Hard Water?

[Longrange2]

OK, so I live out in the country SE of Denver and I have a private well. The water has great taste for drinking water, better than most bottled waters I buy. I brewed a rye saison and took it to my local brew club meeting and one of the members tasting it said you must have hard water. It does have what I perceive as a slight mineral taste to it. I sent a sample off to Ward and these are my results:

ph 8.3
tds ppm 200
elec conductivity .33
cations/ anions me/l 3.6/3.8
PPM
sodium na 53
potassium k 3
calcium ca 21
magnesium mg 2
total hardness caco3 161
nitrate no3-n <0.1
sulfate so4-s 8
chloride cl 5
carbonate co3 9
bicarbonate hco3 172
total alkalinity caco3 157
total phosphorus p .41
total iron <.01

I input this profile into Bru'n water and as far as I can tell (I still have a lot to learn about the spreadsheet) it is telling me that the only recommended addition is 2.7 ml of 88% lactic acid in my sparge water. Is that correct? Will that really have an impact on the perceived mineral flavor?

Looking at my water compared to the historic profiles it looks like I need to be adding hardness to my water? What adjustments do I really need to make? I like brewing IPAs, ESBs and APAs, but I also brew an occasional stout, amber or saison

Any advice from our resident experts would be great as I try to learn how to use the spreadsheet.

 

[Longrange2]

I reviewed the water adjustment spreadsheet further and it appears that it would be desirable to use 50/50 distilled water and existing water to reduce the sodium level and then add some calcium chloride to raise the calcium concentration. Any other adjustments needed besides lowering the sparge water pH?

 

[mabrungard]

I see nothing in that profile that would produce a minerally taste. Most of the flavor ions (Mg, SO4, Cl) are quite low and sodium is only a little high. The alkalinity would be a component that would require attention in most brewing. The water is usable, but I suggest that phosphoric acid should be your preferred acid due to the amount you may need to add.

 

[paraordnance]

your sulfate, Chloride and Ca is really low for anything and alkalinity quite high. Acid will only bring your mash pH to required level. You need to up your Ca to at least 50 ppm and depending on the beer you brewing get your sulfate/Chloride ratio in check. For IPA or APA you need about 2:1 or 100 and 50 ppm respectively. For malty beers just add Chloride to 50-70 ppm and leave sulfate as is and you will be good.

 

[Longrange2]

Thanks for the tips, those should get me started. Can't wait to brew the next batch.