Water sample report, El Paso, TX

[Liquisky]

pH 7.9
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 480
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.80
Cations / Anions, me/L 7.8 / 7.8
ppm
Sodium, Na 142
Potassium, K 3
Calcium, Ca 29
Magnesium, Mg 2
Total Hardness, CaCO3 81
Nitrate, NO3-N 0.1 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S 52
Chloride, Cl 108
Carbonate, CO3 < 1
Bicarbonate, HCO3 92
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 75
Total Phosphorus, P 0.68
Total Iron, Fe 0.02
"<" - Not Detected / Below Detection Limit

Just got my Ward Labs report back. Don't like the high numbers...
What beer would my water do well with..

 

[DSmith]

The sodium is very high, was the sample taken after a water softener?

You may really want to dillute your water with reverse osmosis water (4:1 or more) or at that point just go all reverse osmosis water and follow the water primer in this forum. An aquarium-use reverse osmosis unit can be had for $130 OR you can get water from a grocery store for probably $0.40/gallon from a RO machine to start out brewing this way. I bought (2) 6 gallon pails dedicated to water and get 10 gallons of reverse osmosis water at a time. Hauling water will be cheaper in the long run and you can start doing it right away before deciding how much $ it's worth to save the trip to the store.

 

[afr0byte]

Indeed that sodium is high. I doubt it's from a water softener, though, unless that softener seriously needs salt. The calcium/magnesium are normally around 0 for softened water.

 

[Liquisky]

Not a water softener. The water chemistry roughly corresponds to the posted water profile from the El Paso Water site. I'll need to play around with bru'n water about dilutions and alkalinity. The primer, for lighter beers has been great. I'd like to make some darker beers though. . .

 

[mabrungard]

Along with the high sodium, the sulfate and chloride are too high for great beer. This one has to be diluted with RO or distilled water to make it more suitable. No treatment other than RO will help with water.

 

[GodsStepBrother]

That is pretty high Liquisky, what is your water source location? I am in El Paso I am in the Upper Valley location.

 

[Liquisky]

I'm on the west side by Franklin High school. This link might be helpful. www.epwu.org/water/pdf/chemanalysis.pdf

 

[GodsStepBrother]

I am friends with one of the Engineers at the water utility he says they change the mixture so much, it is impossible to predict exactly. He would email me just about every other week with the changes. Especially for those in the east side.

 

[kman917]

I brew solely with the water from the Albertson's dispenser. Have made some decent darks using that water. The first all grain I did out of the tap was a nightmare! Never again. Just finished a speckled heifer from NB today and that turned out great too. I do 10 gallon batches and I can get all the water I need for 3$ after buying 3, 5 gallon jugs.