Water, water everywhere!

N0mad

N0mad

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I understand water chemistry is important for optimum results but like most in the "Beginners Brewing Forum" we have to crawl then walk before we can run. I use Ozarka Spring water in my brew and a detailed water report is available.

At this time I'm only equipped to do 10 liter (2.6 gallon) all grain batches because for me they're easier to handle and if I screw it up my cost are proportional.

At what point should adjusting the mash water using Calcium Carbonate, Gypsum, Lactic Acid and other products be part of the routine? I've looked at the Bru'n Water spread sheet and a few other resources and I don’t have a clue as to what to do if anything.

I wouldn't even consider adding something to the water unless I was absolutely sure 100% I knew what I was doing. I learn visually I would like to work alongside someone in my local (San Antonio) before I would consider myself knowable.
 
I’ve been brewing for a year and a half and brew with Deer Park Spring water. I haven’t messed with brewing salts and dionized water, etc., etc. and our beers have all tasted great. Maybe someday I will fuss over it.... but I doubt it.
 
Mase said:
I’ve been brewing for a year and a half and brew with Deer Park Spring water. I haven’t messed with brewing salts and dionized water, etc., etc. and our beers have all tasted great. Maybe someday I will fuss over it.... but I doubt it.
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:) good to know
 
Definitely not a foregone conclusion that you have to make adjustments to water. I don’t, either.

I do like your idea not to make any adjustments that you don’t understand. So will another member here.
 
i say add some withun reason/style and see if any noticeale difference and go from there...
 
I treat my water every time, I start with RO water and build it to compliment the beer style. I usually brew pilsners as they are my preferred beer, but occassionally I brew an ale. I'm still mastering lager.

You will notice a difference when you build your water to style, but when it comes down it, it's really your own opinion of your beer that counts, if you try treating your water, and find you like it better, then you will have changed your brewing process like a habit, it will become a comfortable part of your process, and feel natural.

If you decide to test it, I recommend RO water and build from there.

On a final note, I test my water with a kit every time, so In the end I'm getting repeatable results without question, and let's face it, when we take the time to brew something we enjoy, you want to be able to reproduce it time and time again.
 
N0mad said:
I understand water chemistry is important for optimum results but like most in the "Beginners Brewing Forum" we have to crawl then walk before we can run. I use Ozarka Spring water in my brew and a detailed water report is available.

At this time I'm only equipped to do 10 liter (2.6 gallon) all grain batches because for me they're easier to handle and if I screw it up my cost are proportional.

At what point should adjusting the mash water using Calcium Carbonate, Gypsum, Lactic Acid and other products be part of the routine? I've looked at the Bru'n Water spread sheet and a few other resources and I don’t have a clue as to what to do if anything.

I wouldn't even consider adding something to the water unless I was absolutely sure 100% I knew what I was doing. I learn visually I would like to work alongside someone in my local (San Antonio) before I would consider myself knowable.
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Now? Never? Depends on how far down the rabbit hole you're willing to go and what you want to achieve. BTW, SWAMBO is from SA so I understand your water issues at least somewhat. If you've read the Brewing Elements book "Water", you're knowledgeable enough but here's the number one water tip: Make sure you don't have chlorine in it in either form. You're buying spring water so that shouldn't be an issue for you. Number two is to get your mash pH at/around 5.4. Beyond that? It's like cooking from that point on where you really have to figure out what "salt to taste" means.
 
I blindly follow a schedule our brewing education instructor at our group did for the city water and it's worked pretty well, though realistically I expect just the campden tablet to get rid of the chlorine is doing more than anything else.

I didn't even look at it for a long time, it's stressful and hard to do on the fly unless you have your other stuff down solid.
 
One thing for sure, don't affraid to try, you can always ask a question if you feel the need to.
 
Hawkbox said:
I blindly follow a schedule our brewing education instructor at our group did for the city water and it's worked pretty well, though realistically I expect just the campden tablet to get rid of the chlorine is doing more than anything else.

I didn't even look at it for a long time, it's stressful and hard to do on the fly unless you have your other stuff down solid.
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I agree I've done 3 all grain 10 liter batches this month with each one I've become more organized I'm hitting my mash temps and my post boil numbers.
 
With the water we have here I have 2 choices. Either spring water or build from RO. Not much difference in cost, so I just build from RO. I do check with a TDS meter before adding salts. The most consistent source is at our local Walmart with TDS ranging between 7 and 29ppm. I treat that as a clean slate. The other source, which I seldom use, has come in as high as 92PPM. I only use them when Walmart's dispensers are out of order. With our local water profile I can safely say that the TDS at the other source is half sodium and half calcium and build from there.
 
I e been brewing for just 1year now, always allgrain. By the third batch I was playing with water and adding brewing salts to change it to suit the style of beer. All my beers have turned out very good so far.
 
Best way to verify PH? some of these PH meters are crazy $$ and the cheap ones get iffy reviews... use to have aquarium fish and measured PH with drops and water... that won't work with colored wort.

What do most folks use?
 
I can’t speak for most folks. I use nothing.
 
jeffpn said:
I can’t speak for most folks. I use nothing.
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I use pH strips, but their accuracy is questionable. In my research, they can be as much as 0.2 off (example: true pH of 5.2, might read as a 5.0 or 5.4 with pH). I still use them out of habit but since our beers taste great, haven’t made the leap for a pH meter.
 
I agree that a good PH meter is too expensive when you brew a couple of times a month (you may brew more). I just trust a good water calculator for estimating PH and suggesting additions. The BF calc is very good IMO.

BTW, in another thread JA recommended to another Spurs fan that they check out the South Austin Area Zymurgist group. I assume good guys to brew with in terms of learning how someone does the PH / water additions thing. They have a Facebook page. Be careful if you foray into that large blue dot .. I hear they make you drive an electric car, brush your teeth and wear deodorant up there. Pinkos.
 
I have a Hanna PH meter but I haven't been thrilled with it, it only does 1 decimal point and apparently that's not good enough. Also the instructions for keeping them calibrated honestly makes me not even want to use it.
 
I use the cheap yellow one , got it off eBay for $12 It has lasted a year now and works well enough for home brewing, IMO. If you go this route buy some extra callabration powders at the same time.
 
Vallka said:
I use the cheap yellow one , got it off eBay for $12 It has lasted a year now and works well enough for home brewing, IMO. If you go this route buy some extra callabration powders at the same time.
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I bought one of those, I think mine was $13, it does the job.
 
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