PH Meters and calibration solutions

Please explain about the importance of TDS when using RO or distilled and salts. Or are you meaning that it is important if using these to dilute existing source water?

Checking the RO out with a TDS will tell you if the filters are being maintained…
Distilled, it helps you determine if too much atmosphere has contaminated it…
That is the rabbit hole I’m trying to find… My well waters read in the 230 (ppm)… and Distilled reads 0…(if you are not splashing it around) So, with all this math I’ve been doing for brewing water… Will I be able to find a reading… say 80-110 and feel comfortable my alkalinity is in check?
Sneezles61

RO water has a TDS of zero. The distilled water I buy at my grocery store has a very low TDS. Most brewers would modify RO and distilled water for a target ppm (parts per million) of Ca Mg HCO3 SO4 Na and Cl. The TDS will literally tell you how many ppm of these you have in the water. You cannot isolate individual components of say Ca vs Mg but it will give you the total of all of the above as a reading. This could improve your consistency for example.
Also if you are using municipal tap water a TDS meter could help you monitor any changes that might be happening there as well. For example my tap water today is 42 ppm of TDS.

TDS is important for one of my other hobbies, breeding fish and shrimp. You have to monitor depending on what you want to breed.

Thank you squeegeethree and sneezes.

I did talk to the science teacher about this “boiling” water… He sez to be able to cool the water with a cover… You are trying to keep the atmosphere contaminates out of the solution… And it does need time to settle out…
I did explain, the most I expect is to effectively reduce RA… which he believes I can … The other stuff in the air isn’t a problem…
Most my self inflicted projects should slow down this week… I’m eager to get brewing again…
Sneezles61

I guess I don’t get what your goal is with the water boiling…

I can brew a very good Pils style if I stomp my water down… but using it straight, there is something I can detect… I whole heartedly believe its RA…
I’m doing my best to avoid getting 8 gallons from a store… then to dispose of the bottles… every time I want to brew a 5 gallon batch of the lighter variety… what if I want to make a 10 gallon batch… out of the question…
Thats my quest…
Sneezles61

If a possible, the reduction of Residual Alkalinity through a boiling process would result in a precipitation of small crystals on the bottom of your kettle. If you aren’t seeing that then you are most likely not doing what you intend to do. There are a lot of scientific articles on precipitating bicarbonates out there.

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I’ll pull my old gas rig out… boil in my 16 gallon keggle…
Then the science-y stuff begins… How long to cool, not too…
TDS readings… that sorta fun stuff… Seems the Ca-Carbonite is the subject to get altered…
Sneezles61

Water for a pils definitely has to have lower alkalinity and be within the right pH range for mashing. Acid works fine for me. I’ve found about a pound of acidulated malt gets me right where I want to be and that’s all I use in the pils. That or acid will get you where you want but if you’re having fun boiling water, knock yerself out brother. haha

I have acid for mash pH… But that doesn’t remove the RA… Those ground up corals/seashells from prehistoric times DO affect the very light pils… They must not have much in Pilsn Checz…
I’m doing my best with what I have… I’m going to find out if its worth the effort…
Sneezles61

Acid does lower RA. What’s your well water RA/TA?

I agree with @dannyboy58. And the ONLY way I would boil the water before hand is if your using so much acid that it’s going over the taste threshold. You’re going to burn a ton of propane vs the price of acid. And, if that was still the case I would look at cutting your well water with distilled water. But to each their own. I have a buddy who brews and NEVER uses any software or does any math. If it turns out it turns out. If not no big deal. Again, to each their own!

TA= 214… RA=177…
I don’t know how else to say it/this… The more in your water, the less the malt will shine in a pils type…
Darker brews WILL cover up any “excess” minerals in your water…
Acid… its takes MORE acid to over come the RA… you aren’t getting rid of it…
And again, I point out to my above comments on bottled water…
I’ve been brewing since 2001… I didn’t care much for the “details” of brewing other than to make some brews…
In the last few years, I’ve decided to look further into “why does this brew taste so good”… There is more than just fermentable and temp control… The variable I’ve stumbled into is water…
Sneezles61

Got ya on buying water and dealing with the jugs. But I believe with your RA of 177 it may be a necessary evil if you want to brew a lighter pils. From my understanding by boiling and decanting you’ll lower your RA by about 45-50. Not sure if that’s going to be enough.
If you’re in a well you might want to look into installing a RO filter after your softener. They are affordable and then you could build the profile how you want.

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BINGO!! We have a winner!! Chicken dinner fer the winner!!
I’m understanding it will cut to about half… I have to see if makes enough difference before taking the next step…
Sneezles61

My alkalinity is higher. I tried cutting it with distilled water, and using 100% distilled to build up from but settled on lactic acid as the solution and couldn’t tell any difference in the three. I was using lactic acid to a level that other brewers say they can taste. I never tasted it and no one ever said they tasted it in my lighter beers but I decided to switch to acidulated malt anyway. I use around a lb of acidulated malt in a 10 gal batch of pilsner.

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I have Phosphoric. My water changes seasonally… so my pH correction takes a bit… About half an hour while I set up for brewing…
Sneezles61

HEY… So if you start a new paragraph/sentence and you use pH meter to start… is the P capitalized… or is it left with its proper noun name? :smirk:
Perhaps too much idle time?
Sneezles61

:thinking: