knee jerk reaction to my water...

[storytyme]

I've been on a 15 month hiatus from brewing and after moving we are now on our own domestic well. Trying to get some momentum to get brewing again and got my water tested. Here it is:

pH 6.7
Sodium 22
Calcium 64
Magnesium 27
total hardness 271
sulfate 51.7
chloride 37
carbonate NA
Bicarbonate 230
alkalinity 190

Initial thoughts from you water experts out there? I've played with water chemistry a bit, but these numbers are way different than what I was working with before. I use BruN software and Beersmith. Let me know what you think if you don't mind. Cheers.

 

[day_trippr]

Initial thought: "I see an RO system in your future"

bt/dt, bought the system and the hat, and my beers are so much better for it...

CHeers!

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

If this was my water I would brew with it after making the following additions:

To each 5 gallons of strike and sparge water add 0.7 g. CaCl2 (optional), and either 4.3 mL of 85% Phosphoric acid, or 58 mL of 10% Phosphoric acid.

If for some reason you find that you don't like the results, then get an RO system.

 

[storytyme]

I know I will end up with an RO system. Just like all my other brewing upgrades over the years (i.e. I don't need to keg....)

My initial research guides me to the http://www.buckeyehydro.com/premium-ro-systems/.

Just unsure of what additions I need or how to make this a portable set-up. Would like to rig up a holding tank of some sort. Any guidance is so much appreciated. Thanks everyone.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Sans for high alkalinity (bicarbonate), your well water doesn't appear to be bad at all.

 

[storytyme]

Sans for high alkalinity (bicarbonate), your well water doesn't appear to be bad at all.

When you say Sans for high alkalinity what do you mean exactly? Sorry for the ignorance as I am still learning about all this stuff. Much appreciated.

 

[mabrungard]

He means without the alkalinity, the water isn't too bad. You will need to neutralize the alkalinity with some form of acidification. Be aware that your water is fairly mineralized and you might find that its not ideal for brewing the lightly flavored or malt focused styles such as Pilsner or Helles, etc.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

When you say Sans for high alkalinity what do you mean exactly? Sorry for the ignorance as I am still learning about all this stuff. Much appreciated.

For many beer recipes your waters alkalinity will need to be tamed to completely eliminated. For something along the lines of a Stout or Porter the degree of taming will typically be 'roughly' half of the taming for which I gave you the nominal acidification quantities listed above. All of this alkalinity "taming" is due to the desire to mash at a room temperature measured pH of between 5.2 and 5.6. And this is primarily due to the activity of key enzymes being at its greatest within this window of pH values, and additionally mashing within this pH range has flavor benefits. Enzymatic activity is what converts malted barley (and other grain) starches into fermentable sugars. It is also highly temperature dependent.

For lighter colored lagers or ales additional acid above that which I detailed will likely be required in the mash. I gave you acid values that should nearly knock out the alkalinity of your water, but for very light colored brews it will not be enough acidity. The acidification values I gave you are recipe dependent and therefore somewhat quantity variable with respect to strike (mash) water, though they should work directly as listed for sparge water.

 

[storytyme]

For many beer recipes your waters alkalinity will need to be tamed to completely eliminated. For something along the lines of a Stout or Porter the degree of taming will typically be 'roughly' half of the taming for which I gave you the nominal acidification quantities listed above. All of this alkalinity "taming" is due to the desire to mash at a room temperature measured pH of between 5.2 and 5.6. And this is primarily due to the activity of key enzymes being at its greatest within this window of pH values, and additionally mashing within this pH range has flavor benefits. Enzymatic activity is what converts malted barley (and other grain) starches into fermentable sugars. It is also highly temperature dependent.

For lighter colored lagers or ales additional acid above that which I detailed will likely be required in the mash. I gave you acid values that should nearly knock out the alkalinity of your water, but for very light colored brews it will not be enough acidity. The acidification values I gave you are recipe dependent and therefore somewhat quantity variable with respect to strike (mash) water, though they should work directly as listed for sparge water.

Thanks for the advice. So to my understanding the alkalinity screws up the pH so the acid additions will get the pH to the desired level and then all other minerals should be good to go?

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Thanks for the advice. So to my understanding the alkalinity screws up the pH so the acid additions will get the pH to the desired level and then all other minerals should be good to go?

Yes, but remember that it is not water pH that is the concern, it is mash pH. Mash pH is typically measured at from 10 to 20 minutes into the mash step.

 

[day_trippr]

I know I will end up with an RO system. [...]
My initial research guides me to the http://www.buckeyehydro.com/premium-ro-systems/.
Just unsure of what additions I need or how to make this a portable set-up. Would like to rig up a holding tank of some sort. Any guidance is so much appreciated. Thanks everyone.

I worked with Russ @Buckeye_Hydro to upgrade my existing APECS ROES-50 system to account for my well pump 35-55 psi pressure range being well under the membrane input pressure max rating of 85 psi with a resulting loss of rated throughput. I also wanted something to keep the membrane healthy between brew days, wanted to fill my kettles without draining the pressure tank (so the RO faucet wouldn't go dry), etc.

Russ was a pleasure to work with and solved everything for me. I just had to hook it up and it's been performing fantastically.

Give him a PM or call him in the office at 513-312-2343

Cheers!

 

[storytyme]

I worked with Russ @Buckeye_Hydro to upgrade my existing APECS ROES-50 system to account for my well pump 35-55 psi pressure range being well under the membrane input pressure max rating of 85 psi with a resulting loss of rated throughput. I also wanted something to keep the membrane healthy between brew days, wanted to fill my kettles without draining the pressure tank (so the RO faucet wouldn't go dry), etc.

Russ was a pleasure to work with and solved everything for me. I just had to hook it up and it's been performing fantastically.

Give him a PM or call him in the office at 513-312-2343

Cheers!

Awesome! Thank you everyone. Much appreciated.