Do any styles lend to this water profile?

[JETDOG07]

The following is my water report. What can I brew with this high of calcium and Magnesium?

I know I can reduce my alkalinity with lactic acid but adding anymore gypsum or calcium chloride will push my Calcium higher.

Alkalinity, Carbonate (CO3)........................... 1.3 to 1.7 mg/L
Alkalinity, Bicarbonate (HCO3)............................... 270 mg/L
Sodium (Na)............................................. 3.75 to 4.50 mg/L
Chloride (Cl)............................................. 6.58 to 15.7 mg/L
Sulfate (SO4)........................................... 13.0 to 19.4 mg/L
Calcium (Ca)......................................................... 170 mg/L
Magnesium (Mg)........................................ 110 to 120 mg/L

Other Water Chemistry Levels

General

pH............................................................ 7.7 to 7.8 units
Hardness................................................ 290 to 300 mg/L
Alkalinity, Total.................................................. 270 mg/L

 

[McKnuckle]

Only a stout might survive that water. It's pretty far gone from a hardness and alkalinity perspective unfortunately. The Mg is also super high, some would say twice the maximum amount before bad flavors show up.

 

[JETDOG07]

I normally use RO and build my water but am trying to attempt a brew without leaving the house in the midst of the COVID crisis. I was afraid that the answer would be that I need to cut my water to reduce the calcium and magnesium.

 

[McKnuckle]

I hear you, man... I have similar crappy water from a well. It's basically unusable. In my early/ignorant days of brewing, I certainly tried, including diluting it, but most of my beers were terrible. I only use distilled or spring water with additions now.

Depending on your disposable income, you could buy a small water distiller and process your own water. These have been on Amazon for a long time - there are several variants, all essentially the same design. Unfortunately they have doubled in price (imagine that!?) since I bought mine. Not sure if it's price gouging or something else. I can prep about 4 gallons per day, which I store in a 5 gallon water jug until I'm ready to brew.

 

[JETDOG07]

I'm wondering in an english porter or stout would still have a mineral taste with my magnesium levels?

 

[Dustin_J]

Are your Calcium, Magnesium, Bicarbonate, and Carbonate numbers reported "as CaCO3" by any chance? Plugging the mg/L values specified into Bru'n water suggests a very unbalanced cation/anion ratio, but converting them from "as CaCO3" (assuming that's the case) resolves it. That would also explain the really high looking Magnesium (and to a lesser extent calcium) concentrations.

 

[JETDOG07]

The report doesn't say reported as CaCO3. I'm in Minnesota and I know we have very hard water so to me the high magnesium and calcium made sense based on that. Will most water reports specify if the values are reported as CaCO3?

 

[Dustin_J]

I would think it would state them being reported as CaCO3 if it was the case.

 

[mabrungard]

I believe that the Mg level might be laxative if that level is reported 'as Mg' instead of 'as CaCO3'.

 

[day_trippr]

I believe that the Mg level might be laxative if that level is reported 'as Mg' instead of 'as CaCO3'.

Magnesium (Mg)........................................ 110 to 120 mg/L

YIKES!

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Post #6 pegged it.

If TH (total hardness) is 290 ppm, then calcium is 68 ppm, and magnesium is 29 ppm.

2.5(68) +4.12(29) = 289.5 ppm TH as CaCO3 (which rounds to 290 ppm)