San Diego, CA Water Profile

[dragonlor20]

Hello,

I have noticed quite a few brewers in the San Diego area. Does anyone have a water profile handy for San Diego? The last one available online seems to be from 2008 and does not give Calcium or Magnesium or Bicarbonate...

Thanks!
Scott

 

[BrianTheBrewer]

Scott, great question I would love to know as well as I am moving there in the next two months.

 

[schristian619]

I don't know about our specific profile. It depends on what part of SD you are in since we get our water from 3 or 4 different sources. But I know Ballast Point uses tap water through a charcoal house filter, which is what I do for most of my beers (all my american styles). I remember reading somewhere that Stone uses a London based water profile. But regardless, our water is good for brewing american style ales, just filter it.

 

[dragonlor20]

I don't know about our specific profile. It depends on what part of SD you are in since we get our water from 3 or 4 different sources. But I know Ballast Point uses tap water through a charcoal house filter, which is what I do for most of my beers (all my american styles). I remember reading somewhere that Stone uses a London based water profile. But regardless, our water is good for brewing american style ales, just filter it.

I'm in Mission Valley, do you know how they break down the water distribution? Apparently there are three locations Alvarado, Miramar, and Otay. But they don't break it down as much as I need. You can read the 2008 Annual Drinking Water Report here: http://www.sandiego.gov/water/quality/pdf/waterqual08.pdf

 

[schristian619]

Well, according to that file, it looks like mission valley is covered by the Alvarado facility. I remember looking at that a while ago and discovered the same thing. I know there are places that you can send in a sample and they will break it down for you, but I forget the names of the companies. If you do a search on here, you should be able to find it.

 

[Freezeblade]

Ca++: 37
CO3--: 0 ?
Cl-: 95
Mg++: 18
Na+: 83
SO4--: 160

It's pretty close to the same from most of the treatment plants. just remember to remove chloromine, that stuff's evil.

 

[ScaerCroe]

Just moved here and looking to start brewing again. Is the easiest/cheapest way just to use a Brita water filter to remove this stuff?

 

[TomSD]

I have Palomar Spring Water deliver to my house. I already use it for my water so a couple extra 5 gal jugs a month for brewing/soda is no biggie and it tastes pretty good. Not sure the profile on it though.

 

[schristian619]

I use a house/RV filter system. You can get a put-together version at Home Brew Mart, or piece it together yourself (when I was looking it came out to about the same price). It would take forever to filter through a Brita.

 

[EricT]

Theres a place called the water store in La Mesa, I'm sure there are more around the city, but it only cost me .25 a gallon and its RO. I been using it since I started brewing and it makes god beer. I dont think I can filter my own water cheaper than what they do so... I'll stick with them.

 

[dragonlor20]

The water here is actually not bad for brewing. I brew all grain and have made a couple of really great beers. The only one that hasn't been so great was a darker beer, but I am pretty sure that had to do with overdoing the roast barley. I am definitely not getting the astringent flavor I was getting in Merced, CA in my earlier posts. There is a higher level of chlorine in the water here, but I don't find the need to filter that as the water seems to be pretty good post-boil.

I actually brewed the last beer straight from the water hose (one of those new non-rubber ones). I tried a glass of the water first (was in PB) and decided I could drink it over ice so we were good to go! You may consider avoiding the RO route due to HOW MUCH is taken from the water. A spring water or a brewable city water may give you better results, but to each his own. The good thing about RO is that its a blank slate if you want to modify your water.

 

[charliec]

I live in Chula Vista, Otay water district. I take my brew water straight from the tap. So far every batch has tasted just fine!
Stay Thirsty

 

[Wiezer]

The water here is actually not bad for brewing. I brew all grain and have made a couple of really great beers. The only one that hasn't been so great was a darker beer, but I am pretty sure that had to do with overdoing the roast barley. I am definitely not getting the astringent flavor I was getting in Merced, CA in my earlier posts. There is a higher level of chlorine in the water here, but I don't find the need to filter that as the water seems to be pretty good post-boil.

I actually brewed the last beer straight from the water hose (one of those new non-rubber ones). I tried a glass of the water first (was in PB) and decided I could drink it over ice so we were good to go! You may consider avoiding the RO route due to HOW MUCH is taken from the water. A spring water or a brewable city water may give you better results, but to each his own. The good thing about RO is that its a blank slate if you want to modify your water.

You must not have any taste buds because I live in PB and I can' stand the tap water here. Very heavy chlorine flavor with a dirt aftertaste. I would never brew without running the tap water through a charcoal filter first.

 

[EricT]

I have since stopped using RO water for my beer and now filter my tap water through a charcoal filter. My beer is a lot fuller now. If I make something like a Pilsner I will probably mix it with RO.

 

[Wiezer]

Has the flavor been ok in your beer using filtered tap? I've been using spring water but want to brew my next batch with filtered tap.

 

[EricT]

The flavor and Body have both improved since using Filtered Tap water. Just be sure to use a good charcoal filter, not one of the paper filters.

 

[92greenyj]

I can tell you that San Diego just changed the source of our water supply fairly recently. the new source is high in calcium (read hard). they did not notify the public of the change because calcium is "good for you". I have yet to get a new analysis of the new water source however

Edit: on that note I brew all grain. didnt filter for a long time and never had any noticeable flavor issues. I live in Ocean Beach. I have started using a charcoal filter recently though just because I can.

