Brewing1976
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- Apr 18, 2019
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Is well water good to use or should I buy bottled water? Thank you
Ok I might have to do the brew test one. How much did cost for the brew test?I just shipped off a sample to ward labs, awaiting results.
https://www.wardlab.com/sample-submittal.php#water
They have 2 different options, the more expensive is the one that they send you a kit to sample. the other, you just fill out the form under the "brewer's testing" link, then send in with your own bottle.
Based on results I am guessing I will still have to add some minerals, but my biggest concern would be sulfur content, some wells have a pretty strong smell, which untreated would cause off flavors.
For brewing I currently use RO water and adjusted the water profile from scratch, but hoping that my Friends well can save some money and trips to the Watermill express
What did you have to do to get your water right for brewing?The terms "well water" and "tap water" (i.e. city water) only describe the water's source, not its chemistry. So those terms are pretty useless without further qualification.
My water comes from a well, and it's horrible for brewing. I used a Ward Labs brewer's test years ago to learn that. Glad I did, as it helped me stay with brewing as a hobby rather than giving up on it! I couldn't brew a tasty pale beer to save my life with my well water.
Brewing with most brands of spring water is a pretty safe bet til you get your hands around your own water's chemistry.
What did ward tell you to do to get your water right?If you ship your own bottle, the test is 27.25, the kit is over $40 i think. flat rate boxes in my area are about $8. I used a plastic vodka pint bottle since it fit in the small flat rate box better
How did you end up fixing your problemAs far as getting it ready to ship? just rinse out bottle really good with the water you want tested before filling. somewhere on ward's site are the instructions.
If you are referring to if they give recommendations on how to make the water suitable for brewing if there are issues, they do not. They just email the report, and it would be up to you to determine if it is suitable and if there is even anything that can be done to fix issues.
some water mineral content is so out of wack that it is less work to buy RO than to even attempt to fix it
Just like to know how people know what to do with the water problems.I have not received the report yet, as I had just put my sample in the mail this morning. usually takes them a week or so to get the report back.
I will try and remember to post the results when I get them in.
https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/water-knowledge
give this a try, It is pretty dense, but easier to read than some more immersive articles.
Also would recommend searching you tube for - John Plamer water chemistry
getting into water chemistry is very interesting but can leave you feeling like you drank from a fire hose
In my case my well has high tds, high residual alkalinity, and borderline iron content. My solution was/is a Reverse Osmosis system. I can dial up pretty near any water profile I desire, now...Just like to know how people know what to do with the water problems.
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