Water Report - Tyrone, PA - Help with analysis and adjustments.

[Micky5752]

Hello all... I have attached the water report I received back from Ward for my hometown water from Tyrone, Pa. Could someone take a look at this for me and tell me what I could, or IF I should to anything to adjust the Sulfate to Chloride Ratio? It seems that the ppm for both are so low, but I can't tell if it is a good thing or a bad thing? Should the water have a certain ppm for both, being balanced, to produce the best taste? Or is it best to have as little as possible in both?

Also, I'm assuming from a 7.4 pH that I should be using 5.2 or Lactic acid to get it down around 5.0 - 5.2.

Is there anything else from this report that is major enough for me to be concerned about? Make adjustments for? Your input is very much appreciated!

 

[mabrungard]

Of course, your water report is not attached, but it was presented in another of your posts.

The sulfate chloride ratio is essentially worthless at the very low concentrations you have in that water. The ratio is most applicable when the concentrations of those ions are at moderate levels. I've suggested that the ratio is most applicable when the chloride content is between about 25 and 100 ppm. In the case of your water, more ionic content is desirable IF you want their flavor contributions. Be aware that there are styles where you may want low ionic content so that the water doesn't overshadow the malt. There are several lager styles that can benefit from fairly low ionic content.

 

[Micky5752]

So to say that I brew mainly, PAs and IPAs, would I want to raise the ratio? How do I go about getting more chlorides and sulfates in the brewing water? Also, in my other post, I was told about the alkalinity, what is the best method of adjustment, and where is it supposed to be?

 

[mabrungard]

Where the level of those ions should be is a matter of personal taste. In the case of your water with its relatively low initial ionic content, you have many options. When you boost sulfate levels very high with gypsum, there could be a case where you need to add alkalinity to the mashing water to keep the mash and kettle wort pH at a desirable level. For PAs and IPAs, you could depress the pH too low with large additions of gypsum. For other beer styles, its less likely that you would be adding a lot of mineralization and you may or may not need to acidify the mash. It all depends...I'm sorry that I can't provide a definitive answer because there isn't one. Every brew is a different case. This is where an understanding of the overall cause and effect is important. That can only come from reading and experimenting to find the water conditions that make you happy. I recommend that you visit the website that I've linked in my signature and visit the Water Knowledge page on that site. It won't be easy, but brewing water chemistry is not EZ.