Water Testing - Duluth, MN

I have helped my buddy with many, many batches of beer (partial mash). We are stepping up to all grain and I feel we need to know a little more about the water we are using. We live in Duluth, MN. I will ask the local authority for a water analysis. My buddy has always refused to use the municipal water and instead opts to use my brother in laws well water. He has no scientific reason for this but its just his feeling. I am looking also into which test kit I should buy to test water myself myself and also the mash ph. The other thing I am thinking is for anyone familiar with Duluth, there is a natural fed spring that is piped out just off i35 and midway road. I try to fill a drinking bottle every time i go by there as that water always tastes good. Are there any Duluthians that have any experience with the water I am talking about.

Anyway any help with this before I jump in would be appreciated.

Mike in Duluth

That well water will definitely need to be tested separately from the muni water, because the well water won't have the additives or filtering the muni water has. Either should be fine (you may be able to obtain a water report on the muni water from the city water dept.).

As far as testing the well water goes, I'd just use Ward Labs. They are quick, cheap, and accurate. Getting your own water testing kit that would tell you everything you actually need to know would be pretty excessive, I imagine.

Measuring the mash pH simply isn't something I'd worry about unless you notice poor efficiency and can't explain it any other way. Just use the spreadsheets out there to get your residual alkalinity where it should be and have faith.

I'd suggest contacting your local homebrew club for some local experience from brewers using your local water.

http://www.northernalestars.org/

Thanks jawbox, I actually just found that group myself a couple nights ago and submitted to join, still getting the dreaded "your membership is awaiting approval of the group owner" message. I dont think I can post there til that happens, hopefully soon.

Mojo, ill check into wards labs, thanks.

edit for some new found info:

While waiting for the current one to be mailed I did find a 2008 report from Duluth, the measurements are on page 2 of this pdf.

http://www.duluthstreams.org/understanding/media/DULUTH_H2O_2008.pdf

still too green to know if any of this helps, but hopefully it will give me some ideas if the new one comes in with the numbers close to this older report.

Wow I have to admit I find this kinda funny. I used to live in Duluth and I have examined their water report many times. They have some of the cleanest, clearest water in the nation. It's pretty much filtered lake superior water.

On the other hand, my experiences with wells dug in around surrounding the hillside (hermantown, also south near west Duluth and also further south nearer to black bear casino) I have found the water to be tasting of rust.

To each his own. THe only thing about the lake water is it's so low in ppms (dissolved solids) that for brewing you may wish to use a calcium additive.

update on this now that i have several all grains under my belt. I started using only the spring water from the artisian well off midway road. Last 2 batches have been city of duluth water. All have turned out great.

Mike in Duluth

I have had the water from that well/spring on midway. Personally I didn't care for it as much as the city water. I heard that this spring water is from an aquifer. The city water is filtered lake water, I believe.. haven't lived there in 5 years sadly. Lively town