Partial Mash - Ph of City Water OK

[dficker]

Here is the WQ report from my water supplier (Butler County OH - BCDES) ---From the Website, not a sample at my house----

Total Chlorine---- 0.74 mg/l
pH---------------9.1 S.U.
Fluoride----------0.98 mg/l
Total Alkalinity--- 64.3 mg/l n
Total Hardness---135 mg/l (7.8 gpg)
Sodium---------- 30.5 mg/l

I plan to do a Partial Mash (AHS Karankawa Pale Ale).I understand the mash needs to be in the 5.0-5.5 range, is my Ph range OK?

Any other 'fatal flaws' in that limited data?

An aside, can you get Ph strips and any 'ole pharmacy'?

TIA
Dan

 

[rocketman768]

It's hard to say since you don't list Ca or Mg concentrations, but your alkalinity looks good.

http://howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15-3.html

 

[hopmadness]

Yes, I would say the "fatal flaw" is that it's chlorinated water. Chlorine can combine with malt phenol to form chlorophenol. A surprisingly small amount of this substance can give your beer a "medicinal" undesirable taste. I have never brewed with my tap water and this is why I never will. It's too bad because I hate having to buy those 2.5 gallon jugs of Ice Mountain natural spring water, but I do, and have never had a problem with this water. Take care....and my advice is stay away from chlorine.

 

[dficker]

I can boil the water before I use it, this will evaporate the Cl?
I would also precipitate the Alkalinity?

 

[rocketman768]

Boiling removes chlorine, but not the ever more popular chloramine. Just crush up a campden tablet and add it to your mash, sparge and boil water. 1 tablet treats 20 gallons, and the reaction is almost instant. I do this and have never had an issue with chlorophenols.