Beginners Guide to Water Treatment (plus links to more advanced water treatment in post #1)

[strange-steve]

So I am looking to give this a go on my next brew. However I do not think I have all the relevant information on my water report. Could anyone help me by the link below a scan? On the opening page it does say Hardness The water supplied in the HOLLOWAY zone is HARD water. Calcium carbonate(CaCO3): 270 ppm. There is no mention of alkalinity in the report except to say No Limits. Finally, I always do MAXI BIAB using 5l of Ashbeck to top up. Do I need to treat that too? If so will I need to boil it to sterilise? Sorry, these are probably really stupid questions. Thanks in advance to anyone who can spare some time to help!

It's not really of much use I'm afraid, as you mentioned it doesn't have an alkalinity value. It doesn't have calcium either as far as I can see, but it can be approximated from the hardness and magnesium figures (probably around 100 ppm). Your water probably has an alkalinity in the mid 200s, but you'll need a Salifert kit to test it yourself.
Regarding your second question, I personally wouldn't bother treating the top up water separately, just add a little more of your calcium salts to the mash water to compensate for the dilution.

 

[rich1985]

Brilliant. Thank you Steve. I will look at getting the Salifert CA and ALK kit for my next brew! As I use 5l I thought it might make a dramatic difference but I'll just add in a bit more calcium as you suggested.

 

[Thumper]

@strange-steve what are your thoughts on phosphoric acid for alkalinity adjustments? Any effects on flavour or anything like that?

I'm ordering an all grain kit from get er brewed, and they only have this or lactic acid. As my water is very alkaline, I want to avoid lactic as you've said large quantities gives a funny flavour.

 

[svenito]

@strange-steve what are your thoughts on phosphoric acid for alkalinity adjustments? Any effects on flavour or anything like that?

I'm ordering an all grain kit from get er brewed, and they only have this or lactic acid. As my water is very alkaline, I want to avoid lactic as you've said large quantities gives a funny flavour.

Sorry to interject, but I use phosphoric acid myself. I tend to mix my mash 50/50 with ashbeck water as my tap water is over 300ppm calcium carbonate.

I have added up to 5-7ml of phosphoric (75%) to 18l of water without any noticeable effects from the acid.

 

[Thumper]

Thanks svenito.

I'm reading that it causes calcium to precipitate out, though, which isn't desirable. I may just order a different all grain kit, so I can get some CRS in the same order, and do this one another time.

 

[svenito]

True, but in the form of calium phosphate which should not affect Calcium ion concentration in your water. Check your water calculator for this. Adding phosphoric doesn't show an increase in Ca2+ on my calculator. CRS will in turn increase suplhate and chloride in your water, which are shown in my calculator.

 

[strange-steve]

@Thumper
I don't have any firsthand experience with phosphoric acid, but plenty of people use it because it's more flavour neutral.

It does cause precipitation of calcium phosphate which will reduce the calcium level of your water but the extent of the calcium reduction probably isn't enough for concern, especially if you have 100+ ppm to begin with.

 

[Old_P]

Is it possible that using a campton tablet could make my wort cloudy?

It's the second time I'm using a campton tablet and both times I have ended up with a cloudy brew. The cold breaks have been good, in fact the last one was better than normal as I used a heat exchanger in place of an immersion tube.

 

[strange-steve]

Is it possible that using a campton tablet could make my wort cloudy?

It's the second time I'm using a campton tablet and both times I have ended up with a cloudy brew. The cold breaks have been good, in fact the last one was better than normal as I used a heat exchanger in place of an immersion tube.

I wouldn't imagine so. I do find that sometimes the liquor goes a bit cloudy when I add the treatments but it doesn't carry through to the finished beer.
Did you have a decent hot break?

 

[Old_P]

Did you have a decent hot break?

Everything was normal, well at least I believe it was. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, but I could have missed something?

I've racked it off into a secondary FV which has helped it a lot, so maybe it was just the yeast?

 

[Lawrence22]

I am making a lager and have just realised I have over treated with CRS. On re reading original post I now realise that I treated CaCO3 as Kh. So I treated my water as if it had a Kh of 165 it is actually 60. I took a sample when dry hopping a couple of days ago and it tasted fine. I treated the water with 0.7 ml/L of CRS. Is there likely to be a disaster here?

