I went to my water authority today to get my water tested. I gave him a list of things to be tested for. I took the list from the forum. He blew me right out of the water(no pun intended)! He said they cannot test for most of the things on the list. I need a special lab to do that, he thought it would be in the $500.00 range to have it done. So I got on the subject of a carbon filter. I bought a system that takes carbon filters that are about a foot long. Sorry I don’t know how to post a picture of the filter. I told him I brew about every three months. I will use the filter only when I brew and just for brewing. He told me I have to throw away the filter after every brew session because of bacteria growth in the filter. I told him I take the filter out and let it air dry. He said it will not dry out. That’s $13.00 a filter. And to have to buy one just to run 13 gallons of water through? If this is true, then it is a big waste.
I need to know what the brewers that use carbon filters do when thay are done until the next brew session.
Thanks
Brad
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Why don’t you just get the Ward Labs test done for less than $20 that will tell you all you need?
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Just using a expensive carbon filter without and knowledge of what you are trying to filter out is putting the cart before the horse
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If you are brewing just 4 times per year, why not just buy bottled or distilled or RO water and learn how to make simple adjustments. Has to be much cheaper in the long run
To start, I went to the water lab about 2 months ago to talk about the testing. I bought the carbon filter to remove chlorine and maybe some dirt. Then I wanted my water tested after it went through the filter. I thought all was good until I talked with a different person today. Do you agree with what he said about tossing the filter after one use?
Can you give me more info on this Ward lab please?
Thanks
Brad
Yep, do the Ward labs test. My muni doesn’t test for all things brewing anymore either.
https://producers.wardlab.com/BrewersKitOrder.aspx
I have used a whole house filter with hose disconnects for brewing only for like 20 years. I do drain it, but except for a filter change every few years, I just throw it in the basement. Never had an issue and never seen any bacterial growth when changing filters. I won’t deny he’s technically correct and there’s a risk but I wouldn’t worry about it. Another option is to plumb the thing in and keep it in use.
That being said, I really like 560sdl’s distilled water idea for 4 brews per year especially for guy with a German brewing handle (I assume you like lagers).
I would concur with the buying Distilled Water for only 4 batches per year. Making water adjustments would be much much easier due to starting out with a “blank slate.”
Well, the water person is right that you would have to toss the filter if you unhooked it and only used it occasionally for DRINKING WATER. But since this is being used for brewing water, you have no worries as long as you recognize that the water MIGHT be contaminated with organisms. Having those critters in brewing water is no problem since the brewing process sanitizes water. By the way, a carbon filter only removes constituents like halogens and organic compounds from the water. It does not remove any of the other ionic components that we are interested in for brewing.
Get the testing performed by Ward and you will have everything you need to enable you to evaluate what to do with your water. Visit the Water Knowledge page of the Bru’n Water website to learn more about carbon filters and water adjustments.
I used spring water for brewing. I thought that buying the carbon filter would save me from buying water. But I see I have a problem I guess I either buy a new filter every time or buy distilled water. I do all grain, I thought you could not use distilled water for all grain. If I would use distilled as a “blank slate” how hard is it to add what I need? What would I need to adjust distilled water? My next beer is going to be a Octoberfest.
Thanks
Brad
[quote=“mabrungard”]Well, the water person is right that you would have to toss the filter if you unhooked it and only used it occasionally for DRINKING WATER. But since this is being used for brewing water, you have no worries as long as you recognize that the water MIGHT be contaminated with organisms. Having those critters in brewing water is no problem since the brewing process sanitizes water. By the way, a carbon filter only removes constituents like halogens and organic compounds from the water. It does not remove any of the other ionic components that we are interested in for brewing.
Get the testing performed by Ward and you will have everything you need to enable you to evaluate what to do with your water. Visit the Water Knowledge page of the Bru’n Water website to learn more about carbon filters and water adjustments.[/quote]
I just checked out Bru’n Water, and I have no clue as to what I was looking at. Seems you need to be a chemist to know what all that stuff is about. 
