Another Water Report question

[Beer-lord]

I use RO water but a few friends don't and I've gotten one of them to get a sample to Ward Labs and they got this:
pH 7.7
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 305
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.51
Cations / Anions, me/L 5.7 / 5.4

ppm
Sodium, Na 35
Potassium, K 3
Calcium, Ca 53.7
Magnesium, Mg 16
Total Hardness, CaCO3 202
Nitrate, NO3-N 1.0 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S 26
Chloride, Cl 35
Carbonate, CO3 < 1.0
Bicarbonate, HCO3 167
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 137
Total Phosphorus, P 0.16
Total Iron, Fe < 0.01

"<" - Not Detected / Below Detection Limit

I know how to adjust my water for RO but I actually know very little about it thanks to the calculators doing all the work.
So water nerds, tell me what this water is good for and what to look out for so I can help my besties out please.

I appreciate the help!

 

[Gnomebrewer]

That water has a moderately high level of bicarbonate (alkalinity) that needs to be neutralised for most brews.
167ppm Bicarbonate is 2.74mEq/L.
88% Lactic acid has 11.45mEq/mL at pH 5.4.
2.74/11.45 = 0.24mL; So, 0.24mL of 88% Lactic is needed per Liter of water to neutralise the alkalinity to pH 5.4. That's getting close to the flavour threshold of lactic acid in beer (which is somewhat variable). Without neutralising the alkalinity, that water will still make beer but only be in a decent pH range with very dark beers.
Beyond the alkalinity, there's a reasonable level of Calcium, but it could do with some more for most ales (Calcium chloride and/or gypsum). Sodium's higher than normal, but not anywhere near high enough to be an issue. Sulphate and chloride are both quite low. Nothing else really stands out.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Sulfate is actually 3 times higher than seen on your report, which is reporting only the 'S' portion of the 'SO4' ion. Apparently the only thing of interest to farmers is the sulfur, and Ward Lab is primarily for farmers.

The molecular weight of sulfur (S) is 32, and the molecular weight of sulfate (SO4) is 96.

96/32 = 3

3 x 26 = 78

So your sulfate as SO4 is 78 ppm. And your sulfur as S is 26 ppm.

Ward labs indicates (rather cryptically) that they are only reporting S by demarcating the reported item as SO4-S. Consider this their cryptic shorthand for "sulfur as derived from sulfate".

There is also sulfur as derived from hydrogen sulfide (HS), but that report requires more money, and also special handling of the sample.

 

[mabrungard]

That water isn't terrible, but it is somewhat mineralized. There are many styles that it will suit, but there are other styles where RO will be a better choice.

 

[Beer-lord]

Thanks much for the info.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

They could mix their water 50/50 with RO or distilled water to lower the mineral concentration if they aren't ready to go 100% RO.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

That water has a moderately high level of bicarbonate (alkalinity) that needs to be neutralised for most brews.
167ppm Bicarbonate is 2.74mEq/L.
88% Lactic acid has 11.45mEq/mL at pH 5.4.
2.74/11.45 = 0.24mL; So, 0.24mL of 88% Lactic is needed per Liter of water to neutralise the alkalinity to pH 5.4. That's getting close to the flavour threshold of lactic acid in beer (which is somewhat variable). Without neutralising the alkalinity, that water will still make beer but only be in a decent pH range with very dark beers.
Beyond the alkalinity, there's a reasonable level of Calcium, but it could do with some more for most ales (Calcium chloride and/or gypsum). Sodium's higher than normal, but not anywhere near high enough to be an issue. Sulphate and chloride are both quite low. Nothing else really stands out.

0.24 mL of 88% Lactic Acid per Liter may be taking the water to ballpark pH 4.3 - 4.5. I'd (initially at least) play it safe by multiplying that by 0.905 to get it closer to the ballpark of pH 5.4 - 5.5 without running the risk of potentially driving it into roughly the pH 4.3 - 4.5 region.

0.24 mL/L * 0.905 = 0.217 mL/L of 88% Lactic acid to be added.