When to add sparge water acid

[Silver_Is_Money]

The higher the OG you shoot for (I.E., the bigger the beer), the lower your efficiency will be, provided that all else is equal.

 

[eric19312]

Yes, relying on my one test is a risk, and I could send out multiple samples over the course of the year, but in the end I haven't found that necessary. If i was seeing lots of variability in my beers, or some unsolved "issue" i might point to the water. I drink tap regularly and go by the "if it taste's good, it's good" mentality. I too, add Campden, but do not actually validate my mash pH. I fully understand that without doing so, may not mean my pH targets in the spreadsheet are correct. I do see some variation in my efficiency, with several previous brews undershooting target. more than a year ago i hit my max efficiency >80%, but since then have been hovering around 70%. my recipes used to use 75% as a baseline, but now i have dropped to 70%. However I got over 70 on a stout last week. In any case, a new report might be warranted, but considering the difference between my actual tap water, and the SCWA report, however small, I would rather use the data specific to my tap.

I've always interpreted the range mentioned in the SCWA report to be the low, high and average of multiple tests conducted at a small number of testing locations during the course of the year. My zone is fed by 5 wells but they may not pump from all five all year or may change the percentages that make up the supply. I am thinking that the water at my tap varies over the course of the year in line with the rest of my zone.

During calendar year 2019 in my distribution zone calcium ranged from 2.7 to 15.7 with average of 6.7 mg/L. In calendar year 2018 the range was 3.9 to 15.0 with average 7.9 mg/L. If I were to get a Ward report done and it said my calcium was 14 mg/L I'd guess the test was corresponding with water collected when calcium is at or near the annual peak in my zone. This assumption could be wrong for sure. Perhaps my house is not typical for the zone and the water at my tap is not similar to water at my neighbor's house. But I'd want multiple tests to confirm it is different - not sure how many but 6, one every other month, might be a good starting point. Without that I'm thinking it makes more sense to just use the published average from previous year.

 

[BeerFst]

I've always interpreted the range mentioned in the SCWA report to be the low, high and average of multiple tests conducted at a small number of testing locations during the course of the year. My zone is fed by 5 wells but they may not pump from all five all year or may change the percentages that make up the supply. I am thinking that the water at my tap varies over the course of the year in line with the rest of my zone.

During calendar year 2019 in my distribution zone calcium ranged from 2.7 to 15.7 with average of 6.7 mg/L. In calendar year 2018 the range was 3.9 to 15.0 with average 7.9 mg/L. If I were to get a Ward report done and it said my calcium was 14 mg/L I'd guess the test was corresponding with water collected when calcium is at or near the annual peak in my zone. This assumption could be wrong for sure. Perhaps my house is not typical for the zone and the water at my tap is not similar to water at my neighbor's house. But I'd want multiple tests to confirm it is different - not sure how many but 6, one every other month, might be a good starting point. Without that I'm thinking it makes more sense to just use the published average from previous year.

I think you're 100% correct on all above, but at 45 bucks per test, if I was going to do these quarterly or similar, I would just buy an RO system, or buy 10 gallons at a time from the store. The difference, particularly with pH on the reported average I was using and my actual was too far. granted if I had a pH meter i could just measure myself before starting. I'm happy with my ability to influence the brewing water, however imperfect it is.

 

[DrStrange]

So I have a related question... I've had my well water tested a couple of times to deal with a pump issue and before moving to this home I had been doing extract kits/partial mash on city water so never bothered to test it. Now that I'm making the jump to all grain with an3v eBrewing setup, I want to improve my techniques.

The test doesn't list total alkalinity but if I'm doing the math right is seems to be between 1 and 2
Here's the results:
Ca <1 mg/L
Hardness (CaCO3) <2 mg/L
Iron 0.063 mg/L
Magnesium <1 mg/L
Manganese <0.01 mg/L
Sodium 93.2 mg/L
Nitrite <0.05 mg/L
Chloride 15 mg/L
Fluoride <0.2 mg/L
Nitrate <0.02 mg/L
pH 7.47
Note that this is with a particle filter, UVC filter and whole house water softener (uses the iron binding salt tablets). And I'm presuming testing for nitrates/nitrites is because lots of farms near by

So aside from adding a small amount of lactic acid to the sparge water (BrewFather seems to indicate <1ml for 5gal) in the HTL is there anything else I should add before brewing?