[quote=“Bier brauer”][quote=“mabrungard”]Well, the water person is right that you would have to toss the filter if you unhooked it and only used it occasionally for DRINKING WATER. But since this is being used for brewing water, you have no worries as long as you recognize that the water MIGHT be contaminated with organisms. Having those critters in brewing water is no problem since the brewing process sanitizes water. By the way, a carbon filter only removes constituents like halogens and organic compounds from the water. It does not remove any of the other ionic components that we are interested in for brewing.
Get the testing performed by Ward and you will have everything you need to enable you to evaluate what to do with your water. Visit the Water Knowledge page of the Bru’n Water website to learn more about carbon filters and water adjustments.[/quote]
I just checked out Bru’n Water, and I have no clue as to what I was looking at. Seems you need to be a chemist to know what all that stuff is about. [/quote]
I’m with ya’ on that one, Brother! :shock:
I us a RV Carbon Filter for all my brewing. I hook it up to my garden hose in the back yard. It tastes like I got it came out of a bottle from the store. Clean, no off tastes at all. My beers come out perfect (in my eyes). Its reusable and lasts for a while depending on how much water you run through it.
The water chemistry, once you’ve either had a report done or are working with a blank slate, is one of the funnest parts for me. You gain the opportunity to focus the flavor of your beer that much more intensely. For starters, you can always purchase Buffers from the host. It maintains a pH of 5.2 for every batch regardless of the starting pH of your water. From there it just depends on the style. Sulfates, gypsum, epsom salts, Burton salts, malto dextrin, chlorides, acids, etc. etc. etc. All of it catering to what water source and/or beer style you the brewer want to imitate.
[quote=“zwiller”]Yep, do the Ward labs test. My muni doesn’t test for all things brewing anymore either.
https://producers.wardlab.com/BrewersKitOrder.aspx
I have used a whole house filter with hose disconnects for brewing only for like 20 years. I do drain it, but except for a filter change every few years, I just throw it in the basement. Never had an issue and never seen any bacterial growth when changing filters. I won’t deny he’s technically correct and there’s a risk but I wouldn’t worry about it. Another option is to plumb the thing in and keep it in use.
That being said, I really like 560sdl’s distilled water idea for 4 brews per year especially for guy with a German brewing handle (I assume you like lagers).[/quote]
Yeah have some German blood mixed with Irish. No wonder i like to make beer.
Did you dedicate the whole house filter only to brewing and not to the house plumbing? Lager, going to brew an Octoberfest as soon as the carboy is free. I never made a lager yet. I checked out Ward labs. There is another lab close to me, I think I will pay them a visit first then go to Wards if they can’t help. I can see that this whole water thing is way over my head.
[quote=“Hoppenheimer”]The water chemistry, once you’ve either had a report done or are working with a blank slate, is one of the funnest parts for me. You gain the opportunity to focus the flavor of your beer that much more intensely. For starters, you can always purchase Buffers from the host. It maintains a pH of 5.2 for every batch regardless of the starting pH of your water. From there it just depends on the style. Sulfates, gypsum, epsom salts, Burton salts, malto dextrin, chlorides, acids, etc. etc. etc. All of it catering to what water source and/or beer style you the brewer want to imitate.
I used 5.2 stabilizer in the American wheat I made the other day. But I hear that it doesn’t work. I read on Brun water the same thing. How the heck do you even know where to start. When I was checking out Brun water and got to the spread sheets, that was enough for me. How do you figure that stuff out?
[quote=“Bier brauer”][quote=“mabrungard”]Well, the water person is right that you would have to toss the filter if you unhooked it and only used it occasionally for DRINKING WATER. But since this is being used for brewing water, you have no worries as long as you recognize that the water MIGHT be contaminated with organisms. Having those critters in brewing water is no problem since the brewing process sanitizes water. By the way, a carbon filter only removes constituents like halogens and organic compounds from the water. It does not remove any of the other ionic components that we are interested in for brewing.
