Local water profile. Will this work

[olotti]

So I got a report from my township water company, I normally use RO but all the local filling stations are closed. Now this report is from 2018 and I have a ward labs kit in the mail but it should be close to this. I'm impatient by nature so I wanted to run it by y'all and see what u think of this water. I brew mostly ipas and neipas.

Calcium- 58 (50-80)
Magnesium- 41 (34-50)
Sodium- 120 (110-120)
Chloride- 70 (49-100)
Sulfate- 109 (82-130)
Bicarbonate- 16 (13-23)
Total alkalinity- 33 (30-50)
Chloramines- 1.7 (.17-2.6)
Lead- 1.1 (0-1.7)
Hardness- 99 (84-130)
Ph- 9.2 (9-9.8)
Chlorate- 174 (32-330)

And if this looks good how do I put this into bru'n water so I can make my mineral adjustments. Thanks.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Sodium and magnesium are kind of high, but it's still probably usable.

You'll need to remove the chloramine.

 

[olotti]

Sodium and magnesium are kind of high, but it's still probably usable.

You'll need to remove the chloramine.

is that what campden tablets are for????
Yeah and I see that now about the sodium and mg which I like to keep in the way low ends in my normal water profile. Prob no way to reduce those huh.

 

[RPh_Guy]

is that what campden tablets are for????

Yep.

Prob no way to reduce those huh.

Nope.

 

[olotti]

Yep.

Nope.

Well hopefully it’s dropped a little when I get the sample from ward labs back. Thanks for the thoughts.

do u think in really hoppy neipas that saltiness would be noticeable. Just trying to gauge what sort of flavor impacts this would have as I add gypsum and cal chloride. Prob won’t need any Epsom or canning salt with those present values. And as I look at it that sulfate is where I normally go and then double the chloride.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I'm sure it won't taste overtly "salty" at those levels, but I'd be a little surprised if you didn't notice a change in mineral character. The magnesium especially may add a bit of a sharpness, not necessarily in a bad way.

In my opinion, it would be fine to add calcium chloride to hit whatever chloride level you normally prefer.

 

[olotti]

I'm sure it won't taste overtly "salty" at those levels, but I'd be a little surprised if you didn't notice a change in mineral character. The magnesium especially may add a bit of a sharpness, not necessarily in a bad way.

In my opinion, it would be fine to add calcium chloride to hit whatever chloride level you normally prefer.

Ok doesn’t sound to bad. Unfortunately in these times it might be what I have to use. I have no idea the values of store bought distilled I guess that could be another option.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Distilled water has no minerals.

 

[cire]

Calcium- 58 (50-80)
Magnesium- 41 (34-50)
Sodium- 120 (110-120)
Chloride- 70 (49-100)
Sulfate- 109 (82-130)
Bicarbonate- 16 (13-23)
Total alkalinity- 33 (30-50)
Chloramines- 1.7 (.17-2.6)
Lead- 1.1 (0-1.7)
Hardness- 99 (84-130)
Ph- 9.2 (9-9.8)
Chlorate- 174 (32-330)

And if this looks good how do I put this into bru'n water so I can make my mineral adjustments. Thanks.

You will find bru'n water will tell you it is unbalanced. It's chlorate that would concern me as I've never previously seen it in water at such a level and have no idea what influence it might have.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Likely that chlorate level is mcg/L (ppb) and sulfite (e.g. Campden) removes it.

 

[olotti]

Likely that chlorate level is mcg/L (ppb) and sulfite (e.g. Campden) removes it.

Yes it is ppB and it says it's a byproduct of disinfection process. And good to know campden will take it out.

 

[olotti]

S

Distilled water has no minerals.

So if I wanted to get close to RO profile I can use distilled otherwise I can use my house water albeit with the higher sodium and mg levels.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Yeah, or you can blend them.

 

[cire]

Yes it is ppB and it says it's a byproduct of disinfection process. And good to know campden will take it out.

Well that removes that potential danger, but it does make that water report very imbalanced with twice as many cations as anions. It will be interesting to learn what Wards find.

Meanwhile, full speed ahead would get my vote.

 

[olotti]

Yeah, or you can blend them.

So would I take a blend and then send that to ward labs??? I'd love to bring down the sodium and mg and if diluting it down would help I'd be fine with that. I'm sure I can find 5-6 gal of distilled water. So am I thinking of that right? They send a small container for the sample so I'd fill half with tap water and half with distilled? Would that extrapolate out to an equal half and half mixture for mash water.

 

[RPh_Guy]

When you add water with no minerals, it simply lowers the amount of minerals in the tap water proportionally. No need for another report.

You're using Brun water, right? It has a built-in option for blending/dilution.

 

[olotti]

When you add water with no minerals, it simply lowers the amount of minerals in the tap water proportionally. No need for another report.

You're using Brun water, right? It has a built-in option for blending/dilution.

Ok cool well guess I'll get my tap water sent out anyway and I'll work in bru'n water on the blending part. Thanks so much for ur help. I might be able to brew sooner rather than later now.

 

[mabrungard]

Fairly mineralized water with significant permanent hardness. It's going to be tough to make those delicate styles like lagers with that water. Incorporating a dilution with RO or distilled will extend the ability to use that tap water.