Hard Water

[Grump]

We've recently built a house in a beautiful location and I can finally provide a stable, desirable temperature for yeast. Congrats are not in order yet, as this new location (very rural) draws water from our well. The levels of lime (calcium) are a bit shocking; enough to actually provide mineral in crystalline form. We've placed a pre- (sediment) filter in the water line to capture the lion's share of it but the question remains - what effect should I expect this high mineral content to have on fermentation? I'd prefer not to add a water softener to the system but that wouldn't preclude 'softening' the water that's used in the upcoming batches.

Thanks in advance for any insights.

 

[ShadesManna]

One way to reduce the hardness of water is to boil it. Doing this causes the minerals to concentrate into a fine powder-looking material at the bottom and edges of the pot. You can then slowly pour the water into another vessel, leaving the minerals at the bottom of the pot. No added salt, like in water softeners.

My water is full of lime, so this is how I pre-treat my tap water if I'm using it for making wine. It reminds me of the sediment left on the bottom of carboys when racking, except it's as white as snow.

 

[Grump]

I'll have to give that a try. I generally heat a fair portion of the water anyway to help dissolve/liquify the honey. At least we don't have to be concerned with chlorination (always looking for that silver lining).

Thanks

 

[BudNini]

Hi Grump, I live in a rural area too. My well water is the same as yours so what I did was install a water softener for the pipes sake and then a reverse osmosis system for drinking and cooking with. Oh I forgot to mention the ultra violet lamp also,can’t be safe enough ya know.

 

[Grump]

Our water is safe enough. We've had it tested for everything under the sun...twice. Good that you've found suitable solutions for hard water. For me, it isn't a matter of expense, or even the hassle of it; I just don't like softened water. Of course, I may change my tune after de-scaling the hot water heater a few times and clearing the series of filters we've installed to remove the minerals. Time will tell.

 

[mabrungard]

I'm less concerned with the calcium hardness than I am with the alkalinity. If the water has high alkalinity, it will reduce the pH drop that is necessary for good mead flavor. Of course, that might just mean that you'll have to add a dose of some form of acid to the post-fermented mead.

The tap water might be fine for mead making, but do watch out for metallic-tasting ions like iron and manganese. If they are present, then it may be difficult to use that water for mead making.

 

[Grump]

Agreed. Generally I'll use acid blend (or some other acidic addition) prior to bottling, if needed. I also monitor pH during fermentation to make sure it's at, or near, optimal ranges.
There isn't much iron (beyond Trace levels), but I can't be certain about Mn. We tested for toxic compounds (Arsenic, etc) along with a rather long list of other elements and compounds, but don't recall testing for Mn. I hadn't even considered it... another item on the 'to do' list. I think I have the testing solution for that in the aquaponics test kit. Thanks.

 

[mabrungard]

Don’t worry. If there were a Mn problem, you’d taste it as a notably metallic taste.

 

[Mark3885]

I had a 158’ well drilled in mid May and have brewed 3 - 10 gal Beers , all which have tasted great. I have not had any water testing done yet. I drink it right from the tap so I don’t have any bacteria that I know of. As far as the hardness? I don’t know . Grump, did you send a sample to a lab or did you use a kit to test your own?

 

[Grump]

Two separate test samples to two different labs (the initial test was the basic coliform test), and did some testing myself for minerals/elements that the labs didn't test for.

 

[CKuhns]

I would suggest you taste the water after treating it or boiling and cooling and if kind of "flat " and "lifeless" is that something you want to start your mead with?

If you have access to it I would consider buying good quality spring water. It often has the micro nutrients desired and only runs about 1.00 a gallon (Can be found at Walm@rt, C@stc@). I live in a municipality that treats its water with fluoride and chlorine and have a lake place that has terribly hard well water. Have found both to be less than desirable if boiled.