Re: Water Suggestions?

Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:16 am

Oops, forgot the link for the Sodium test kit...

https://www.davistestkit.com/sodium/

LMK how it goes for you. When I go AG, I'll probably be messing with adjusments too.
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Re: Water Suggestions?

Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:05 pm

If you want to really know what you are working with, try http://www.wardlab.com/FeeSchedule/WaterAnalysis.aspx. A couple people from my club will share reports from different times of year because the city may change water sources throughout the year depending on demand.

Find out what the source for your water is (lake, river, wells, etc.) and then think about the environment that source sees and that will give you an idea how the seasons will affect it. Also, use other local brewers (club and breweries) for information and find out how they treat their dark and light beers as a starting point.
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Re: Water Suggestions?

Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:14 pm

anday6 wrote:If you want to really know what you are working with, try http://www.wardlab.com/FeeSchedule/WaterAnalysis.aspx. A couple people from my club will share reports from different times of year because the city may change water sources throughout the year depending on demand.

Find out what the source for your water is (lake, river, wells, etc.) and then think about the environment that source sees and that will give you an idea how the seasons will affect it. Also, use other local brewers (club and breweries) for information and find out how they treat their dark and light beers as a starting point.


Thanks anday. All of our water comes from the river her in the city. Also, thanks for the link for wardlab. That was one of my other questions you answered in advance. What analysis do you send for?
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Re: Water Suggestions?

Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:19 pm

Ah, Household mineral for $16.50 seems to be the right one. Should've looked before...unless you have another suggestion. Thank you!
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Re: Water Suggestions?

Thu Oct 18, 2012 7:03 am

They did measure your bicarbonate: it's 61*190/50 = 232 but you don't need to know your bicarbonate. You need to know your alkalinity. It is assumed that all your alkalinity is caused by bicarbonate and to a lesser extent carbonate and if that is not the case the approximation I used isn't applicable but more to the point if there are things other than bicarbonate and carbonate responsible for the alkalinity of your water then you shouldn't be brewing with it (let alone drinking it).

Sodium is not something you can practically test for yourself. The best you can do is a sodium sensetive Ion Selective Electrode which works with your pH meter in mV mode. These things are expensive and not easy to use if your sodium levels are where you hope they would be for brewing. Response is very slow and not Nernstian (linear) so tight calibration is required i.e. if your sodium is 7 you would want to use standards at 5 and 10.

Your best bet for finding out what is in your water is a Ward Labs test which others have mentioned. They are inexpensive, fast and pretty accurate.

Your water isn't 'terrible' but it isn't that great either because of the high level of alkalinity but there are things that can be done about that the success of which depends on the sulfate, chloride, sodium level etc. so come back when you have a complete report. One thing that always works is dilution with RO water or use of RO water with mineral supplementation. Yes, you can add too many minerals to RO water but there is a simple solution to that problem: don't do it. The whole complicated problem of brewing water is, in fact, quite easily reduced by the use of RO water to something very manageable. Inexpensive RO is one of recent technology's greatest gifts to the home (and commercial) brewer. Quite a few people have been helped by the guidance at http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewin ... er-198460/
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