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

@DrStrange, that looks a lot like water softener water. A Cation/Anion balance computation indicates that your Alkalinity (as CaCO3) could be as high as about an upper limit of ~181.5 ppm. No reliable way to tell without knowing the Sulfate (SO4--) ion ppm's. It would also help to know Potassium ion ppm's. Water softeners do not reduce Alkalinity. It is not likely for your Alkalinity to be 1 to 2 ppm. Far more likely to be well above that. If asked to purely make a wild guess, I'd guess ~152 ppm.

 

[Beenym88]

This may not be an answer people are looking for but to keep it simple I’m going to put it out there. First I have to ask have you been satisfied with your beer? If so your water is fine. Second water chemistry enhances the flavor but is not the end all be all a bad recipe will still be bad. I used bottled spring water for my first 20 or so brews never had an issue but I wanted to get more involved in the process so I got my water tested it’s well water very high in salt and would cut it with distilled. I ended up having to use so much distilled water that now I just by distilled and create a water profile. If you use distilled treat your mash with salts and acid if needed and sparge with just salts. Or just keep doing what your doing if you like your beer.

 

[eric19312]

So I have a related question... I've had my well water tested a couple of times to deal with a pump issue and before moving to this home I had been doing extract kits/partial mash on city water so never bothered to test it. Now that I'm making the jump to all grain with an3v eBrewing setup, I want to improve my techniques.

The test doesn't list total alkalinity but if I'm doing the math right is seems to be between 1 and 2
Here's the results:
Ca <1 mg/L
Hardness (CaCO3) <2 mg/L
Iron 0.063 mg/L
Magnesium <1 mg/L
Manganese <0.01 mg/L
Sodium 93.2 mg/L
Nitrite <0.05 mg/L
Chloride 15 mg/L
Fluoride <0.2 mg/L
Nitrate <0.02 mg/L
pH 7.47
Note that this is with a particle filter, UVC filter and whole house water softener (uses the iron binding salt tablets). And I'm presuming testing for nitrates/nitrites is because lots of farms near by

So aside from adding a small amount of lactic acid to the sparge water (BrewFather seems to indicate <1ml for 5gal) in the HTL is there anything else I should add before brewing?

I would consider bypassing the whole house water softener for my brewing water. Then test the unsoftened water and come up with brewing strategy. RO may be way to go or perhaps mixing some of the softened water and unsoftened water will get you to a good place. Lots of good information here: General 5 | Bru'n Water

 

[DrStrange]

@DrStrange, that looks a lot like water softener water. A Cation/Anion balance computation indicates that your Alkalinity (as CaCO3) could be as high as about an upper limit of ~181.5 ppm. No reliable way to tell without knowing the Sulfate (SO4--) ion ppm's. It would also help to know Potassium ion ppm's. Water softeners do not reduce Alkalinity. It is not likely for your Alkalinity to be 1 to 2 ppm. Far more likely to be well above that. If asked to purely make a wild guess, I'd guess ~152 ppm.

ok thanks, yes the three different reports didnt list Sulfate at all. I figured something was off as way to low

I would consider bypassing the whole house water softener for my brewing water. Then test the unsoftened water and come up with brewing strategy. RO may be way to go or perhaps mixing some of the softened water and unsoftened water will get you to a good place. Lots of good information here: General 5 | Bru'n Water

Thanks Eric, I've looked at the fittings and doesnt seem an easy way to bypass it without some creative plumbing.

This may not be an answer people are looking for but to keep it simple I’m going to put it out there. First I have to ask have you been satisfied with your beer? If so your water is fine. Second water chemistry enhances the flavor but is not the end all be all a bad recipe will still be bad. I used bottled spring water for my first 20 or so brews never had an issue but I wanted to get more involved in the process so I got my water tested it’s well water very high in salt and would cut it with distilled. I ended up having to use so much distilled water that now I just by distilled and create a water profile. If you use distilled treat your mash with salts and acid if needed and sparge with just salts. Or just keep doing what your doing if you like your beer.

thanks Beenym - so far 2 batches at the new house - a pumpkin and a belgian tripel - both were good but the belgian has a bit too much banana overtones, but I dont think that is the water, but not having a good temperature control set up (new rig will so hopefully will eliminate that issue)
I'm definitely a firm believer in the KISS theory

 

[Beenym88]

Temperature control is in my opinion the most Important factor besides good cleaning and sanitation. If your beer gets too warm it will ruin the best recipie and water profile in the world. The way I do it is is with cool sticks and ice water. It’s fairly inexpensive but with all things in this hobby I always find a way to keeps spending money.