Should I ad anything to my water

[Polcho]

First brew tomorrow. I’m wondering if I should ad anything to the water.

It’s designated as ‘hard’ with 115.4 mg/l calcium.

I was also wondering is letting it stand overnight would help with getting some of the chlorine out of it.

 

[crowcrow]

Yes pour it today and let it stand - a lot of chlorine will vent off. If you have a campden tablet you can add half of that crushed to drive more off and some similar chemicals I forget.

I can't advise on other additions sorry. I also have very hard and chloriney water here - I fit a water filter tap in the brew shed which helps a little - I've not yet got into proper water science.

 

[Polcho]

Great, I have Campden tabs. I’ll do that now.

 

[crowcrow]

Beginners Guide to Water Treatment (plus links to more advanced water treatment in post #1) loads of info here but it is beyond me for now - I don't brew enough

 

[dad_of_jon]

Great, I have Campden tabs. I’ll do that now.

absolutely use them as your water might be treated with chloromine NOT chlorine.

 

[PaisleyExport]

Hi I would add 1/2 campden tablet as already said to get rid of chlorine. In terms of other salts I wouldn’t bother if it’s your first brew. Brew a nice ale and see what you think. After that maybe consider reading up on water chemistry but remember it’s only seasoning it’s not going to stop you brewing a decent beer . If you go all grain then pH becomes a factor but I wouldn’t sweat it until a few brews in.

 

[An Ankoù]

@strange-steve did a load of stuff on water chemistry. Here's a start: Beginners Guide to Water Treatment (plus links to more advanced water treatment in post #1)
I haven't seen Steve around for a long time. Hope he's OK.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Great, I have Campden tabs. I’ll do that now.

If you are going to add Campden Tablet there’s no need to draw the water today and let it stand.

 

[crowcrow]

If you are going to add Campden Tablet there’s no need to draw the water today and let it stand.

Any harm in doing both? I like to pour my water early so that I am heating from room temp (20c at the moment) rather than 5c from the tap. I like to set up the night before and always throw in a half crushed campden. More through routine than any knowledge of the processes!

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Any harm in doing both? I like to pour my water early so that I am heating from room temp (20c at the moment) rather than 5c from the tap. I like to set up the night before and always throw in a half crushed campden. More through routine than any knowledge of the processes!

I wouldn’t have thought so. I actually use water from the hot tap of my combi boiler so it starts off at 55 degrees. Even mixed 50-50 with RO water drawn the night before and kept indoors I’m at mash temperature in less than 15 minutes.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I like to add some grains makes the beer taste better.

 

[Galena]

I like to add some grains makes the beer taste better.

Nah, overrated. Non alcoholic beer is all the rage.

 

[Galena]

First brew tomorrow. I’m wondering if I should ad anything to the water.

It’s designated as ‘hard’ with 115.4 mg/l calcium.

I was also wondering is letting it stand overnight would help with getting some of the chlorine out of it.

Without knowing the rest of your water profile it is difficult to advise, you also haven't said what you are brewing which would affect what you may wish to add. Whether you need to add a campden tablet depends on how much you can taste chlorine in your tap water, but it certainly won't hurt to add half a tab.
I usually pull my water off the night before but that is for convenience as I have to carry it out to my brewhouse and it means I can just get up, turn the heat on and have breakfast while it heats up, if you are using campden tablets then there is no need but once again it won't hurt.

For now i wouldn't add anything else, your Calcium level at 115ppm is reasonable for most styles, it is the other minerals and alkalinity you need to find out for the future.

 

[Polcho]

Thank you.