First post, first AG, water treatment questions

[Tandc]

First off, hello and thanks to all for the content on here (and on Jim's Beer Kit forum too) for all the really useful background information.

I've inherited a load of old homebrew gear from my father (he's still with us... just doesn't have the time to brew...!). having made a couple of Brubox kits with less than successful results and with nostalgic memories of my helping dad with his brew sessions out in the potting shed it's time to get into all-grain. I need to get a couple of bits to complete the brew kit before I go for my first attempt at a bog-standard bitter recipe. Before i do that I have a question regarding water treatment.

I'll be aiming for primarily hoppy pale ales and bitters, in 5 gallon batches. I live in Northamptonshire and the water is hard here.

I've downloaded the water report - it's a bit contradictory, but the headlines I can find are: Calcium Carbonate 185 mg/l (ppm). Calcium 74.2 mg/l (ppm).

I've been reading the simple guide to some of Brupaks water treatment products (I can't add the link due to spam protection) and been trying to work out what i need to do to get the water about right.

First off - chlorine: As I don't have a water filter I was thinking that a simple 1/2 tablet of Campden to the my 30litres HLT first to effect chlorine reduction. So, add some Campden tablets to the shopping list.

To address carbonate levels (alkalinity) - I was going to acquire some of Brupaks Carbonate Reduction Salts (CRS) and follow their formula - aiming for around 30 - 50ppm, I would add around 23ml of CRS. I don't have any CRS so I will add that to the shopping list.

Then to address Calcium levels, Brupaks site recommends adding of Dry Liquor Salts (DLS) agains their formula to raise Calcium. I don't have any DLS, but I do have an unopened box of Calcium Chloride flakes and was wondering whether these will do instead of buying DLS.

I did a search for Calcium Chloride ratios, and found the following which gives the following recommended ratios.

Calcium Chloride (g/lt) 0.09 0.17 0.26 0.35 0.43 0.52 0.61 0.69 0.78 0.87
Calcium 23.5 47 70.5 94 117.5 141 164.5 188 211.5 235
Chloride 42 84 126 168 210 252 294 336 378 420
I doubt the formatting of this table will come out in the post...


Is it safe to assume then that as I want to be aiming for somewhere in the region of 180 - 220ppm Calcium, with around 74 ppm already present, then I simply aim to add in the region of 105 - 145. So go with around 0.5 grammes of Calcium Chloride flakes per litre?

I've also found a bag of unopened Burton Water Crystals - are these of any use??

I am basically trying to find myself a sensible water treatment schedule before I start my brewing, ideally using some of the stuff I have.

Do i need to concern myself with anything else?

Thanks very much - and looking forward to getting stuck in. :

 

[RobWalker]

Campden is fine to kill chlorine. It'll probably pay you to make more than you need in a spare vessel if you can, just while you figure out all of your figures - boil off etc.

Can't help on the rest, but good luck. For your standard bitter you can't go wrong with fuggles, goldings and a bit o' crystal!

 

[BigYin]

Best of luck - I'm very lucky to live in an area with great water that needs no treatment, but I do see people's brewday posts where they are adding gypsum to treat their water - hopefully someone who has gone through the dosing calculations before will be able to offer you some help :thumb:

As regards the use of the Campden tablets, I use one crushed Campden tablet in the water (sorry, liquor... :whistle: ) I'm heating up for the mash, and then another crushed campden tablet in the water I'm heating up for the sparge.

My brewery is for a 23 litre brewlength, so if yours is similar, half a campden isn't going to be enough :thumb:

 

[wilsoa1111]

tbh while i'll give u credit for the research :hat: there are more important things than water minerals tbh, like sterility, fermentation temp control, and the like- at this stage best leaving it at the campden tablet per 5 gallons of water and worrying about the procedure and what u want in the beer. if ur set on trying to make it hoppier buy some gypsum and put a bit of that in-or better yet buy more hops :mrgreen:

 

[Baldbrewer]

Hi,
I live in Brackley south Northants, I'm on AG#3 and haven't used any water treatment apart from a Campden tablet in 36 L of pre boiled liquor.sorry Aleman! Too much now I know form your posts :hat:
All my beers have been fine so far so don't let water treatment stop you from brewing get used to your kit brew some beer then worry about water treatment. You need something to drink while you read that water report :thumb:

 

[Tandc]

okay... i hear you! I'll keep it simple to start with then and see how we go for these early brews.

However, i'd still be interested in hearing the views of those who better udnerstand water chemistry than I, for the future.

So, just awaiting one last parcel and I should be about ready to go for my first brew.... :pray:

 

[Baldbrewer]

Using the calculator on this Forum my south Northants water which is supplied via Anglia :wha:

I need 92.8ml of CRS (Carbonate Reducing Solution)for a total water volume of 37L

Depending where in Northants you are I imagine you will be in the same ball park.

This is the only water addition we need in our area apart from the previously stated 1/2ish Campden tablet.

Have fun brewing :thumb:

 

[Loetz]

Are there any noticeable side affects to using campden tablets? I have some of them, but my water doesn't taste especially of chlorine and I'm wondering if it's worth using it.

 

[Mark1964]

always worth using as they can prevent that antiseptic taste in the finished beer

 

[Aleman]

Apart from 1/2 a capden tablet in all your liquor do not bother with anything else regarding water treatment for you fist few brews UNTIL you are making consistently good beer then water treatment is a waste of time, as there are by far more important things to worry about that have a much greater effect than water treatment.

As far as helping you understand the rest . . quite frankly you water report is less than useless, and you would probably be better off using recycled toilet paper!

You need to know

Alkalinity NOT HARDNESS It's not on there you have to measure it yourself
Calcium - Ok you got that one
Magnesium
Sodium - Not really essential, just need to know if it is below 150
Sulphate - high sulphate = hoppy beers
Chloride - high chloride = malty beers

As far as Brupaks/Murphys instructions go (and most UK calculators use these guidelines), they too are a complete waste of time, as without knowing what is in your water, you can't really work out what to add.

I add 100ppm of calcium to my brewing liquor using a mix of gypsum/calcium chloride as required to suit the general beer style I'm brewing And that is as in depth as we as home brewers need to go matching an 'ideal' 'beer' or 'water' profile is an exercise in futility.