How do I find out about my local water?

[donManguno]

I called the water utility to ask how I can get a water analysis, and they directed me to their website. I found a PDF which I thought was just what I needed, but it contains information on the concentration of everything I don't care about and nothing that I do.

http://water.cobbcountyga.gov/PDFiles/CCR2010.pdf

What do I have to do to find out the concentration of Ca++, Mg++, Na+, etc..? Is there an cheap home test I can use, or is this something that my water utility should be able to provide if I ask the right questions?

[PhillyBrewer]

I wasn't able to get what I needed from my water supplier. A lot of people will get a W-6 report from Ward Labs which is what I did. I'll let others who are more knowledgeable speak to what you're looking for.

You're an extract brewer, right? I think you'd only be interested in making sure chloramine levels aren't unacceptable. You don't have to worry about a lot of other minerals because you're not mashing/sparging.

[jm]

I called the water utility to ask how I can get a water analysis, and they directed me to their website. I found a PDF which I thought was just what I needed, but it contains information on the concentration of everything I don't care about and nothing that I do.

http://water.cobbcountyga.gov/PDFiles/CCR2010.pdf

What do I have to do to find out the concentration of Ca++, Mg++, Na+, etc..? Is there an cheap home test I can use, or is this something that my water utility should be able to provide if I ask the right questions?

If you keep calling you might get lucky and finally get someone one the phone who knows what you're talking about but my experience was that whoever does the phone answering at the water department near me is in no position to know anything more than "check our website."

If you want a detailed report check http://wardlab.com/FeeSchedule/WaterAnalysis.aspx - the tests are reasonably priced and should get you what you want to know. I've never gotten a report but have heard other brewers recommend their reports.

[bpfishback]

I've had success contacting the local water department but could only get average values, in the end I just went with a ward labs report. Ward labs is well worth the money, I think I got my values within a few days of sending off my sample.

[donManguno]

I wasn't able to get what I needed from my water supplier. A lot of people will get a W-6 report from Ward Labs which is what I did. I'll let others who are more knowledgeable speak to what you're looking for.

You're an extract brewer, right? I think you'd only be interested in making sure chloramine levels aren't unacceptable. You don't have to worry about a lot of other minerals because you're not mashing/sparging.

Yeah, at the moment I am an extract and partial-mash brewer. I wasn't aware that the mineral content of the water was not relevant when not mashing/sparging, and that's good to know. Gives me some time to find out this information, as it will be a few months before I can upgrade my equipment and stop using extract.

I'll look into Ward Labs, and in the meantime I'm looking for a homebrewing club in my area and I'm sure they would have the information I need. Thanks for the help, guys!

[jm]

I wasn't able to get what I needed from my water supplier. A lot of people will get a W-6 report from Ward Labs which is what I did. I'll let others who are more knowledgeable speak to what you're looking for.

You're an extract brewer, right? I think you'd only be interested in making sure chloramine levels aren't unacceptable. You don't have to worry about a lot of other minerals because you're not mashing/sparging.

Yeah, at the moment I am an extract and partial-mash brewer. I wasn't aware that the mineral content of the water was not relevant when not mashing/sparging, and that's good to know. Gives me some time to find out this information, as it will be a few months before I can upgrade my equipment and stop using extract.

I'll look into Ward Labs, and in the meantime I'm looking for a homebrewing club in my area and I'm sure they would have the information I need. Thanks for the help, guys!

Well if you're extract brewing why not just grab some distilled or reverse osmosis water from the store and use that? Your extract should have plenty of minerals in it already.

[donManguno]

Well if you're extract brewing why not just grab some distilled or reverse osmosis water from the store and use that? Your extract should have plenty of minerals in it already.

I did use distilled water for my first (and only, thus far) batch of beer. I am pursuing a water analysis now so that it isn't something I have to do once I stop using extract. Also, having an undisclosed amount of minerals in my extract seems like it would have the potential to throw things all out of whack. If I make an all-extract brew, and then another of the same style with a substantial specialty grain bill, wouldn't the differing mineral contents (from the different amounts of extract used) lead to different outcomes? And would the latter beer suffer from a low mineral content? If not, why doesn't the former beer have too high of a mineral content?

[jm]

Well if you're extract brewing why not just grab some distilled or reverse osmosis water from the store and use that? Your extract should have plenty of minerals in it already.

I did use distilled water for my first (and only, thus far) batch of beer. I am pursuing a water analysis now so that it isn't something I have to do once I stop using extract. Also, having an undisclosed amount of minerals in my extract seems like it would have the potential to throw things all out of whack. If I make an all-extract brew, and then another of the same style with a substantial specialty grain bill, wouldn't the differing mineral contents (from the different amounts of extract used) lead to different outcomes? And would the latter beer suffer from a low mineral content? If not, why doesn't the former beer have too high of a mineral content?

http://goo.gl/3Ud9T - in particular #9 Water.