I knew my water was alkaline but...

[foxbat]

Just did a Salifert KH test, twice to rule out user error and each time I used up the full 1ml re-agent plus an extra 0.05ml before it went even remotely pink.

I am officially off the scale, which you would know to be ironic if you could see the inside of my kettle.

Looks like I'll be using Sainsbury's Value for this weekend's brew day.

 

[Personal91]

Just did a Salifert KH test, twice to rule out user error and each time I used up the full 1ml re-agent plus an extra 0.05ml before it went even remotely pink.

I am officially off the scale, which you would know to be ironic if you could see the inside of my kettle.

Looks like I'll be using Sainsbury's Value for this weekend's brew day.

alot use tescos 5 litre water containers as theyre about a quid and can be re-used as a demijohn for a turbocider or WOW

 

[strange-steve]

That's around 300ppm alkalinity which is pretty high, but not unusable. You'd need CRS to reduce that to something a bit more suitable, it'd require too much lactic acid. Or of course bottled water is the other option.

 

[foxbat]

I've been using CRS in the past based on quantities suggested by an online calculator but the inputs were from Anglian's general report for the area (I'm near Colchester) which I thought would be off. I thought I'd get the Salifert kit to get a more accurate reading. 300ppm you say? That's actually very close to Anglian's report value of 305ppm.

My next brew day is this Sunday and I was planning to use Sainsbury's Value which works out at 10p per litre. Is the Tesco Ashbeck really worth 22p per litre? I have both those supermarkets quite close by.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I've been using CRS in the past based on quantities suggested by an online calculator but the inputs were from Anglian's general report for the area (I'm near Colchester) which I thought would be off. I thought I'd get the Salifert kit to get a more accurate reading. 300ppm you say? That's actually very close to Anglian's report value of 305ppm.

My next brew day is this Sunday and I was planning to use Sainsbury's Value which works out at 10p per litre. Is the Tesco Ashbeck really worth 22p per litre? I have both those supermarkets quite close by.

the ashbeck is good for diluting star san due to a low ph. use the tesco value its 17p for 2 litres and from chase spring I get good results from it.

 

[strange-steve]

I've been using CRS in the past based on quantities suggested by an online calculator but the inputs were from Anglian's general report for the area (I'm near Colchester) which I thought would be off. I thought I'd get the Salifert kit to get a more accurate reading. 300ppm you say? That's actually very close to Anglian's report value of 305ppm.

My next brew day is this Sunday and I was planning to use Sainsbury's Value which works out at 10p per litre. Is the Tesco Ashbeck really worth 22p per litre? I have both those supermarkets quite close by.

What are you planning on brewing? Ashbeck isn't really ideal without some treatment either, it's very soft meaning it has very little calcium. Also its low alkalinity is suited really only to pale beers . It would be fine as is for a pilsner but for anything else it could do with some gypsum or calcium chloride otherwise your brew might turn out a little bland.

 

[dad_of_jon]

chase spring vs tesco ashbeck


----------------CS----TA
Calcium--------38-----10
Magnesium----12-------2.5
Sodium---------8-------9
Potassium------2.5-----2
Bicarbonate--135-----25
Chloride-------12-----12
Sulphate------14-----10
Nitrate----------5-----11
PH at source----7.8----6.2

apologies for the formatting

 

[foxbat]

What are you planning on brewing? Ashbeck isn't really ideal without some treatment either, it's very soft meaning it has very little calcium. Also its low alkalinity is suited really only to pale beers . It would be fine as is for a pilsner but for anything else it could do with some gypsum or calcium chloride otherwise your brew might turn out a little bland.

I'm aiming for my take on Harviestoun Bitter and Twisted using lager malt, cara gold (3.5%), wheat malt (7%) and flaked oats (4%). Hops are Perle, Bobek, Hersbrucker and Celeia (Styrian Goldings). Definitely a pale ale and very well balanced with the Styrian Goldings being the dominant hop flavour. Bland would be a total fail for this beer!

 

[strange-steve]

If you can get some treatment salts before brewday they would definitely help, gypsum and calcium chloride are available from most homebrew stores. Some gypsum would give you a nice crisp bitterness and make those hops shine. Have a look at THIS guide if you haven't seen it.

 

[foxbat]

If you can get some treatment salts before brewday they would definitely help, gypsum and calcium chloride are available from most homebrew stores. Some gypsum would give you a nice crisp bitterness and make those hops shine. Have a look at THIS guide if you haven't seen it.

Thanks for the tip. I have gypsum already and used it in my last brew; 1 teaspoon which is about 3g in the mash. I'll do the same again this time then.

 

[foxbat]

I just tested the Sainsbury's Basics water with the Salifert kit and it came out at 0.10. According to this calculator that means it'll need some CRS.