Got my water report.

[Yesfan]

I sent off a sample of my water to Wards Lab for analysis. Got the results in a few minutes ago via email and wanted to see what you guys thought and/or if any adjustments need to be made for future batches.

pH 7.4
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 61
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.10
Cations / Anions, me/L 1.0 / 0.8

ppm

Sodium, Na 3
Potassium, K 1
Calcium, Ca 13
Magnesium, Mg 2
Total Hardness, CaCO3 41
Nitrate, NO3-N 0.3 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S 4
Chloride, Cl 2
Carbonate, CO3 < 1.0
Bicarbonate, HCO3 27
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 22
Total Phosphorus, P 0.54
Total Iron, Fe < 0.01

"<" - Not Detected / Below Detection Limit




The batches I've done this past year just haven't floored me like the beers I've done my first two years of brewing. There's a weird common denominator I'm tasting in all my beers and it's bugging me. Almost like a sharp bitterness in the finish, but not the same bitter you expect from a hoppy brew. The hoppier beers hide that taste better, but sometimes I can still detect it. My cousin thinks it's in my head, but I've had another friend, who also brews, confirm this even though he still likes my beers.

 

[TheMadKing]

That's pretty good looking water. The only thing I would do is add a little CaCl and or Gypsum to boost your calcium, sulfate, and chlorine levels to suit your style goals.

 

[Yooper]

Do you treat the water for chloramine/chlorine if it's municipal water? The water otherwise looks really good to start with.

 

[Yesfan]

Do you treat the water for chloramine/chlorine if it's municipal water? The water otherwise looks really good to start with.

Nope. Only treatment I had been doing, was a typical charcoal filter. The last batch I done, extra pale ale, I didn't use the filter (the vinyl hose I used for the filter to the kettle looked sketchy, so I tossed it). That beer seems to taste better. I also didn't filter the water for the WL sample either.

The last few maltier beers (Alt, ESB, browns), I haven't been pleased with as I have my IPAs. If the water report looks good to you guys, then maybe my taste issue lies somewhere else.

On another note...........

The next beer I'm doing is an English stout (Beamish clone), 5 gallon batch. What and/or how much would you add to the water to make it better suited for that style?

 

[Yooper]

Nope. Only treatment I had been doing, was a typical charcoal filter. The last batch I done, extra pale ale, I didn't use the filter (the vinyl hose I used for the filter to the kettle looked sketchy, so I tossed it). That beer seems to taste better. I also didn't filter the water for the WL sample either.

The last few maltier beers (Alt, ESB, browns), I haven't been pleased with as I have my IPAs. If the water report looks good to you guys, then maybe my taste issue lies somewhere else.

On another note...........

The next beer I'm doing is an English stout (Beamish clone), 5 gallon batch. What and/or how much would you add to the water to make it better suited for that style?

For a dry stout, I'd probably shoot for a mash pH of 5.2-5.3. I'd consider looking into whether you have chlorine or chloramine in your water, and treat with campden as needed. I'd add calcium chloride, to bring the calcium up a bit and the chloride as well. Calcium of 50+ and chloride at 50-75 ppm or so would be great.

 

[Yesfan]

For a dry stout, I'd probably shoot for a mash pH of 5.2-5.3. I'd consider looking into whether you have chlorine or chloramine in your water, and treat with campden as needed. I'd add calcium chloride, to bring the calcium up a bit and the chloride as well. Calcium of 50+ and chloride at 50-75 ppm or so would be great.

I was hoping that info was part of the analysis. I guess that info is determined from an entirely different test from Wards Lab. I guess, I could get that info from my local utility?

 

[TheMadKing]

For a dry stout, I'd probably shoot for a mash pH of 5.2-5.3. I'd consider looking into whether you have chlorine or chloramine in your water, and treat with campden as needed. I'd add calcium chloride, to bring the calcium up a bit and the chloride as well. Calcium of 50+ and chloride at 50-75 ppm or so would be great.

I can't remember, chloramines don't show up as chloride on the water report, but still impact flavors the same way as chlorine, correct?

 

[Yooper]

I can't remember, chloramines don't show up as chloride on the water report, but still impact flavors the same way as chlorine, correct?

Chloramines are a more stable form of chlorine, and they don't boil off. When it interacts with malt, it creates "chlorophenols", sort of a plastic taste. Chlorine does have the same flavor impact, but often just having the water sit out or boiling it removes the chlorine. Campden tablets remove the chlorine/chloramines instantly by a chemical reactions.

 

[Yesfan]

Is it possible the clorophenols are what I'm tasting in some of my beers? How pronounced can it be and can it have that "bite" I was referring to earlier?


How do I determine if my water has chloramines? Could I get that info from the local utilities? Is it free? If not, is it just better to send off another sample to Wards Lab?

 

[enkamania]

Your water district can tell you if they use chlorine or chloramine. Like was said, just use a campden tablet and it will take care of it instantly. Your water looks like mine, so I thought you were in Seattle.

 

[nutty_gnome]

Your public water utility can tell you what they use as a sterilant. The best way to answer your question is to buy some campden tabs and use one in your next batch. Grind it up with a spoon and dose your water at one tab per 20 gallons or whatever the instructions say. I start with 8 gallons and use a half a tab. It works great. put your numbers into ez water calc or bru'nwater (free programs available on this forum) and see what sort of salt additions you need to do. To my untrained eye, you have great water! Don't forget to aerate your wort, not doing it can cause odd flavors too.

 

[cooper]

If you're not filtering your water then I definitely agree with the Campden tablet. It's quick and easy to do and it gives you that assurance.