 

[EricT]

Not sure where everyone in San Diego gets their water from but mine is from Helix which gets their water from the Colorado river, "various other rivers" and 18% form Lake Jennings, Lake cuyamaca and El Capitan. Our PH is about 7.8 so probably a little high, not sure if a charcoal filter does anythiing with PH but, the beer turns out pretty good regardless.

 

[trent]

Bump. With the new addition of fluoride is this a problem?

I just realized I am in the Alvarado part which starts TOMMOROW. However, Miramar started last week.

I filter through a charcoal filter, is this still a non-issue?

http://www.sandiego.gov/water/quality/fluoridation.shtml

 

[EricT]

Bump. With the new addition of fluoride is this a problem?

I just realized I am in the Alvarado part which starts TOMMOROW. However, Miramar started last week.

I filter through a charcoal filter, is this still a non-issue?

http://www.sandiego.gov/water/quality/fluoridation.shtml

I dont think its an issue for beer. Its not the same ammount in toothpaste so I dont think its detectable.

 

[LarryC]

We're served by the Helix water district and it has been floridated (sp?) for years. I don't think it effects taste but I use my under sink filtered water for brewing and toss in a Campden tablet for good measure.

 

[dragonlor20]

So there is a lot of information that BeerSmith allows us to track that is not represented on San Diego's Water Report here http://www.sandiego.gov/water/quality/pdf/waterqual09.pdf do any of you guys have all of the numbers for the Alvarado plant?

 

[mistercameron]

The information we're looking for comes right from the water department at http://www.sandiego.gov/water/quality/

Between the anual report, and the Table 6 document further down the page, I was able to piece together the information I needed.

These are the averages at the Alvarado plant. YMMV if your source is another treatment facility or another water department (ie, not San Diego)
Calcium: 57.8 ppm
Bicarbonate 139.0 ppm
Magnesium 23.0 ppm
Sodium 88.8ppm
Chloride 100.0 ppm
Sulfate 176.0 ppm
Alkalinity 114.0 ppm

 

[mistercameron]

I just got my 2011 water report in the mail, so new numbers are in.

Alvarado plant (most of central SD) averages:
Calcium: 41.5ppm
Bicarbonate: 123.0ppm
Magnesium: 19.3
Sodium 72.6
Chloride 87.4
Sulfate 111.0
Alkalinity 101.0

You'll get all you need between these to documents
http://www.sandiego.gov/water/quality/pdf/waterqual11.pdf
http://www.sandiego.gov/water/quality/pdf/tbl6.pdf

 

[Jovar]

Table 6! That was the key.

Thanks.

 

[gan]

Is it true that San Diego's water ph is about 8.15? That seems really steep. I'll have to snag some pH paper before I leave work and check when I get home.

 

[YoginiTrish]

Here is a link to the 2011 Water Qulaity report in San Diego, which they posted this year:

http://www.sandiego.gov/water/quality/pdf/waterqual11.pdf

My company, San Diego Pure Water, also does Free Water Quality Analysis

There's no obligation, we just want people to know what's in their water

www.SanDiegoPureWater.com - there is a form on the home page that if you fill out we will come get a water sample and e-mail you the results!

 

[isunktheship]

Sorry for the thread res, but here are all reports for SD:
http://www.sandiego.gov/water/quality/reports.shtml

Unfortunately some of the data is grouped together, or downright missing. So I went ahead and called them up for some hard numbers... attached is the monthly report of all 3 facilities in SD.

Mira Mar is mine, here is the relevant information (in ppm):
Ca^+2 = Calcium = 68
Mg^+2 = Magnesium = 26.8
Na^+ = Sodium = 92.4
Cl^- = Chloride = 98.8
SO4^-2 = Sulfate = 215
HCO3^- = Bicarbonate = 147

View attachment December 2014 Monthly Complete.pdf

 

[Bilbo1usa]

This is gold, thanks.

I'm in the Miramar supply area as well, and haven't had too much trouble with the filtered tap water.
The beer seems to be pretty good!
As another poster mentioned, I took the advanced brewing class at Ballast Point some time ago and they said they just use the house water through a carbon filter.

 

[tmm0f5]

Sorry for the thread res, but here are all reports for SD:
http://www.sandiego.gov/water/quality/reports.shtml

Unfortunately some of the data is grouped together, or downright missing. So I went ahead and called them up for some hard numbers... attached is the monthly report of all 3 facilities in SD.

Mira Mar is mine, here is the relevant information (in ppm):
Ca^+2 = Calcium = 68
Mg^+2 = Magnesium = 26.8
Na^+ = Sodium = 92.4
Cl^- = Chloride = 98.8
SO4^-2 = Sulfate = 215
HCO3^- = Bicarbonate = 147

Sorry for resurecting an old thread, but the 2015 Report is now out.

It displays the Sodium, Chloride, Sulfate and Alkalinity - Total as CaCO3. But I only see Total Hardness (ppm) instead of Calcium and Magnesium.

Any idea how I can get that info?

Thanks,
Tim