Ph 7.7
Dissolved solids 410
Electrical conductivity .68
Cations/anions 6.7/7.1
Sodium 154
Bicarbonate 433
Alkalinity 357
Calcium 0
Everything else was less than 1.
What do I do now? I like making Amber and brown ales.
Thanks
Get Bru’nwater downloaded and plug in your numbers. Unfortunately, your water is very similar to mine and not good for brewing much of anything. Even for stouts, I dilute my water because of the alkalinity.
Ok thanks, I’ll check that out. I got the sample after the water went through the water softener because that is the water from my kitchen sink. I could use water from before the softener also. I I’d guess that would have more calcium and magnesium, and less sodium. Would the alkalinity be the same? Anyone think it’d be worth getting a water test from before the softener?
Thanks again
Yikes! Your alkalinity and bicarb are up there! For lighter beers just build up from distilled or RO. For darker beers you may be able to dilute 50/50.
As stated above your answers are in Brunwater. Be sure to read the water knowledge tab over and over…then if you’re like me read it a few more times!
Definitely +1 for brunwater!
Read the instruction pages and check out this walkthrough:
http://accidentalis.com/archives/275It will help a lot.
As noted above, you’re bicarb and alkalinity are super high. You’re going to have to dilute a lot. Don’t forget to get some campden tablets for the chlorine/chloramines!
If it’s easy to get access to water from before the softener, it might not hurt to get a test done if you want to spend the money. Do whatever is easiest for you in my opinion.
[quote=“tnelson2002”]Ok thanks, I’ll check that out. I got the sample after the water went through the water softener because that is the water from my kitchen sink. I could use water from before the softener also. I I’d guess that would have more calcium and magnesium, and less sodium. Would the alkalinity be the same? Anyone think it’d be worth getting a water test from before the softener?
Thanks again[/quote]
water from a water softener is almost never suitable for brewing
Seeing the OP’s location in Minnesota, I’m wondering if the raw water has iron or manganese in it? That may preclude using the non-softened water. But in any case, its not an ideal brewing water.
[quote=“tnelson2002”]Ok thanks, I’ll check that out. I got the sample after the water went through the water softener because that is the water from my kitchen sink. I could use water from before the softener also. I I’d guess that would have more calcium and magnesium, and less sodium. Would the alkalinity be the same? Anyone think it’d be worth getting a water test from before the softener?
Thanks again[/quote]
It would be good to get a test from before the softener. Not sure where in MN but I’m in the north suburbs thus probably have similar water (St. Paul and Minneapolis have different water than the places on wells). After learning about water and starting use of Bru’n Water it isn’t too big of deal for me to use tap water. I just need to make fairly hearty acid additions to get the mash pH to work out but that isn’t hard.
Martin is correct about the iron, turns out my city treats the water for iron to prevent issues with their pipes.
Live near Detroit lakes, the water is from a private well. I think I’ll send in another sample straight from the well. That source is downstairs so it wouldn’t be as convenient, but oh well. I’ll find out next week I guess. My wife is happy we know how the water is in the house now, so that’s a good thing.
Thanks
Ever think about going with a RO system. It removes 95%+ of all minerals. This means you can build what ever profile you want without dilution.
Minneapolis, St. Paul and some of inner-ring suburbs all get their water from the Mississippi River. Minneapolis pulls it directly out of the river at their water treatment facility. St. Paul pulls their water farther upstream and then runs it through a series of lakes before it hits their treatment facility. Because they use surface water it is very soft. In fact, Minneapolis actually softens their water further. All of the suburbs use ground water, drawing it from three major underground aquifers. That water is extremely hard. That’s why I use RO water from Cub Foods.
After messing around with bru’n water I think using ro water and building the desired profile is the way to go for me. Ro water says to have a ph between 5 and 6 so to batch sparge can I just use straight ro water without any additions?
Thanks
It may have that low of a pH, but it has no buffering capacity. Any small addition of anything alkaline will send the pH upward. I split my salt additions proportionally between my mash and sparge water.
[quote=“tnelson2002”]After messing around with bru’n water I think using ro water and building the desired profile is the way to go for me. Ro water says to have a ph between 5 and 6 so to batch sparge can I just use straight ro water without any additions?
Thanks[/quote]
I agree. I too already had the softener so it was only adding an RO. Helps that my bro is in the business and hooked me up with a top notch system.
If you’re going to use RO or distilled, use this:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewin ... er-198460/I’ve had success using this primer up until I got a water test and noticed how lucky I am.
When using outsourced water for delicate stuff (I prefer distilled as it costs same for me and many folks have proven RO can actually be quite bad) I still acidify sparge and put Ca salts that would normally go into the sparge into the kettle instead.
[quote=“Templar”]If you’re going to use RO or distilled, use this:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewin ... er-198460/I’ve had success using this primer up until I got a water test and noticed how lucky I am.[/quote]
+Infinity for that! Same here…
It all depends on the feed water source and how well (or even if) the RO equipment is maintained.
[quote=“Templar”]If you’re going to use RO or distilled, use this:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewin ... er-198460/I’ve had success using this primer up until I got a water test and noticed how lucky I am.[/quote]
The problem with that advice is that AJ brews nothing but American light lagers. If you’re brewing one of those, it’s good advice. Otherwise, you might want to think for yourself.
It’s called a primer (as in place to start) for that very reason, as AJ himself has said many times throughout that thread.
