are used, or would asking for a mineral ion analysis cover that?

I guess I'm looking for an item by item list that actually pertains to brewing and eliminating asking him for numbers that don't have anything to do with it.

Calcium Ca (ppm):
Magnesium Mg (ppm):
Sodium NA (ppm):
Sulfate SO4 (ppm):
Chloride Cl (ppm):

Calcium Carbonate CaCO3 (ppm):
and/or
Bicarbonate HCO3 (ppm):

and
pH:

ibrewit said:

Calcium Ca (ppm):
Magnesium Mg (ppm):
Sodium NA (ppm):
Sulfate SO4 (ppm):
Chloride Cl (ppm):

Calcium Carbonate CaCO3 (ppm):
and/or
Bicarbonate HCO3 (ppm):

and
pH:

Click to expand...

These are from my water company's recent report. Should I be adjusting in any way?

Calcium (mg/L) 5.9
Magnesium (mg/L) < 1
Sulfate (mg/L) 6.6
Sodium (mg/L) 34
Chloride (mg/L) 28
Iron (mg/L) 0.063
Total Hardness as CaCO3 (mg/L) 14.7
pH (Standard Units) 7.33
Alkalinity as CaCO3 (mg/L) 49.2

Thanks!

Mike

Wow, you have very soft water. Somebody can smack me around a little if I am wrong, but if you are brewing from extracts I don't think water chemistry matters much. As long as you like the taste and get the chlorine out with a carbon filter, campden tablets or preboil it should be fine.

If you are mashing I highly recommend reading Palmer:
http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15.html
You can download and use the nomograph and spreadsheet tool from 15.3.

ibrewit said:

Wow, you have very soft water. Somebody can smack me around a little if I am wrong, but if you are brewing from extracts I don't think water chemistry matters much. As long as you like the taste and get the chlorine out with a carbon filter, campden tablets or preboil it should be fine.

If you are mashing I highly recommend reading Palmer:
http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15.html
You can download and use the nomograph and spreadsheet tool from 15.3.

Click to expand...

I carbon filter all of the water. And all grain, no extract. Thanks for the link - I'll check it out.

Just posting one quick bump. Would anyone add something to this list when listing items you want to know about for the water company???

HarryHood1 said:

Just posting one quick bump. Would anyone add something to this list when listing items you want to know about for the water company???

Click to expand...

You will want everything in this spreadsheet

Edcculus said:

You will want everything in this spreadsheet

Click to expand...

Thanks but that link doesn't work. Can you try to post again??

here you go

I updated the original post too

Does filtering your water with a charcoal filter from the tap change how you setup your spreadsheet at all?? I don't think it does. It just removes chlorine right??