What the heck do I do with this water?

[Cobrachu]

I just received my Ward Labs report but I'm a total noob when it comes to water. I've been brewing all grain for about 2 years and my darker beers have been good, nice and roasty. My IPA's are all good, regardless of color. But anything on the pale side that isn't loaded with hops leaves me with a bitter aftertaste. I'm assuming its tannins from a high mash ph and I just don't notice it in the IPAs because that's the style I'm after. I also understand that the darker grains in my darker beers are more acidic which is why I probably don't notice the bitterness in them. Here are my numbers, what would you guys do?

Ph- 7.8
TDS- 750ppm
Cations/Anions, me/L- 15.2/15.5
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ppm
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Sodium, Na- 17
Potassium, K- 5
Calcium, Ca- 251
Magnesium, Mg- 22
Total Hardness, CaCO3- 719
Nitrate, NO3-N- <.1 (safe)
Sulfate, SO4-S- 181
Chloride, Cl- 11
Carbonate, CO3- <1
Bicarbonate, HCO3- 238
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3- 195
Total phosphorus, P- <0.01
Total iron, Fe- 0.02

I have read the water primer but don't know where to start with what I have here. I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks a lot!!!

 

[ajdelange]

I would buy a water softener (if I didn't already have one and with water like this I'd bet you have one) and hook up an RO system to it. Now you do have way more calcium than alkalinity so boiling should drop a lot of that but your sulfate is at over twice the EPA SMCL for that ion and RO is about the only practical way to remove it. I assume that things are kept pretty freely moving chez vous.

 

[masskrug]

I don't know much about water chemistry. Just plug your numbers into EZ Water and it will tell you what to add: http://www.ezwatercalculator.com/

 

[mabrungard]

Pretty mineralized! I'm sure that if that water is boiled, a ton of sediment drops out. But there will still be a lot of sulfate in that water...even for an IPA. At 543 ppm sulfate, this is probably a mouthful.

Brewing anything except an IPA or PA is probably not going to be successful due to the sulfate content. Boiling does not affect that.

I'm afraid that this is one of those waters that you will have to forget about. Its only use is as a minor addition to RO or distilled water to provide alkalinity and sulfate. That is not something that many brews would need. I suggest you consider obtaining RO equipment to supply brewing-capable water. Sorry for the bad news.

 

[Cobrachu]

When seeing my results I assumed I would probably need to just purchase water for best results. I've brewed with this for the last two years! I do have a water softener but bypass it when pulling my brew water, and when I boil this water, my pot has A LOT of sediment.
I don't see myself buying a RO so it looks like I will be purchasing water.

Thanks for your suggestions

 

[Yooper]

When seeing my results I assumed I would probably need to just purchase water for best results. I've brewed with this for the last two years! I do have a water softener but bypass it when pulling my brew water, and when I boil this water, my pot has A LOT of sediment.
I don't see myself buying a RO so it looks like I will be purchasing water.

Thanks for your suggestions

Yes, that's about the only choice.

If you use the softened water and end up going with RO (mine was $129 for the system), then you'd never have to buy RO water- but there is some waste water from the system.

I ended up buying my own system when I went to 10 gallon batches- hauling 15+ gallons of RO water home from the store every brew day got old very quickly. It's more than paid for itself by now, and it's convenient as well. The RO water makes better coffee, too!

 

[Cobrachu]

Thanks yooper! I'll run the better coffee idea past my SWMBO to up my chances of ever obtaining a RO.
I brew 1-2 5gal batches per month so for now I believe I will be running for water. I just want to get rid of that bitter aftertaste which I've read can be attributed to sulfate. My beer is definitely drinkable, but I'm a pit of a perfectionist, I guess.
Ahhhh, for the love of beer.....