Grumpy Jack
Regular.
I'm in the same area and I kit brew, but I gave up using tap water years ago as it's so hard. I use Asda spring water which is about a quid for 5 litres.
Essex Tap Water
- Thread starter Javalian
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Will take a look at the ASDA water and see how it compares to the Ashbeck. The water here is ridiculously hard!
MyQul
Chairman of the Bored
Potentially. Star san needs to be kept at (iirc) ph 3. The alkaline minerals in hard water can up the PH so it's not effective anymore. My (London) water is hard but I just dilute the star san with it as it doesn't seem to be hard enough to raise the PH above 3, although it does seem to make it cloudy. You can get loads of PH strips from fleaby for about a quid to test it
I'm in South Essex, been testing my water supply for past 5 months with one of the aquarium test kits off ebay, I've been getting between 171 - 200 ppm of CaC03. I put these figures into the calculator from this site and adjust accordingly with CRS and also various Salts.
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/water.php
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/water.php
I have tested PH it is circa 7.2 , but isnt this different to water being hard ?
MyQul
Chairman of the Bored
I take it you mean your water is PH 7.2? Yes I think this is different to water being hard. Tbh I really try to keep things simple when it comes to water PH, treatment , etc as things can get REALLY complicated. As I understand things if you have 'hard' water (whatever this means as when it comes to water treatment for brewing rather than just for starsan, as I understand things ,there is a difference between hardness and alkalinity) this can effect the PH of your diluted starsan, bringing it above the PH level (of 3) where star san is effective
Yes , my tap water ph is 7.2 , sorry to be so dim, does this mean i shouldnt use Star San ?
Interesting, just left this reply elsewhere...
I'm a londoner. Looked up all the info on local water in my neighborhood and have my own kitchen cabinet filled with more white powders than Keith Richards can lay his hands on. I've tried a little of this... and a little of that.. and noticed virtually no difference at all. I use a campden tab for that nasty chloramine business, but that's it. Water treatment started to suck the enjoyment out of brewing for me.. left it well alone.
I'm a londoner. Looked up all the info on local water in my neighborhood and have my own kitchen cabinet filled with more white powders than Keith Richards can lay his hands on. I've tried a little of this... and a little of that.. and noticed virtually no difference at all. I use a campden tab for that nasty chloramine business, but that's it. Water treatment started to suck the enjoyment out of brewing for me.. left it well alone.
I've watched TOWIE a few times and I am definitely beginning to wonder if the phrase ...
... has anything to do with what I was watching! :whistle: :whistle:
"It's in the water!"
... has anything to do with what I was watching! :whistle: :whistle:
MyQul
Chairman of the Bored
no, its not the PH of your water that counts but the PH of the diluted starsan. iirc stars san in its undiluted form is a concentated acid. when you dilute it with water at the correct ratio of 1.5ml per L the solution becomes PH 3. However hard water can make the PH higher (but not mine even though my water is hard)
Thanks, I understand now, my ph test strips only do the mid range so have ordered some full range ones. :thumb:
