Water Authority report

[exc503]

I am brewing tomorrow, and in the last week or two I started to look into water profiles and water chemistry. I have been brewing with Poland Spring/similar for the past two years, normally cut with 50% or less of tap water, I had not given much thought to water before. But now that I am looking at it, I would like to do what I can to improve the tap water as I can get a fairly good analysis from the local Water authority that covers a fairly small area.

So my question is, how accurate are the water authorities analysis from the distribution point to the end user, is there much variation?

Aside from going RO, which I cannot afford a system today, nor install by tomorrow, (unless somebody knows if Stop and Shop sells it by the gallon), how likely am I to be able to accurately adjust my water composition?

I ran the water authority's report through Bru'n Water, and if I am reading that right it only needs some minor adjustment, lactic acid and gypsum. But as I read further through all the water knowledge parts of the website, it looks like Chlorine might be a concern.

TBH at the moment my head is spinning a bit with all the parameters, and once I get them down I'll be ok. My beer tomorrow is a Saison, and I can go ahead and do as i have up until now and wing it with Poland Spring and tap water mix.

 

[logdrum]

Crush up a campden tablet & add it to all of your brewing water(one tab is good for 20 gallons), that will take care of chlorine & chloramines.

 

[exc503]

Thank you. I think I have some of those.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

This may not help you for tomorrow, but if your water is generally good, a charcol filter on the faucet or in the line is great for removing chlorine and chloramines. I use a 3 stage from Costco if I recall it was around $70 - takes up less space than RO as well.

 

[exc503]

This may not help you for tomorrow, but if your water is generally good, a charcol filter on the faucet or in the line is great for removing chlorine and chloramines. I use a 3 stage from Costco if I recall it was around $70 - takes up less space than RO as well.

Hoppy, I'm also on Long Island, out in the Shirley area. SCWA report seems pretty good, overall, only minor adjustments with gypsum and lactic acid.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I thought you might be when you wrote "water authority". Overall our water is really good, that is one of the reasons pizza and bagels made elsewhere pale. Though I wouldn't say the water at my pumping station is soft I get a fair amount of build up on the shower heads. (also south shore)