I would also suggest using lactic acid, phosphoric acid, or saurmalz to get the mash pH down in the area of 5.5 as well, you're currently running too high if you leave it as is. Also it's good to make sure your sparge water has a room temperature pH of 5.5 to avoid astringency while sparging.

I typically just treat all of my water with lactic acid to a room temp pH of 5.5 and then check it again about 20 mins into the mash to make sure I'm still in the area. Once you do it a couple of times it's not a big deal.

Give it a try and see if your beer improves. Mine definitely did when I started doing this.

 

[logdrum]

If you're not filtering your water then I definitely agree with the Campden tablet. It's quick and easy to do and it gives you that assurance.



I would also suggest using lactic acid, phosphoric acid, or saurmalz to get the mash pH down in the area of 5.5 as well, you're currently running too high if you leave it as is. Also it's good to make sure your sparge water has a room temperature pH of 5.5 to avoid astringency while sparging.



I typically just treat all of my water with lactic acid to a room temp pH of 5.5 and then check it again about 20 mins into the mash to make sure I'm still in the area. Once you do it a couple of times it's not a big deal.



Give it a try and see if your beer improves. Mine definitely did when I started doing this.

While I agree with your suggestion for acidifying the sparge water, depending on the grist composition, the mash water may not need it (or may even need alkalinity). Plugging the #s into Bru'n Water (then confirming w a pH meter) is the way to go, IMHO. Looks like great base water for sure.

 

[cooper]

I agree it looks like great water too. I'm definitely jealous! I'll agree too that the mash may or may not need acidifying, but I'm not sure I'd be comfortable mashing in with a starting pH of over 7 and I'd definitely want to have a pH tester ready to verify that I'm in the 5.2-5.6 range.

 

[logdrum]

My starting water's pH is 7.6, and for the mostly IPAs & APAs I make, I do indeed need to acidify the mash, with Sauer malt or acid. I just did an oatmeal stout however, that until I moved a good portion of the roasted grains to the sparge would have gotten me into the 5.1 range. I did treat the sparge water to pH 5.4.

 

[Yesfan]

The water filter I have won't remove chloramine will it? It's just a cheap chlorine filter correct?


I'm going to go ahead and order me a small supply of campden tablets. Looking at my report, what other additives would be recommended to have on hand?

EDIT: Looking on AiH, I see where I can get Gypsum and Calcium Chloride in 1lb bags and lactic acid in 5 oz. Is that too much? I'm figuring in building a small surplus to have some on hand for future brews, but if these items have small shelf life, then I can just get the smaller amounts.


I didn't see much of a price difference between 1lb and 2oz, so thought I would ask.

 

[cooper]

The water filter I have won't remove chloramine will it? It's just a cheap chlorine filter correct?


I'm going to go ahead and order me a small supply of campden tablets. Looking at my report, what other additives would be recommended to have on hand?

EDIT: Looking on AiH, I see where I can get Gypsum and Calcium Chloride in 1lb bags and lactic acid in 5 oz. Is that too much? I'm figuring in building a small surplus to have some on hand for future brews, but if these items have small shelf life, then I can just get the smaller amounts.

I didn't see much of a price difference between 1lb and 2oz, so thought I would ask.

You might have to do some research on the type of filter you buy to find out whether or not it'll remove Chloramine. I don't feel comfortable telling you that it will and its easy to just collect all your water the night before and toss in a Campden tablet.

As far as the acid goes you want to add it with a syringe and keep track of how many milliliters it takes to you you there with the water at room temp.

I like to use soft water and the only salts I add is Gypsum when I want to accentuate the hops in my IPAs and Pale Ales or Calcium Chloride when I want to accentuate the maly profile of my other beers. And its usually only a tsp in the mash. That's the easy answer and you can get as complicated as you like.

If the price is the same then I'd just go with the 1lb but make sure you get an airtight container to put them in as you don't want them to pick up any moisture from the atmosphere.

This is just how I do it and the important thing to remember is everyone has their own process and they have to find what works for them.

 

[Yooper]

The water filter I have won't remove chloramine will it? It's just a cheap chlorine filter correct?


I'm going to go ahead and order me a small supply of campden tablets. Looking at my report, what other additives would be recommended to have on hand?

EDIT: Looking on AiH, I see where I can get Gypsum and Calcium Chloride in 1lb bags and lactic acid in 5 oz. Is that too much? I'm figuring in building a small surplus to have some on hand for future brews, but if these items have small shelf life, then I can just get the smaller amounts.


I didn't see much of a price difference between 1lb and 2oz, so thought I would ask.

Calcium chloride absorbs water, so I'd get the smallest package available and use that. You can get two tiny packages, and it will last far longer as you wouldn't open the second one until needed.

A pound of gypsum is a lot, but if you're going to brew for a while you will use it up eventually. For lactic acid, with your water you will not much if any for the mash, and just a little for sparge water. But 5 ounces is about right for that. You need 1 campden tablet per every 20 gallons of brewing water, so a small package will last a while there as well.

 

[Yesfan]

Calcium chloride absorbs water, so I'd get the smallest package available and use that. You can get two tiny packages, and it will last far longer as you wouldn't open the second one until needed.

A pound of gypsum is a lot, but if you're going to brew for a while you will use it up eventually. For lactic acid, with your water you will not much if any for the mash, and just a little for sparge water. But 5 ounces is about right for that. You need 1 campden tablet per every 20 gallons of brewing water, so a small package will last a while there as well.

Glad I asked. I'll change my amount for the calcium chloride. I just wanted to see what you all would suggest is a good idea of what to have on hand and how much of it to keep.

My cousin picked up some campden tablets and calcium chloride, so it looks like I'll be good on those items.


I really appreciate everyone's help. Thanks gang!