Who bothers with water chemistry?

[mtb]

Pale @ room temp

 

[manticle]

Yep. Too high but easily managed.

 

[mtb]

Yep 6g of citric acid granules brings it to 5.4, sorted

 

[Coodgee]

In brisbane we get water from multiple sources and it changes without notice. Could be a certain alkalinity and double that the next day.

 

[mtb]

In brisbane we get water from multiple sources and it changes without notice. Could be a certain alkalinity and double that the next day.

That's a pain in the ***.. maybe you can find a local source of distilled water?

 

[Mattress]

My approach is pretty relaxed.

I add PH 5.2 stabilizer to my mash water
then either some Calcium Sulfate for hoppy beers or Calcium Chloride for malty beers

But I'm brewing for pleasure at the moment, not for competition or style.

 

[Rocker1986]

That's a pain in the ***.. maybe you can find a local source of distilled water?

I have a water still, which is about as local as you can get as a source of distilled water :lol:

Anyway, I haven't noticed any difference in the quality and flavour of my beers that have been brewed with untreated Brisbane tap water in a bit over 4 years of brewing AG with it. I did notice that my pilsners are better with very soft water, hence the water still, but other styles are fine, so I don't waste energy distilling water for everything. They can probably be improved with some tinkering like I'm doing now, but they didn't change noticeably from batch to batch with untreated water.

I'm not sure if the change in supply is so much the issue, it's more that a lot of the catchment area for the major dams is full of limestone, and when it rains a lot in those areas, the water temporarily goes harder. At least it did when Dad worked as an industrial chemist; they used to test the tap water quite often and found after a lot of rain in those areas that it was harder than normal. I would imagine it still does that now since the same dams are used.

 

[rude]

Me too

Use R/O water

Brun water advanced ( gave a donation to Martin )

AD12 ph meter

Acidulated malt to bring ph down

Pickling lime ( calcium hydroxide ) to raise ph

CaSo4 , Cacl2 , MgSo4

I like the process, use scales but hey I like Manticles approach nice & casual good feel style
as long as the beers turn out ok who cares the end result is the proof

 

[peteru]

I don't actually use a pH meter, I rely on the pH/hardness rating from the water report and Bru'n Water's estimates of my mash pH based on that. Sounds like it'd do me some good to invest in a meter..

If you only want to take a few dozen measurements to get a feel for what you need to do on a typical brew day, it may be easier and cheaper to get some pH strips, rather than buying a meter.

 

[mtb]

If you only want to take a few dozen measurements to get a feel for what you need to do on a typical brew day, it may be easier and cheaper to get some pH strips, rather than buying a meter.

I was thinking the same. Will grab a few next time I'm at the LHBS

 

[rude]

I recon using Brun is close enough the strips dont or didnt cut it for me

 

[BKBrews]

I find it hard to be restrained at times. You start adding additions to get your mash pH down and before you know it your minerals are all through the roof.

 

[GalBrew]

I don't think it's that much of an extra effort in the context of a brew day. I have also started using a little acidulated malt in every beer, then fine tune with mineral additions for mash pH, calcium and sulphate/chloride.

 

[mtb]

I don't think it's that much of an extra effort in the context of a brew day. I have also started using a little acidulated malt in every beer, then fine tune with mineral additions for mash pH, calcium and sulphate/chloride.

True - it isn't much effort at all, in comparison. I was anticipating a general consensus that mineral additions etc are unnecessary, a "my beer tastes fine without it so why bother" mentality. Nothing against that mentality personally but I like to experiment with my process and I'm glad to see others are too

 

[Dave70]

I figure there must be an opening for somebody with access to an aquifer under Prauge, its luscious soft water and some shipping contacts.
With punters already forking out double for bottled water what they pay for petrol, I'm convinced you can flog anything if its correctly marketed.
IBC bulk buy anybody?

 

[mtb]

I figure there must be an opening for somebody with access to an aquifer under Prauge, its luscious soft water and some shipping contacts.
With punters already forking out double for bottled water what they pay for petrol, I'm convinced you can flog anything if its correctly marketed.
IBC bulk buy anybody?

If only.. for the interim I'll simply have to try replicate it with adjustments. Time to go Google the Prague water profile h34r:

 

[mtb]

Anyone read Czech?
http://www.pvk.cz/res/archive/1735/175703.pdf?seek=1478266829

 

[damoninja]

Not I.

Perfectly satisfied with the product I make.

"Ah but you don't know any different until you try it" don't care

 

[mtb]

Not I.

Perfectly satisfied with the product I make.

"Ah but you don't know any different until you try it" don't care

And don't let any obnoxious douchenozzle tell you that's wrong.

 

[mtb]

Dave70, would you think the Pilsen water profile is at all similar? It's built into Beersmith