Water profile question

[Joewalla88]

So, after 12 years of brewing, I'm finally thinking its time to start tinkering with my water. Can someone help me understand what this is and what I should do with this? I was asking out city water treatment folk about the chloride and nitrate levels and they gave me this.


Chloride 1.7 mg/L

Sulfate 0.6mg/L

..... is that high? low? Just right? I have no idea. Water has never been an issue for me and my beers have been good, but I think I could make them better if I learn this stuff.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[Yooper]

mg/l converts to ppm. So your chloride is 1.7 ppm and sulfate is .6 ppm. That's very low. Basically a clean slate, but of course the other ions may not give you such a clean slate! Do you want to let us know your whole water report? Here's what we would need:

Of course if you have chlorine or chloramines in your water, that should be treated first.

 

[Yooper]

I just saw you're in Walla Walla- you may have nice soft water naturally- I'm very jealous.
If you don't know alot about water chemistry, this is a three part 'brewing water for dummies like me' look at those additions: https://www.brewersfriend.com/2017/11/19/brewing-water-basics-part-1/

 

[Joewalla88]

I just saw you're in Walla Walla- you may have nice soft water naturally- I'm very jealous.
If you don't know alot about water chemistry, this is a three part 'brewing water for dummies like me' look at those additions: https://www.brewersfriend.com/2017/11/19/brewing-water-basics-part-1/

Oh awesome! Thanks! And, yeah our water is pretty good. I just think I could start dialing in certain styles if I learned more about the water side of things.

 

[Joewalla88]

mg/l converts to ppm. So your chloride is 1.7 ppm and sulfate is .6 ppm. That's very low. Basically a clean slate, but of course the other ions may not give you such a clean slate! Do you want to let us know your whole water report? Here's what we would need:
View attachment 881022

Of course if you have chlorine or chloramines in your water, that should be treated first.

Thanks! I will ask the guy I've been talking too. I'm sure this is public information somewhere though.

 

[Buckeye_Hydro]

Thanks! I will ask the guy I've been talking too. I'm sure this is public information somewhere though.

You can always do a water test, but the needed info may be available to you at no cost. Call your water utility and ask for their water chemistry lab.

The utilities test for many many contaminants, and once a year they report just a smidgeon of those results in an annual public Consumer Confidence Report. If you get to the right person, they can typically email you an excel file or something similar with an enormous amount of data.

One thing nice about these data is that they include reliable results for things that need to be tested for onsite (e.g., pH, alkalinity, hydrogen sulfide).

Russ

 

[MaxStout]

Also ask your utility about some things you don't want in your water, like iron and manganese. Even a small amount, like 0.1 ppm can add a metallic taste to your finished beer.

If you have those metals in your water, Russ @Buckeye_Hydro can help you with filtration options.

 

[kevin58]

I would start with a water test from Ward Labs. They have a test geared specifically for homebrewers that tests only those things that brewers are concerned with. Once you get that you can use software/spreadsheet like Bru 'n Water (free) to calculate what additions you need for your brew day.

I use Beersmith which has a water tool comparable to Bru 'n Water and the process is very simple. I entered my Ward Labs results and named it something like My Water. Then when I make a recipe I go to the water tool and start with My Water as the base. I then select a Target profile that I want to match. That's all. The software calculates any salts I need to add and even puts them in my recipe.

 

[Indian_villager]

https://www.brunwater.com/water-knowledge

 

[Joewalla88]

I was given some additional information. They said everything else was so low, its negligible.

Hardness ( As Calcium Carbonate) 27.4 mg/L

Sodium 2.8 mg/L

Alkalinity (average) 38.3 mg/L

 

[Indian_villager]

Info feels a bit thin but serviceable. Do you have a pH meter to confirm what you are doing with your water chemistry is working for you?

 

[Joewalla88]

Info feels a bit thin but serviceable. Do you have a pH meter to confirm what you are doing with your water chemistry is working for you?

I have one somewhere, but should probably order a new one.

I just run my water through a carbon filter. Like the ones you use for an RV. I dont do anything else. I added some gypsum this last batch to see if I can crisp it up a bit.

I just feel like all the beers have the same mouthful or weight to them. I can get to change a little with the grain bill or attenuation and things like that, but they still, generally, have this middle of the road feeling to them. Does that make sense?

 

[Indian_villager]

I have one somewhere, but should probably order a new one.

I just run my water through a carbon filter. Like the ones you use for an RV. I dont do anything else. I added some gypsum this last batch to see if I can crisp it up a bit.

I just feel like all the beers have the same mouthful or weight to them. I can get to change a little with the grain bill or attenuation and things like that, but they still, generally, have this middle of the road feeling to them. Does that make sense?

The beers feel flabby? Feel like you are missing that snappiness in certain styles? You could mess with that with your sulfate/chloride ratio depending on what direction you are trying to take it. Just be mindful that adding sulfates will lower the pH and it is definitely useful to understand where you currently are at so that you don't swing too far the other way.

 

[Joewalla88]

The beers feel flabby? Feel like you are missing that snappiness in certain styles? You could mess with that with your sulfate/chloride ratio depending on what direction you are trying to take it. Just be mindful that adding sulfates will lower the pH and it is definitely useful to understand where you currently are at so that you don't swing too far the other way.

Kinda, I wouldn't describe as flabby, but crisp beers are never crisp enough, and beer on the other side of the spectrum just ride that same middle rail. I don't know how to describe it, but it's like everything I brew is just different flavors of the same beer.

 

[Indian_villager]

Kinda, I wouldn't describe as flabby, but crisp beers are never crisp enough, and beer on the other side of the spectrum just ride that same middle rail. I don't know how to describe it, but it's like everything I brew is just different flavors of the same beer.

It is a knob to turn and see what you get. I just brewed my usual Kolsch but switched up the sulfate/chloride ratio around and it feels like a completely different beer. Went high on the chloride side this time and it is missing that snappiness and the hops are less pronounced despite same amount/aa.

May want to grab a pH meter, storage solution, and calibration solutions, and get to screwing around. Get your mash pH dialed in with whatever salt ratios you want. Also watch the pH going into the fermenter, try to get the pH going into the fermenter between 5.2-5.0.

https://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-In...82343&sprefix=milwaukee+ph+pen,aps,190&sr=8-4