Water

[Handi]

Does anyone know how to Read the Water Pamplet that the local City's provide? I just picked one up, so I could Update my Water Profile for my Brewer's Friend Site. And I don't know what it all means.

I know where to enter the information, but I don't know what is what. I can't find the Aklinity on the Sheet, I can't find any of the others but Sodium. I can take a Photo and Attach it if I need to for everyone to see.

The closest Water Profile I can choose is Indianapolis which I don't live there and I don't think it will Reflect on my City.

I'd also need to know what I may or may not have to add or whatever. I'm thinking about just getting some Spring water from the local Ground Spring water Supply and giving that a Try.

 

[PrinceOfThePoint]

You will definitely want to show us the pamphlet, or else transcribe all of the chemical content information in it.

 

[Handi]

You will definitely want to show us the pamphlet, or else transcribe all of the chemical content information in it.

Ok, I will Type it all out for you then, I don't know if a Photo from my Phone will Justify it but I'll see, my Scanner isn't working correctly. Let me get that for you.

I just want to know, since I'm new to this if I have to Adjust things so I can use my Own water or if it would be best to just get Spring water or (RO) Water.

 

[Handi]

Ok, this is 3 Photos from my Phone of my Water contents. i'm not sure how to read it. As i mentioned, I was wanting to Put the water Profile in to Brewer's Friend Website where I been adding some Recipes.

That way if I need to adjust the water or something I can with other things or if I just need to use Spring water instead.

 

[Setesh]

Ok, I will Type it all out for you then, I don't know if a Photo from my Phone will Justify it but I'll see, my Scanner isn't working correctly. Let me get that for you.

I just want to know, since I'm new to this if I have to Adjust things so I can use my Own water or if it would be best to just get Spring water or (RO) Water.

Also keep in mind that your water report is likely an average. Most cities will blend water from different sources during different times of the year. In the city I live in they pull a lot of well water during the summer, and have 3 lakes and 2 rivers they pull water from besides. It all varies depending on the season, levels, etc. Because of this the water coming out of the tap varies widely from season to season here.

 

[Setesh]

Ok, this is 3 Photos from my Phone of my Water contents. i'm not sure how to read it. As i mentioned, I was wanting to Put the water Profile in to Brewer's Friend Website where I been adding some Recipes.

That way if I need to adjust the water or something I can with other things or if I just need to use Spring water instead.

Is there another side of that? This is just proving your water won't kill you, not what the important brewing ion levels are.

 

[Setesh]

You could always take a sample and send it to Ward laboratories for testing. Just keep in mind that you will only know what your water was when you took the sample. If the city changes the water mixture then.....

You want the W5A brewers test, pricing here

Here is what you get back

View attachment Water report ward labs.pdf

 

[Handi]

Is there another side of that? This is just proving your water won't kill you, not what the important brewing ion levels are.

No there isn't, It don't have any other numbers. This is all we get in our small town that I'm aware of, I live across the the street where I Pay my water bill and that's where I picked it up at.

 

[doug293cz]

That report only shows what the Feds require the water supplier to show you about what might be harmful in your water. I suggest calling your water supplier and asking them if they have a full report on ions, alkalinity, and hardness for the water.

Brew on

 

[Handi]

You could always take a sample and send it to Ward laboratories for testing. Just keep in mind that you will only know what your water was when you took the sample. If the city changes the water mixture then.....

You want the W5A brewers test, pricing here

Here is what you get back

Ah ok. I'll have to save my money.

I may just go ahead and buy the spring water, or just go and fill it up at the local Spring next town over and Boil it to make sure no germs are in it then use that for brewing.

The spring has been active since I was a toddler, coming out of the ground, they even put a Pipe in the ground so it would come up threw the pipe incase someone wanted to gather some lol

 

[Handi]

Does anyone use www.brewersfriend.com?

I've selected the closest Place near me for the water profile.

What is the "Ideal" Water Profile for Brewing? And what would I have to add to the water to get it that way?

or would it best to leave all the confusion out and try many different waters from spring to store bought and figure what the best profile would suite me?

 

[hotwatermusic]

Great questions, but very tough to answer briefly. You may want to search for the "brewing water chemistry primer" thread in the brewing science section of the forum.

 

[z-bob]

That report shows everything except the important stuff.

 

[Braufessor]

#1 ...... Are you brewing extract beer? If you are, just use Reverse Osmosis water from one of those refill stations at walmart/grocery store. The extract has minerals in it from the production of the extract and the source water used in that process.

RO water will not add extra/too much in the way of minerals. The problem with "spring" water is that you don't really know what is in it. RO water is cheaper anyway. Your biggest concern is to use water with no chlorine/chloramine in it if you are doing extract... and RO will get you there.

If you are doing all-grain, you need to know what is in your source water before you can really do anything of use with it .... ward labs as suggested is great. Cheap, fast and accurate.

Starting with RO water and using the Water Chemistry primer as mentioned is also a really general and useful way to get started making water for different styles if you are doing all grain.

 

[MaltedBayerl]

From 182 Cities in the State of Indiana,
The Hartford City area ranks 167 for Water Quality.

Nationally, Hartford City ranks 5,859 out of 6,843 for Water Quality.-- http://water-delivery.org/WaterQuality/Hartford_City/Blackford_County/Indiana

That's not a good sign.

Apparently it's not available online. I don't think Hartford City wants to brag about it's water quality. http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/ccr/index.cfm?action=ccrsearchresults&view=keywordsearch

 

[Handi]

#1 ...... Are you brewing extract beer? If you are, just use Reverse Osmosis water from one of those refill stations at walmart/grocery store. The extract has minerals in it from the production of the extract and the source water used in that process.

RO water will not add extra/too much in the way of minerals. The problem with "spring" water is that you don't really know what is in it. RO water is cheaper anyway. Your biggest concern is to use water with no chlorine/chloramine in it if you are doing extract... and RO will get you there.

If you are doing all-grain, you need to know what is in your source water before you can really do anything of use with it .... ward labs as suggested is great. Cheap, fast and accurate.

Starting with RO water and using the Water Chemistry primer as mentioned is also a really general and useful way to get started making water for different styles if you are doing all grain.

I do mainly Extract Brewing right now because I don't have the equipment for all-grain. I want to get into BIAB For all-grain thou cause I dn't need any other equipment for it right now.

Low income and Disabled so I'm limited on what I can do with equipment right now. So I'll just get some of the RO Water and do that then.

 

[Handi]

From 182 Cities in the State of Indiana,
The Hartford City area ranks 167 for Water Quality.

Nationally, Hartford City ranks 5,859 out of 6,843 for Water Quality.-- http://water-delivery.org/WaterQuality/Hartford_City/Blackford_County/Indiana

That's not a good sign.

Apparently it's not available online. I don't think Hartford City wants to brag about it's water quality. http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/ccr/index.cfm?action=ccrsearchresults&view=keywordsearch

Yeah, Hartford City water SUCKS.

We've had issues with Cancer and **** going on here ALOT and I think it's all in the water.

It's not very good water at all. It's alright being filtered but straight up tap isn't that good. It's FULL Of lime also. I don't generally brew with it.