Help needed to handle Dorsets hard water for Lager

[darkbright]

I definitely would recommend having a look at RO water. I use a compact 4 stage from Vyair and cut my tap water with that. I use the Brew'n water spread sheet to get everything into range and then use 75% phophotic acid for the mash pH.

RO water needs good water pressure, however.

 

[SaintKel]

Personally wouldn’t bother with an RO filter, used to take me approx 45 mins- 1 hr to get 25 litres and approx 75 litres waste. Local fish shop sells it at £3:50 for 25 litres. Used to strip a 450 ppm hardness down to single figures so does do the job if you’re up for the hassle/waste.

 

[GerritT]

Yeah, I often use it to cut my 'Dorset' water up to 50:50. Without wanting to generate yet another pointless state of the planet / global warming debate on this thread the single use plastic involved bothers me though.

Then give those bottles a second use, will ya?

 

[Oneflewover]

Then give those bottles a second use, will ya?

I do where possible - 5l plastic bottles are useful for small batch brewing and for refilling to take on camping trips etc., But you can only use so many of them....

 

[Oneflewover]

Personally wouldn’t bother with an RO filter, used to take me approx 45 mins- 1 hr to get 25 litres and approx 75 litres waste. Local fish shop sells it at £3:50 for 25 litres. Used to strip a 450 ppm hardness down to single figures so does do the job if you’re up for the hassle/waste.

Think I'll give this a go. There's a live fish shop not too far away

 

[SaintKel]

Think I'll give this a go. There's a live fish shop not too far away

I think it’s the easiest way, I have an RO filter still but for 3:50 for 25 litres it’s an easy decision.

 

[BeerCat]

Well guys I think I'm going to try phosphoric acid first as you can't taste it over 450ppm unlike latic acid and long term but a RO filter. Any suggestions. Ps. Thanks to everyone you have been great help.
M

Bought some lactic acid and put a drop in a glass of water and hated the taste so never used it. I brew with RO water and about 3% acid malt for my lagers. Never ever brewed with tap water.

 

[strange-steve]

Bought some lactic acid and put a drop in a glass of water and hated the taste so never used it. I brew with RO water and about 3% acid malt for my lagers. Never ever brewed with tap water.

For the tiny amount of lactic acid you'd need I'd be very surprised if you could taste in in the finished beer. In fact acid malt is coated in lactic acid anyway, so technically you're still using it

 

[BeerCat]

For the tiny amount of lactic acid you'd need I'd be very surprised if you could taste in in the finished beer. In fact acid malt is coated in lactic acid anyway, so technically you're still using it

Yes I knowbut you can chew on acid malt and it tastes OK. I read somewhere of people using lactic to increase sourness in beer. Perhaps I am just sensitive to the taste.

 

[SaintKel]

Yes I knowbut you can chew on acid malt and it tastes OK. I read somewhere of people using lactic to increase sourness in beer. Perhaps I am just sensitive to the taste.

I usually taste test malt but I spat this one out!

 

[An Ankoù]

Back in the days before chemistry sets were invented, a region's beer was dictated by its water supply- so bitter from Burton, dark beers from areas with lots of carbonate and bicarbonate etc. Have you looked into what can be made using the water as it is?
Lager doesn't have to be pilsner, which uses very soft water. I understand the pale beers (lagers) from Dortmund in Germany use horrendously hard water. Check out the water profiles here:
https://www.brewersfriend.com/brewing-water-target-profiles/
Before I was too concerned about water chemistry I used to brew with untreated Upper Parkstone water and made some great beers. True, I wasn't really a lager drinker and the lagers I did make tasted more like very pale bitters then, which suited me down to the ground.
There's a world of difference between brewing an excellent beer with the stuff at hand and copying a beer brewed elsewhere.