Do I need to treat my water?

[nick9one1]

I've been reading a couple of articles about water treatment, so wondered if I need to treat my water.

I'm going to start using a Campden tablet to remove chlorine. but not sure If I need to address Ph and salts etc.

I've downloaded my local water quality summary report. Key parts are -

Hardness - 185 mg/l CaCO3
pH - 8
Calcium - 74 ppm
Magnesium -
Sodium - 7 mg/l
Chloride - 35 mg/l
Sulphate - 6.5 mg/l

I don't seem to have magnesium on the report, which is a problem. All the online calculators require it.

Have I missed it or is it reported differently on the report?

link to water report -
https://www.stwater.co.uk/content/conMediaFile/1654

 

[jceg316]

There's a similar thread going on at the moment which will probably have some answers: http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=63741.

TL;DR - yes it can help, but are there any specific styles you are making which would benefit from this?

I've only played around with water because my IPAs were undrinkable, and changing the water chemistry fixed this. For any other style I keep the water as is.

The best calculator I have found is the one on JBK: http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/water.html.

 

[strange-steve]

Your water doesn't look too bad as it is but a little treatment would probably make a difference. Your sulphate is very low so some gypsum would really help if you're brewing IPA or APAs.

You're missing data for alkalinity, so you should get yourself a Salifert alkalinity test kit. When you have this info you can then plug the figures into a calculator, personally I use Bru'n Water. This will allow you to tweak your alkalinity so that your mash pH will fall into the correct range.

 

[nick9one1]

Thanks for the reply.

I generally don't brew english ales, mainly APA's and hoppy american style beers.
At the moment I'm brewing a Weissbier

I've just had another read of the water report and its less useful than I thought.
Its split into different sections for test taken at different supply points. There doesn't seem to be any indication which supply point I'm receiving water from.

Some monitoring for this Zone has been undertaken at the following supply point(s):
S0155 Ompton Final
S0161 Caunton BPS

The report actually contains two sets of figures.

Chloride 35 & 8.7
Sulphate 19.8 & 6.5

 

[strange-steve]

Water reports are more often than not pretty useless. I use salifert kits to test for calcium and alkalinity. These are really the only important figures you need. Then raise your Ca to 100+ ppm with gypsum for hoppy beers and get your alkalinity where it needs to be based on your malt bill, a bit general but around 20 ppm or less for a pale lager up to 100+ for a stout. Then all you need to do is remove chlorine / chloramine which you know about.
Oh and magnesium can generally be ignored, the mash will supply adequate amounts.

 

[nick9one1]

thanks strange-steve. I've got an API aquarium mater test kit. but I dont think it does alkalinity - I'll get one of the salifert kits


I discovered this company from another forum thread http://laboratory.murphyandson.co.uk/our-products/water

When we test water for brewing with the following analytes are measured:

pH Used as a measurement in alkalinity
Alkalinity (as CaCO3) Level of carbonate in your water (Hard Vs Soft)
Nitrate Indicator of nitrates in your supply can lead to the promotion of Nitrosamines
Calcium The most important ion in brewing, essential for many processes in brewing
Chloride Body and sweetness in the final beer
Sulphate Texture and mouth feel in the final beer
Magnesium Trace element, useful during fermentation, laxative effect also if too high

It suggested a water test was about �£15, although that was a few years ago. I might do this too, it would be interesting to compare their results with the salifert kit.

 

[chuffer]

thanks strange-steve. I've got an API aquarium mater test kit. but I dont think it does alkalinity - I'll get one of the salifert kits


I discovered this company from another forum thread http://laboratory.murphyandson.co.uk/our-products/water



It suggested a water test was about ��£15, although that was a few years ago. I might do this too, it would be interesting to compare their results with the salifert kit.

It cost me £27 from BrewUk (Greg Hughes company) who seem to be the intermediary now. It certainly makes life easier as they tell you what your current water composition is (with the exception of Sodium for some unknown reason, but I was able to find that out from a local water report) and provides 3 tables detailing the different carbonate reduction requirements and salt additions depending on whether you wish to brew lagers, pale ales or darker beers

 

[strange-steve]

There's a guy on Jim's Beer Kit who provides the same service called Wallybrew, not sure of the cost though. I've heard that in the past Murphy's reports have had issues and their recommended treatments are quite generalised.

 

[nick9one1]

There's a guy on Jim's Beer Kit who provides the same service called Wallybrew, not sure of the cost though. I've heard that in the past Murphy's reports have had issues and their recommended treatments are quite generalised.

Thanks - I've sent him a message.

It cost me �£27 from BrewUk (Greg Hughes company) who seem to be the intermediary now. It certainly makes life easier as they tell you what your current water composition is (with the exception of Sodium for some unknown reason, but I was able to find that out from a local water report) and provides 3 tables detailing the different carbonate reduction requirements and salt additions depending on whether you wish to brew lagers, pale ales or darker beers

sorry I missed your post

You're correct - Murphys got back to me and pointed me towards brewUK (£27).

After looking at the water report from by supplier (Severn Trent Water) I'm not sure how useful a water test will be. As there are two supply points listed for my postcode, I presume they could switch over at any time.

I'm planning in brewing a Weissbeir this weekend which is too soon to have a test done anyway.
I think I'll buy some tesco ashbeck, which seems fairly well known/tested.

 

[strange-steve]

Brewing with Ashbeck untreated might produce a beer which is a little lacking in flavour, also the very low Ca level might cause some issues. I'd recommend some calcium chloride for your Weissbier if possible.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Thanks - I've sent him a message.




sorry I missed your post

You're correct - Murphys got back to me and pointed me towards brewUK (�£27).

After looking at the water report from by supplier (Severn Trent Water) I'm not sure how useful a water test will be. As there are two supply points listed for my postcode, I presume they could switch over at any time.

I'm planning in brewing a Weissbeir this weekend which is too soon to have a test done anyway.
I think I'll buy some tesco ashbeck, which seems fairly well known/tested.

A weiss with tesco value rather than ashbeck will be fine. just keep the temps above 21 ( I can heartily recommend MJ's Bavarian Weiss yeast to give u the perfect summer beer :-) I did mine at 23-23 degs +

 

[nick9one1]

A weiss with tesco value rather than ashbeck will be fine. just keep the temps above 21 ( I can heartily recommend MJ's Bavarian Weiss yeast to give u the perfect summer beer :-) I did mine at 23-23 degs +

Thanks!

Interestingly, severn trent water just got back to me -

Thank you for your recent contact into Severn Trent Water.

Please see below for the information requested:

Calcium- 27.43mg Ca/l
Magnesium- 28.55mg Mg/l
Alkalinity- 153.35mg CaCo3/l

Bicarbonate is not regulatory so unfortunately this is a figure we cannot provide.