dktoller
Active Member
Just got a home kit for measuring hardness and alkalinity. I'm closely following this article on water testing. I have a partial mash kit for a stout that I'm itching to brew.
Test Results:
GH - "General Hardness" (Ca+Mg): GH=28 (=498ppm)
KH - "Carbonates" (Alkalinity): KH=19 (=388 ppm)
The KH seems to be off the scale! Our municipal water is from a set of wells. I double-checked the test but it seems really high. OTOH, there is a lot of limestone in Indiana.
Using Kaiser's spreadsheet (same link above) it apportions the 498 ppm hardness to Ca 140 ppm and Mg 36 ppm. I am doing this right?
I'm also keeping an eye on this thread closely. But I haven't digested it completely yet.
So if I draw out the Ca=140, Mg=36, Alkalinity(ppm)=338 on the nomograph it puts me way off the high side of the mash pH scale. I think I'll have major RA problems when doing mashes, no?
BTW... The testing was for the water as it enters the house. Our water softener pulls out 90% of the (above) Hardness but none of the Alkalinity (just removes Ca/Mg cations). Likewise tried a Brita filter which drove the Hardness almost to zero but had only a minor impact on the Alkalinity. Clearly neither of these options will help.
Test Results:
GH - "General Hardness" (Ca+Mg): GH=28 (=498ppm)
KH - "Carbonates" (Alkalinity): KH=19 (=388 ppm)
The KH seems to be off the scale! Our municipal water is from a set of wells. I double-checked the test but it seems really high. OTOH, there is a lot of limestone in Indiana.
Using Kaiser's spreadsheet (same link above) it apportions the 498 ppm hardness to Ca 140 ppm and Mg 36 ppm. I am doing this right?
I'm also keeping an eye on this thread closely. But I haven't digested it completely yet.
So if I draw out the Ca=140, Mg=36, Alkalinity(ppm)=338 on the nomograph it puts me way off the high side of the mash pH scale. I think I'll have major RA problems when doing mashes, no?
BTW... The testing was for the water as it enters the house. Our water softener pulls out 90% of the (above) Hardness but none of the Alkalinity (just removes Ca/Mg cations). Likewise tried a Brita filter which drove the Hardness almost to zero but had only a minor impact on the Alkalinity. Clearly neither of these options will help.