Get the testing performed by Ward and you will have everything you need to enable you to evaluate what to do with your water. Visit the Water Knowledge page of the Bru’n Water website to learn more about carbon filters and water adjustments.[/quote]
I just checked out Bru’n Water, and I have no clue as to what I was looking at. Seems you need to be a chemist to know what all that stuff is about. [/quote]
Not in the least. You just need to spend a bit of time. If I can do it, anyone can do it.
5.2 not only will not help, I found it gave my beer a weird flavor.
What kind of problem are you having with Brunwater? You input your water data, select a profile, then play “what if” with mineral additions until your water is close to the profile you chose.
You don’t need the homebrewer test from Wardlab unless you think you have seriously funky water. I’m on a well, and test W-6 for $16.50 gives me all the info I need. Just go to www.wardlab.com
5.2 not only will not help, I found it gave my beer a weird flavor.
What kind of problem are you having with Brunwater? You input your water data, select a profile, then play “what if” with mineral additions until your water is close to the profile you chose.
You don’t need the homebrewer test from Wardlab unless you think you have seriously funky water. I’m on a well, and test W-6 for $16.50 gives me all the info I need. Just go to http://www.wardlab.com[/quote]
Oh man Denny, when I looked at Bru’n Water I am lost. like you said, maybe with time I can figure it out.
About 2 months ago I went to the water authority’s treatment plant and talked to the lab tech. I told him I would bring a sample for him to test for me. I just went there yesterday with my samples. The tech was off so I talked to the control operator. He informed me about the carbon filter and the problem I will have with what I want to do with it. Bummed me right out. He did give me some numbers but they mean nothing to me
PH 7.2 - 7.4
Electrical conductivity mmho/cm 50.0
Total hardness CaC03 42.0
Sulfate 6.0
Total alkalinity 12.0
Our water tastes pretty good out of the tap. But I have that darn grapefruit tartness finish in my brews. Like I said in the past, it is not real bad, but it is there. So I wanted to spiff up the water to see if that took it out. That’s how all this started. I don’t have a refined taste, I might not even notice a difference in the taste.
Brad
5.2 not only will not help, I found it gave my beer a weird flavor.
What kind of problem are you having with Brunwater? You input your water data, select a profile, then play “what if” with mineral additions until your water is close to the profile you chose.
You don’t need the homebrewer test from Wardlab unless you think you have seriously funky water. I’m on a well, and test W-6 for $16.50 gives me all the info I need. Just go to http://www.wardlab.com[/quote]
Oh man Denny, when I looked at Bru’n Water I am lost. like you said, maybe with time I can figure it out.
About 2 months ago I went to the water authority’s treatment plant and talked to the lab tech. I told him I would bring a sample for him to test for me. I just went there yesterday with my samples. The tech was off so I talked to the control operator. He informed me about the carbon filter and the problem I will have with what I want to do with it. Bummed me right out. He did give me some numbers but they mean nothing to me
PH 7.2 - 7.4
Electrical conductivity mmho/cm 50.0
Total hardness CaC03 42.0
Sulfate 6.0
Total alkalinity 12.0
Our water tastes pretty good out of the tap. But I have that darn grapefruit tartness finish in my brews. Like I said in the past, it is not real bad, but it is there. So I wanted to spiff up the water to see if that took it out. That’s how all this started. I don’t have a refined taste, I might not even notice a difference in the taste.
Brad[/quote]
The info the water authority gave you is pretty much worthless for brewing. If you want to do anything with water, you need to start with a decent analysis. $16.50 at Ward would be miney well spent. Even if you don’t want to treat your water, you’d know which styles it’s suited for. I brewed beers that won awards for 10 years before I ever did anything with water by brewing what my water was best for.
Yep. Just give it time…and read the instructions tab. Also, make sure you enable Macros in your Excel program, or the software won’t work.
I hunted all around for the enable Macros tab on excel. I found a tab that just said Macros, when I clicked on it, it did nothing. I wasn’t on the Bru’n water site, would that make a difference?
