Illinois Chicago Water

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JayZeus

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Hi All,

I'm new to brewing and just discovering the importance of water chemistry. I've been looking in to water profiles and found something online from the City of Chicago. It's pretty detailed but I have some questions...
Here is a link to what I am referring to... https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/water/WaterQltyResultsNRpts/ccReports/CCA-2020-13.pdf

1) What do you guys use for calculators to figure out what your additions are?
2) Is there a way to derive an HCO3 reading from this list?
3) How would one go about figuring out which purification plant they are fed from?
 
1) What do you guys use for calculators to figure out what your additions are?

I use BrewCipher, my "all in one" brewing solution excel workbook. It has the MpH water model built in. If you just want a standalone water model, I recommend MpH. Both are free.
BrewCipher: Library
MpH: MpH Water Calculator v4.2

2) Is there a way to derive an HCO3 reading from this list?

Your report has Total Alkalinity as CaCO3. If you need Total Alkalinity as HCO3, just multiply the "as CaCO3" number by 1.22.

3) How would one go about figuring out which purification plant they are fed from?

Calling your water authority might be your best bet.
 
What size batches are you brewing?

I also live in Chicago and I plan to use distilled water from now on and build my water based on the style rec from the brewfather software.
 
There isn't a ton of difference between the sources. It's all from the lake, after all, with minor variations likely due to the equipment it passes through and just natural testing variation. (I'm in the area as well.) I wouldn't obsess over which one yours actually is, but if you look at a map and see which one is closest to you, you can probably make a decent guess on which one is your actual source. Picking up the phone will get you an actual answer if you're patient and determined. When I'm being OCD, I'll average them all and use that number, but there isn't really enough difference between the sources to make much of a difference.

I use brewersfriend for calculations. Alkalinity can go in as CaCO3, which is how total alkalinity is reported in the Chicago water analysis report. Brewersfriend will save the numbers for you, which is handy. Others probably do as well. I'm usually going for a light and hoppy profile. Carbon filter to remove the chlorine and add the appropriate amount of gypsum and that usually does it for our water. The water here is pretty good for brewing and doesn't need a lot. I've never seriously considered building water from scratch, though I wouldn't rule it out if I had a need to match a real oddball water profile.
 
Be careful! Not all water in the Chicagoland area comes from the lake. There are now rules that prevent areas outside the Great Lakes watershed from using the lake water. They have to use their local water.

Water from any of the Great Lakes is well-suited to brewing. You just need to attend to neutralizing the alkalinity to fit your brew and removing the chloramines, and it should turn out OK. Using a water calculator is a good way to help tune the water to your intended beer style.

The Total Alkalinity value can be used to calculate the bicarbonate content in the water.
 
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