How Should I Interpret My Water Profile?

[Jimmeh]

Hello

I've recieved a recent copy of my local water profile (attached) and it displays the Min, Max & Guideline values.
Would it be safe to say to the average value would be the middle of min and max? I plan on using the EZ Water Calculator spreadsheet, so I'm not sure what I should enter.

Hope that makes sense!

Cheers

Jim

View attachment SKMBT_C45211031413470.pdf

 

[malt_shovel]

Hello

I've recieved a recent copy of my local water profile (attached) and it displays the Min, Max & Guideline values.
Would it be safe to say to the average value would be the middle of min and max? I plan on using the EZ Water Calculator spreadsheet, so I'm not sure what I should enter.

Hope that makes sense!

Cheers

Jim

Taking the average between min and max is typically what I have done.

Lots of chlorine and low sulfate will tend towards a more malt driven beer and amber beers are probably the best to be aiming at without mineral additions.

If you haven't already, come along to a West Coast Brewers meeting (there is one on tonight - 7:30 at Rivervale community centre). Check the website for details www.westcoastbrewers.com

If I remember correctly, they were planning a meeting in 2011 dedicated to the importance of water chemistry with a special guest. Not sure when that one is planned though.

Cheers
:icon_chickcheers:

 

[smudge]

I'd be contacting them and asking for the most recent report. The wide variation in the important brewing ions makes the report almost meaningless.

Calcium 7-28
Sulphate 10-25
Hardness as CaCO3 10-110 FFS!
Alkalinity as CaCO3 25-110

A spread of a factor of 4 (or in Hardness as CaCO3) a factor of 10+ means this is a water report designed to cover someone's arse.

Insist they give you the most recent report for the storage that you draw from.

Having said that, a bit of gypsum in the mash (if you're into water analysis I'm sort of assuming you are doing all grain) wouldn't go astray until you get the definitive analysis.

The offer to attend a local brew club is one you should take up. Local club knowledge is worth a hundred water reports!

Cheers,
Phil

 

[jasonharley]

Buy a Mg and Ca test kits for $15 from an aquarium store. This will confirm your reading to within +/- 10 mg/l which is more than enough.... and probably the more important trace element to check.... especially if your doing pale ales. You can then make some assumptions on residiual alkalinity from there (there are some standard formulas to do this). The sulphate is of no concern (at the level quoted). Don't worry about cholorine ...... it will change constantly thoughout a water reticulation system but boiling the water will take care of chlorine residuals

cheers 5 eyes

Hello

I've recieved a recent copy of my local water profile (attached) and it displays the Min, Max & Guideline values.
Would it be safe to say to the average value would be the middle of min and max? I plan on using the EZ Water Calculator spreadsheet, so I'm not sure what I should enter.

Hope that makes sense!

Cheers

Jim

 

[Fodder]

Hi Jim,

Where abouts in Perth are you? Just interested as im not sure if I should be using the same analysis. (I'm in Willagee by the way, and have no idea where my water 'comes from')

And I would love to drop into the west coast brewers meet, but SWMBO is already complaining that im not home enough as it is (between work and footy) and when i am home all i do is brew stuff...

Perhaps its time i got her involved as a bottle washer...does that count as quality time? :unsure:

 

[Jimmeh]

Thanks for your replys.

smudge, I will definitely pursue some more information... those ranges are unusable! I was planning on doing a English Ordinary/bitter and throwing a teaspoonof gypsum in the boil (i do BIAB). What do you think?

Fodder, I'm in Wembley Downs which is next to Scarborough, City Beach, Floreat, etc. You can get a similar report from the Water Corp by emailing: [email protected]

Cheers, Jim

 

[RobB]

Hello

I've recieved a recent copy of my local water profile (attached) and it displays the Min, Max & Guideline values.
Would it be safe to say to the average value would be the middle of min and max? I plan on using the EZ Water Calculator spreadsheet, so I'm not sure what I should enter.

Hope that makes sense!

Cheers

Jim

Your water is similar to mine: soft but salty (based on the maximum values). Ideally, there would be more calcium in there, but it's tricky to add when your sodium and chloride are already fairly high.

If you add calcium chloride, you will obviously increase your already high level of chloride.

If you add calcium sulphate (gypsum), you'll be adding both calcium and sulphate ions. While your existing level of sulphate isn't high, the combination of high sulphate (after the gypsum addition) and high sodium (which you have from the start) can result in a harsh bitterness. Link

Adding calcium carbonate (chalk) would keep the various ions at reasonable levels, but this would change the pH of your mash and only be suitable for dark beers.

I have BIAB'ed english bitters with and without a gypsum addition. To my tastes, the bitters without the gypsum were more enjoyable and didn't suffer from the low calcium in either the mash or fermentation. The gypsum beers were still good, but there was definitely an edge to the bitterness which might be better saved for an IPA. Try both ways and see which you prefer. You won't wreck it with one teaspoon.

 

[Jimmeh]

Thanks for the info MC

What if I were to add 5.2 buffer while mashing and Gypsum in the boil? How much is the 5.2 going to alter my water?

 

[dent]

Consider using acidulated malt if mash pH adjustment is your intent. 1% of grist per 0.1 of pH adjustment is the rule of thumb.

Otherwise get yourself an RO system from a friendly local retailer and free yourself from the shackles of the Water Corporation.

 

[Jimmeh]

Yeah I'm seriously considering an RO unit. My local water sucks for pale beers.

How much acidulated can you use before you start tasting it? I'm calculating I'll need 4% worth

 

[Bribie G]

malt shovel, the chlorine is an entirely different animal to the chloride - as you say, if the chloride/sulphate ratio is weighted towards the chloride it suits malty beers (ie add some calcium chloride). However the chlorine is just the free chlorine that they pump in to kill bugs. Easy to confuse the two if you havent had a lot to do with chemistry - just getting back into it now after 45 years out of school

Edit: Jimmeh see Gryphon brewing and say Bribie sent you nudge wink :lol:

Seriously, best money I've spent in a long long time, then you can get ezwater calculator and you will be the Gandalf of water.

 

[Jimmeh]

hahah ok thanks BribieG

about the ez water calculator. Being a BIAB brewer like yourself, did you notice the message on the right saying "This spreadsheet becomes less accurate for mash thickness below 1.0 qt/lb or above 2.4 qt/lb." ? How much do you think this affects us BIAB brewers? because our mashes are obviously quite thin.

 

[Bribie G]

Yes I've seen that, the way I look at it is that, unless you are going to be a complete style Nazi, You generally know what you are aiming for. Such as Yorkshire bitter = malty, whatever. So as long as there is going to be enough calcium etc you shouldn't get into trouble. Also consider that you are also treating the sparge water as well (i.e. we start with full volume liquor) so we are probably being just as accurate, or even more so, than a 3V brewer who adds all the salts to the mash then uses unsalted RO water for sparging.

My main reason for going RO was because of the dodgy water on Bribie and the chlorine and decomposed cane toads in the water towers. <_<