My tap water PH is 9.0

[joemc33]

I bought a kit to determine what my brewing water was like. I have middle harness.

My hardness is 120 and my PH is 9.0. There was no chlorine present, should i assume chloramines?

 

[Pie_Man]

I don't know the details of your kit, but it might be better to send your water to a lab. Most home brewers use Ward Labs. I don't know if you can just assume chloramines.

While your pH is fairly high, the alkalanity is more important is that determines the buffering capability of your water. For a brewer, this equates to the water's resistence to pH change when in the mash. Beersmith podcast, http://beersmith.com/blog/category/podcast/, recently had two good episodes about brewing water that can explain this better (episodes 60 and 61).

Also, did you get the other mineral contents of your water like Calcium, Sulfate, Chloride, etc.?

 

[joemc33]

My kit checked mostly for contaminates. Thank you for the link it was an interesting watch. I think I might do a buffer and campden tablets. It's not the end all and be all, but it's good for what I do.