Water report opinion/help please.

[trapae]

I would love some advice from Martin, AJ, or other water gurus out there. I have been brewing (allgrain) with arrowhead spring water for a decade because my house had a water softener. The one time I tried to brew with distilled and build my water turned out flat and boring. Anyway, the water softener died so I got a Halo 5 water filtration system ( with multi-reversing polarity…not sure if that matters ), and sent a sample to ward with hopes to be able to brew with my house water now ( which tastes great now ). Below is the report and I would be appreciative for any advice as to if it is appropriate to brew with. I typically brew lagers, IPAs, porters/stouts. Thanks in advance.

Ph 8.3
TDS est, ppm 311
Electrical conductivity, mmho/cm 0.52
Cation/Anion me/L 5.3/4.9

ppm
Na. 48
K. 2
Ca. 49
Mg. 8
Total Hardness, CaCO3 156
Nitrate. 0.2 SAFE
Sulfate. 21
Cl. 30
CO3. 1.8
Bicarbonate, HCO3. 163
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3. 136
Total P. 0.02
Total Fe. <0.01

 

[couchsending]

Do you have a pH meter

 

[hottpeper13]

I would use that straight up for a porter or any dark beer you can see garnet around the edges.
That said , the Ca could be bumped up and the Cl and SO4 are low enough that a small addition of each should bring it up to 70 ppm + ,which is where i like it(70- 100). I use acidulated malt for pH adjustment. I've been doing this awhile and mostly hit my pH rite out of the gate knowing that SRM is key, so the more highly kilned or crystal malts used the less acidulated.
To put your HCO3 in perspective, when I'm brewing an RIS I use 1/2 house filtered (400 ppm alkalinity) and 1/2 RO, which puts my alkalinity in the brewing liquor at 200 ppm and my mash pH ( which is all I care about) is 5.5. I've noticed a correlation between mash pH and SRM. in that the lighter the beer the lower the pH, the crisper. Also the darker the beer the higher the pH, the smoother and more rounder.

 

[Sammy86]

You're still working with hard water...making lighter colored beer is going to be a challenge.

The water system you got unfortunately doesn't soften the water enough at least IMO.

You want the best water possible add an RO system...my well water is hard AF...256 straight up...i use a softener and RO system and basically have 0's across the board.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Below is the report and I would be appreciative for any advice as to if it is appropriate to brew with. I typically brew lagers, IPAs, porters/stouts.

It looks like pretty decent water that is not far off from the typical DC area ground water that many people use without any adjustments. Does your current system use salt pellets? Curious if it is adding to the Na value. 48 is not crazy high, but it seems odd to be your highest ion value.

I seldom brew pale lagers, and when I have I just cut my tap water about 50/50 with distilled water. I have heard rumors that many years ago AJ gave a presentation at a local club and the lager people liked most was the one with straight up local tap water.

 

[prankster1590]

I would love some advice from Martin, AJ, or other water gurus out there. I have been brewing (allgrain) with arrowhead spring water for a decade because my house had a water softener. The one time I tried to brew with distilled and build my water turned out flat and boring. Anyway, the water softener died so I got a Halo 5 water filtration system ( with multi-reversing polarity…not sure if that matters ), and sent a sample to ward with hopes to be able to brew with my house water now ( which tastes great now ). Below is the report and I would be appreciative for any advice as to if it is appropriate to brew with. I typically brew lagers, IPAs, porters/stouts. Thanks in advance.

Ph 8.3
TDS est, ppm 311
Electrical conductivity, mmho/cm 0.52
Cation/Anion me/L 5.3/4.9

ppm
Na. 48
K. 2
Ca. 49
Mg. 8
Total Hardness, CaCO3 156
Nitrate. 0.2 SAFE
Sulfate. 21
Cl. 30
CO3. 1.8
Bicarbonate, HCO3. 163
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3. 136
Total P. 0.02
Total Fe. <0.01

Looks like good water. Maybe adjust the HCO3- a bit by adding Ca2+ and/or lactic acid or sourmalt so its easier to reach a wort pH of about 5,4.

 

[Bramling Cross]

I can concur that his water is similar to DC tap and that DC tap is excellent brewing liquor. However, his bicarbonate and alkalinity numbers are significantly higher than what we have. Unfortunately, I can't offer any advise on what to do with those higher numbers. I'm good at making beer with DC tap water and there it all ends.

 

[trapae]

Thanks everyone, sounds like the consensus is looks like a pretty good water if I can get the pH right? Going to have to buy a pH meter and finally deal with some water worksheets/programs to figure out how much acid malt for phosphoric acid to add.

 

[mabrungard]

You are correct that the presented water quality isn't too bad for brewing, The alkalinity will require attention, but the rest of the ionic content is acceptable. Even the sodium content is not out of bounds.