Water Chemistry

Even if the local water company doesn't do a brewing water test, they should at least tell you how stable it is. For instance do they draw water from the same source (i.e. lake or well pump) or do they rotate to different wells depending on the season? If the source of the water is stable than a single water report would be valid for years. If the source does change on a predictable schedule, then get a water report for each source. If you can't get reliable information then probably best to go with bottled water or RO water.
 
Beyond a carbon filter, I can't name a brewery I've toured or worked with that bothers with water chemistry. Why as home brewers do we obsess about it? I have a carbon filter hooked up to my sink and I add Acidulated malt to set my pH. Period. Done.

PS. As I understand it, in the US it is law that water reports must be kept updated and made public.
 
Right, they do have to make water reports public but, some of the items brewers care about aren't on the list of required tests. Many water municipal water departments do provide results for tests home brewers care about. Mine does.

While it's possible to obsess over water quality and chemistry, I don't think getting an occasional water report or using a water calculator then tossing in a few grams of gypsum or calcium chloride is obsessing. I think water treatments has made my beer a little bit better. Plus it's a fun part of the hobby.
 
I guess I've only lived in major cities since I've been brewing and have always gotten accurate reports. Heck, the guy who does St. Paul's report is a homebrewer I hear.

I don't find the water chem process enjoyable, so it does cloud my opinion. Admittedly. I just don't really see a point in doing it unless you have water you can't drink or if you're trying to make a clone. Just my opinion.
 
naDinMN said:
Beyond a carbon filter, I can't name a brewery I've toured or worked with that bothers with water chemistry. Why as home brewers do we obsess about it? I have a carbon filter hooked up to my sink and I add Acidulated malt to set my pH. Period. Done..
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While that might work fine in you're part of the country, it's a sure way to brew swill in many areas.
 
naDinMN said:
Why as home brewers do we obsess about it?
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Because it is something to be obsessed about. Like weighing grains to fractions of an ounce.
There are some who find it enjoyable.
 
JB Brew Dad said:
What is everyone doing to test their water. I had a vendor who charged like $40.00, they sent me two empties and then I sent back samples water to them and they gave me a detailed readout. They've since stopped doing that type of testing analysis.

I don't want a water test every time I brew up 15 gallons, but every 6 months I wouldn't mind getting another sample tested to see how far the local water company has drifted on water chemistry makeup, if at all.

Love to hear all of the solutions people are doing today...

Peace,
JB
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I sprung for the LaMotte test kit. I needed a ph meter too so I figured it was worth the cost since I will get many tests. My local water report lacks many of the key components. I called to see if I could get full report and they said it would change with different sources and seasons so no way to know what is at my tap. I think part of it is they didn't want to get in the business of sending me a custom report 3-4 x a year. I use a carbon filter for drinking water which does a good job with chlorine smell/taste. Planning on starting the tests over the holidays.
https://www.morebeer.com/products/lamotte-brewlab-water-test-kit-718801-1.html
 
naDinMN said:
I guess I've only lived in major cities since I've been brewing and have always gotten accurate reports. Heck, the guy who does St. Paul's report is a homebrewer I hear.

I don't find the water chem process enjoyable, so it does cloud my opinion. Admittedly. I just don't really see a point in doing it unless you have water you can't drink or if you're trying to make a clone. Just my opinion.
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I've only brewed while living in Milwaukee so I am blessed with Lake Michigan for a clean stable water source. So, apart from half a campden tablet I don't need to do anything to my water. However, I do make minor additions to adjust pH and to enhance malty or hoppy taste depending on style. One of the members of the club I belong to works at the water treatment facility. He gave a fascinating talk at a meeting once. One of the things I remember is that the reason for the seasonal stability of the water is that the two water intake pipes are quite a ways out at the bottom of Lake Michigan.

I always (unless I forget to) use campden (potassium metabisulfite) to remove chlorine/chloramine. I can't remember whether is was at that club meeting, or here on the forum, that in order for a standard kitchen-sink carbon block filter to effectively remove chlorine, you need to run it at barely a trickle.
 
Silver_Is_Money said:
It appears that the Great Lakes all likely have good brewing water.
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It's stable and it's largely runoff, same as here in Denver where we ski on our water supply. Relatively low minerals. It's possible to brew wicked ambers here with no water adjustment but I went RO anyway because the water supply is variable over the course of a year. Since there's little difference between 13 ppm TDS and 8 ppm (the difference between summer and winter water supplies here), using the RO water filter takes one variable out of brewing, it's one more thing I'm in control of and one less thing to go wrong.
 
Nosybear said:
It's stable and it's largely runoff, same as here in Denver where we ski on our water supply. Relatively low minerals. It's possible to brew wicked ambers here with no water adjustment but I went RO anyway because the water supply is variable over the course of a year. Since there's little difference between 13 ppm TDS and 8 ppm (the difference between summer and winter water supplies here), using the RO water filter takes one variable out of brewing, it's one more thing I'm in control of and one less thing to go wrong.
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I'm stuck with some of the earths worst well water. 856 ppm TDS by my meter and 904 ppm TDS by my water softener guy's meter. I use purchased RO water.
 
Donoroto said:
Because it is something to be obsessed about. Like weighing grains to fractions of an ounce.
There are some who find it enjoyable.
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If you join the rest of the world and go metric you can go down to the individual gram in obsession!
 
Hawkbox said:
If you join the rest of the world and go metric you can go down to the individual gram in obsession!
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...but then, we have to weigh fractions of a gram....
 
Oh, I am fluent in Metric. It is just that being a stubborn American requires one to resist with every fiber of their being. Otherwise they deport you. ;)

All kidding aside, my water chemicals are always in grams, and I am strongly considering moving to liters instead of quarts, as they fit into my Brewzilla better.
 
Nosybear said:
...but then, we have to weigh fractions of a gram....
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I have a nice .xx gram scale for measuring salts. I never stress that hard though.

I literally can't do the pounds/ounces conversions in my head so I just convert every recipe I find.
 
Hawkbox said:
I have a nice .xx gram scale for measuring salts. I never stress that hard though.

I literally can't do the pounds/ounces conversions in my head so I just convert every recipe I find.
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You're better off. I can't figure out why we don't dump our archaic system of measure. I'd convert but then I'd have to convert everything to English then back to Metric... I do weigh hops and chemicals in grams, knowing a ppm is a mg/l makes water chemistry so much easier.
 
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