Need Water Help

[Dog House Brew]

I'm going to brew a batch of Edworts Haus Pale this Holiday weekend. I just got back my Ward profie and wanted to know if I need to cut my water with some distilled.

all ppm

PH 7.5, Ca 60, Mg 16, Na 26, SO4 16, Cl 39, HCO3 184, Total Hardness 217,
Total Alk 150, CO3 <1

Any help is appreciated.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

[MoRoToRiUm]

I've always just used tap water for boil and filtered water for primary addition... I understand the science and wanting to fix your water, but is it worth it? I know my local brewery, Lancaster Malt Brewery, had so much demand for their Hophog when it came out they had to outsource to Lions Head Brewery to brew for them. If you compare the beers, even by same brewmaster (old roomate/friend was the brewmaster there), same recipe/ingredients but they tasted different due to the water in the area.

My take- unless you're trying to do a clone, I don't know if it is worthwhile. Proper distilled water/spring water would be ideal, but not necessary.

 

[Tonedef131]

That water is a pretty good all around brewing profile. Pale ales tend to use relatively hard water with high sulfate content to give it that biting hop bitterness. So if you wanted you could add a bit of gypsum to up the calcium and sulfates, but you don't have to, that water will make a fine pale ale.

 

[Reverend JC]

My water is relatively hard here in Lincoln. I cut all beers with atleast 50% RO. It helps the malt seem "softer", think Urquell.

If i am doing a Czech pils or a kolsch or similar I will cut it with 90% RO.


So, my general rule of thumb is to cut with 50% on all beers unless the style calls for extremely soft water.


For a comparison here is my water quality report:

pH (in pH units) 7.54
Total Alkalinity (CaCO3) 158 ppm
Total Hardness (CaCO3)
(12 grains per gallon) 180 ppm
Total Dissolved Solids 318 ppm
Calcium 51.2 ppm
Chloride 17.1 ppm
Iron <0.05 ppm
Manganese 1.85 ppb
Sodium 28.7 ppm
Sulfate 66 ppm

 

[Dog House Brew]

Thanks, I guess it is true, if it tastes good and no off smells, it is good brewing water. When I looked at the test I didn't know what I was looking at. I know my beer is very good to me Thanks again and
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

[desertbronze]

Your bicarbonate is 184 ppm. For comparison, the bicarbonate in my well water is 289 ppm. Palmer recommends 0-50 ppm bicarbonate for pale beers, 50-150 ppm for amber beers, and 150-250 ppm for dark beers. I found that diluting with distilled water helped eliminate some harsh flavors in my beers.

From How to Brew

Bicarbonate (HCO3-1)
Molecular Weight = 61.0
Equivalent Weight = 61.0
Brewing Range = 0-50 ppm for pale, base-malt only beers.
50-150 ppm for amber colored, toasted malt beers, 150-250 ppm for dark, roasted malt beers.
The carbonate family of ions are the big players in determining brewing water chemistry. Carbonate (CO3-2), is an alkaline ion, raising the pH, and neutralizing dark malt acidity. Its cousin, bicarbonate (HCO3-1), has half the buffering capability but actually dominates the chemistry of most brewing water supplies because it is the principal form for carbonates in water with a pH less than 8.4. Carbonate itself typically exists as less than 1% of the total carbonate/bicarbonate/carbonic acid species until the pH exceeds 8.4. There are two methods the homebrewer can use to bring the bicarbonate level down to the nominal 50 - 150 ppm range for most pale ales, or even lower for light lagers such as Pilsener. These methods are boiling, and dilution.

How to Brew - By John Palmer

If you like your beer as is, don't change a thing. You might try adding some distilled water to a future batch and see if that makes a difference you can taste.