 

[strange-steve]

I am making a lager and have just realised I have over treated with CRS. On re reading original post I now realise that I treated CaCO3 as Kh. So I treated my water as if it had a Kh of 165 it is actually 60. I took a sample when dry hopping a couple of days ago and it tasted fine. I treated the water with 0.7 ml/L of CRS. Is there likely to be a disaster here?

As long as it tastes ok I wouldn't worry about it, I don't think you'll have done any serious harm.

 

[BeerisGOD]

Do most people add the Epsom and gypsum to the mash (after a good stir) or at the beginning of the boil?

 

[strange-steve]

They can be added at any point in the process really, but I treat the water before heating to mash temperature because calcium has a lot of benefits in the mash.

 

[rich1985]

Finally getting around to ordering this for the next set of brews! I've sourced everything except the syringe for the acid. Any recommendations?

Would a 10ml of this do? Also do I need to source a needle too?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Syringe-...hash=item2aa4b7d3af:m:mnIsm0wBFyjdBkSDCjVL5vw

 

[strange-steve]

If you go to a pharmacy often they will give you a syringe, I think they're used for giving medicine to babies?

If not then what you've linked will be fine. I have a 1ml and a 5ml syringe but then I'm only using small amounts of acid. And the needle isn't required.

 

[BeerisGOD]

The 10ml will be best as It should reach the bottom of the bottle when running low
I'll need'one myself at the rate I'm brewing with the CRS

I know they give out some at some drug clinic centres but I'm not sure how convinced they'd be if you have a beer gut and a well rounded face

 

[BREWERS DROOP]

So,not done a brew since October!!!! a little rusty.

So planning my water treatment as follows:
A malty bitter so will be using Calcium Chloride instead of the usual Gypsum.

I require a calcium level of 180 to 220 (actual water 55.9ppm)
Alkalinity of 30 to 40ppm (actual water 160ppm)
Actual Chloride 39.5ppm.

So am i correct with the following dose
Lactic acid dose of 1ml per gallon (20ml for 20 gallon)
2.45g of CC per gallon for Calcium and chloride increases of 196.9ppm Calcium and 291.5 for Chloride

Also reading extensively CC should be added to the mash if below 75g in total is this correct?

 

[strange-steve]

So,not done a brew since October!!!! a little rusty.

So planning my water treatment as follows:
A malty bitter so will be using Calcium Chloride instead of the usual Gypsum.

I require a calcium level of 180 to 220 (actual water 55.9ppm)
Alkalinity of 30 to 40ppm (actual water 160ppm)
Actual Chloride 39.5ppm.

So am i correct with the following dose
Lactic acid dose of 1ml per gallon (20ml for 20 gallon)
2.45g of CC per gallon for Calcium and chloride increases of 196.9ppm Calcium and 291.5 for Chloride

By my calculations 0.5g/L (2.25g/gallon) calcium chloride will give you about 190 ppm of calcium and 0.2ml/L (0.9ml/gallon) lactic acid will give you about 30 ppm alkalinity, so pretty much the same as yours.

Also reading extensively CC should be added to the mash if below 75g in total is this correct?

I'm not sure what you mean by this. I treat the mash and sparge water separately and before heating, rather than adding it to the mash or boil.

 

[BREWERS DROOP]

Thanks Steve.
I treat the Full amount of water in one go,HLT but reading on the tech sheet from Murphy and sons,it states cc is added to the grist prior to mashing or can be split between mash and sparge.
Then it goes on to say in excess of 75g/hl or 22 gallon,2/3 should be added to the grist,and 1/3 with the sparge,to help maintain ph levels throughout the mash and sparge.
I’m not using more than 75g,so I’m thinking add it to the grist.It then goes on to say cc should not be added to the hlt as some constituents are insoluble.??? They remain in the hlt as apprised to being released into the grist and requiring the hlt to be cleaned regularly?? So would you split it up? Into mash and sparge or put the lot in the mash and sparge without?