Weston, FL Water Report, thoughts?

[strangr419]

I have been trying to take my brews to the next level and have been reading this thread and Water a Comprehensive Guide for Brewers by John Palmer and Colin Kaminsky (foreward by HBT's authority on the subject - A.J. deLange - got it right this time! ).

I obtained a report from Ward recently. Here are my numbers:

Sodium (Na) 36
Calcium (Ca) 8
Magnesium (Mg) 1
Total Hardness (CaCo3) 24
Nitrate, (NO3-N) 0.1
Sulfate (SO4-S) 2
Chloride (Cl) 29
Bicarbonate (HCO3) 65
Total Alkalinity CaCO3 57

I've been toying with EZ water's excel spreadsheet but it's obviously not something I'm familiar with at this point (guess I should've paid more attention in chemistry). I typically brew american pale ales and hop forward beers and from what I've read my profile seems to promote more maltiness and less bitterness and/or hop aroma.
Any input I could get from the forum would be greatly appreciated? What additions do you generally recommend for this type of profile and in what amounts? I'd like to increase the cripness and hop forward flavor of my pale ales. My stouts and porters have been pretty much on point, I guess I know why now that I've been doing my homework on water profiles.
Thank you in advance!

 

[ajdelange]

Your water looks pretty good. Eye catching aspect of it are that the sodium is a little high which would limit you ability to adjust chloride or sulfate with the sodium salts of those anions but should not, as it is, be enough to detriment beers made with this water. Alkalinity is close to 50 below which we would like it to be, chloride is low and sulfate even lower such that at least chloride and in many cases sulfate will need to be augmented. This makes dilution 1:1 or 2:1 with RO and the recommendations of the Primer a viable starting point for a wide varieties of beer. Keep in mind that it is a starting point and that you should be able to brew a better beer than what the Primer gives you by experimenting with different amounts of chloride and sulfate and even mash pH.

Some prefer to obtain one (or more) of the several available spreadsheets or calculators, learn how to use it (them) to modify their existing water to match one of several 'profiles' several of which are included with each spreadsheet.

I realize that this is probably not the answer you are hoping for but given the nonspecific nature of the question it is what you are likely to get and there are certainly lots of posts here similar to yours that got essentially this answer.

Compare with the post at https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewing-salts-iipa-518806/. Here he tells us what he is trying to brew, what he is trying to brew it with and solicits advice on salt additions. He gets quite a few answers because he has asked a much narrower question. People can say "Ah, well, when I brew that beer I shoot for a sulfate of x and a chloride of y". You'll note, if you check this thread, there is some variability in opinion but even so he got specific answers because he asked specific questions. You'll have to do the same.

 

[mabrungard]

Ah, Weston. Right on the edge of the Everglades. As I recall, they obtain their water from wells and that puts them in almost direction connection with the Water Conservation Area, just west of US27. So the water is essentially rain water from the Everglades. The sodium is a product of being on the verge of overpumping and creating saltwater intrusion. Fortunately, they seem to be keeping it in check.

The OP's results with his beers are typical, assuming that he wasn't doing any adjustments prior. The modest alkalinity was pairing well with the dark beers and producing acceptable pH. But the pale beers were probably producing high pH and that does produce dull beer. While the OP mentions the water profile seeming to produce a malt-focus, I contend that the profile would not produce much flavor impact at all. The sulfate/chloride ratio really isn't too influential at the low levels present in that water.

The main problem for the pale beers was the alkalinity has to be neutralized with some form of acid. However, for an American Pale Ale the sulfate content of the water does need to be substantially higher to help dry the finish and allow the hop bittering and flavor to be more apparent. 100 ppm sulfate is the minimum I would consider, but I suggest that 200 ppm sulfate would be a better starting point if you prefer your hops to pop. I prefer 300 ppm sulfate, but that may not be desirable to all.

 

[strangr419]

Your water looks pretty good. Eye catching aspect of it are that the sodium is a little high which would limit you ability to adjust chloride or sulfate with the sodium salts of those anions but should not, as it is, be enough to detriment beers made with this water. Alkalinity is close to 50 below which we would like it to be, chloride is low and sulfate even lower such that at least chloride and in many cases sulfate will need to be augmented. This makes dilution 1:1 or 2:1 with RO and the recommendations of the Primer a viable starting point for a wide varieties of beer. Keep in mind that it is a starting point and that you should be able to brew a better beer than what the Primer gives you by experimenting with different amounts of chloride and sulfate and even mash pH.

Some prefer to obtain one (or more) of the several available spreadsheets or calculators, learn how to use it (them) to modify their existing water to match one of several 'profiles' several of which are included with each spreadsheet.

I realize that this is probably not the answer you are hoping for but given the nonspecific nature of the question it is what you are likely to get and there are certainly lots of posts here similar to yours that got essentially this answer.

Compare with the post at https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewing-salts-iipa-518806/. Here he tells us what he is trying to brew, what he is trying to brew it with and solicits advice on salt additions. He gets quite a few answers because he has asked a much narrower question. People can say "Ah, well, when I brew that beer I shoot for a sulfate of x and a chloride of y". You'll note, if you check this thread, there is some variability in opinion but even so he got specific answers because he asked specific questions. You'll have to do the same.

Ah, Weston. Right on the edge of the Everglades. As I recall, they obtain their water from wells and that puts them in almost direction connection with the Water Conservation Area, just west of US27. So the water is essentially rain water from the Everglades. The sodium is a product of being on the verge of overpumping and creating saltwater intrusion. Fortunately, they seem to be keeping it in check.

The OP's results with his beers are typical, assuming that he wasn't doing any adjustments prior. The modest alkalinity was pairing well with the dark beers and producing acceptable pH. But the pale beers were probably producing high pH and that does produce dull beer. While the OP mentions the water profile seeming to produce a malt-focus, I contend that the profile would not produce much flavor impact at all. The sulfate/chloride ratio really isn't too influential at the low levels present in that water.

The main problem for the pale beers was the alkalinity has to be neutralized with some form of acid. However, for an American Pale Ale the sulfate content of the water does need to be substantially higher to help dry the finish and allow the hop bittering and flavor to be more apparent. 100 ppm sulfate is the minimum I would consider, but I suggest that 200 ppm sulfate would be a better starting point if you prefer your hops to pop. I prefer 300 ppm sulfate, but that may not be desirable to all.

Thank you both very much for your very insightful (and immediate) posts. Yes, Weston, FL water is likely pulled directly from the aquifer near the Florida Everglades. I'm a stones throw from the everglades, literally, my neighborhood abuts US-27 which separates civilization from the glades. LOL. I've downloaded Bru'n Water and will tinker. Thank you for that!

Here's more specificity regarding the beer I'll be brewing:

Red IPA (10 gallons, 18 lbs american 2 row, 1.5 lbs caramel 40L, 8 oz special B and 8 oz Roasted Barley, 16 oz Centennial, 2 oz Cascade and 2 oz Fuggles).

Suggestions on gypsum or CaCl additions to make the hops POP and dry out the mouthfeel/sweetness? Sorry if this is repetitive or a noob question, this is my first foray into water manipulation and I'm trying to wrap my head around it.
Again, thank you both for your help and expertise it is GREATLY appreciated. I can't thank you two enough.