Water report advice

[jigtwins]

Had my water tested. Looks like it will be ok for darker beers. With slight additions, But I make mostly light colored hoppy beers. Just wanted to get some others thoughts on this profile.

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[ajdelange]

You have alkalinity of 5.16 mEq/L which is a hefty amount. You will need a lot of dark malt to overcome that so you are either going to have to get rid of it with dilution or acid. You'll need about 90% of the given alkalinity as acid i.e. about 4.5 mEq/L and that means 4.5 mEq of lactate, phosphate, sulfate, chloride added to each liter treated depending on which acid is chosen.

 

[The_Bishop]

Question:

Are you running this water through a water softener?

 

[jigtwins]

Thank you ajdelange for the quick response. That seems like a lot of acid to add to overcome the alkalinity. I would assume running this water thru a ro filter would be my best route to go. I can then use water software to add salts to a more appropriate level and acid malt to adjust the mash ph.

The bishop. This is my city water after it has been filtered with a carbon whole house filter. No water softener.

 

[mabrungard]

The water report confirms that the water is not from a water softener. What the report does say, is that it has a lot of alkalinity and sulfate. Dilution is the best solution.

 

[jigtwins]

Thank you mabrungard for your input. I will be filtering with a ro filter and building up from there. Will see how it goes. Wish me luck.

 

[ajdelange]

Thank you ajdelange for the quick response. That seems like a lot of acid to add to overcome the alkalinity.

Yes it is but that's how much it is going to take. You could try taking a quart of it and acidifying to mash pH using drops of 1 N (the 10% phosphoric they sell at the home brew stores). Taste and see if you think that level of phosphate objectionable.

I would assume running this water thru a ro filter would be my best route to go.

Yes, I rather think so. You also have a pretty hefty SO4 level (117 mg/L) znd RO would get rid of that too.

 

[The_Bishop]

I'm blind, I didn't see the calcium number. Saw the sodium and thought 'softener.'