My water report

[The Goatreich]

I got a response from dwrcymru this morning with more values for my water so that I can start treating it for my brews. However it's still not totally clear in some parts.

I'm looking for a value for calcium to enter into the calculator and there isn't a one that is completely obvious to me. The only thing I can see is the HARDNESS value given below:
Hardness (mg/l as CaCO3): 102.5
Magnesium (mg/l) 4.9
HARDNESS (mg/l Ca) 41.0
Degrees Clarke 7.2
German Degrees (dH) 5.7

Does this look about right for the calcium level?

 

[fisherman]

The one reading you need is alkalinity, I would buy a salifert alkalinity test kit from e-bay and test the water before every brew, my alkalinity can vary between 55ppm and 134ppm. When you know your alkalinity go onto the Brupacks site and print out and read. Information water treatment for CRS ( Carbonate reducing solution) and for mineral additions DLS ( dry liquor salts ). Look at the guides for additions.
Good Luck.

 

[The Goatreich]

I have a salifert kit and plan to use it for my next brew, but I would really like to be able to fill in all the fields on the forum calculator. I've checked the brupaks site in the past, but never actually had any readings to enter. I'll give that a go now.
Cheers.

 

[Good Ed]

Fisherman is correct your water coming out of your tap varies and the only way to know is by using a Salifert kit test for alkalinity.

What I do for calcium is to multiply the alkalinity as CaCO3 in ppm x 0.4 to give you the calcium in ppm. I don't know the science of this, but it comes from Brupak, and seemes to work out ok for me.

 

[The Goatreich]

Nice, thanks.

 

[The Goatreich]

Finally managed to find some time to sort all this out and I now know what I need to brew my next batch.

My next question is about the accuracy. The forum calculator is telling me I need to add 1.83 grams of epsom salts amongst other additions if I plan to make a stout next, and my kitchen scales won't do decimals. How accurate would this need to be? It's not a problem to go out and buy a scale with a smaller range for this, but just so I know.

 

[dennisking]

If it says 1.83 gms you will be OK if it's around 1.5 gms or 2 gms. In days gone by they just used to say a spoonful or 2. The more accurate the better but no need to lose sleep over it.

 

[The Goatreich]

Cheers

 

[lynchy]

Can i ask what calculator you guys are talking about?

 

[The Goatreich]

The one I'm talking about is in the Calculators section of this forum. Look at the top left of the web page, fourth button down.