Trouble with Ashbeck water?

[aamcle]

I make up my starsan in ashbeck as my tap water is very hard and it usually lasts for ages without becoming cloudy.

But the last two bottles of ashbeck quickly through a precipitate.

Has anybody else had a problem?


Atb. Aamcle

 

[foxbat]

I do the same and there's been no change to the usual clarity for me. You didn't buy Perthshire by mistake did you? The bottle is identical save for the name.

 

[aamcle]

Mmm I'll check later :)

 

[Sadfield]

I'd noticed the mineral composition has changed slightly recently as I was intending to use some for the base liquor for a small batch of Lager. I've not had an issue with it when using the Maltmillers Starsan equivalent, though.

 

[Justin Dean]

Does it matter if it goes cloudy?

 

[aamcle]

Yes, part of the starsan mix is coming out of solution.

5star only put in what they think they need so it's not a good thing to loose some.



Aamcle

 

[Justin Dean]

Give it a shake?

 

[IainM]

Yes, my last batch also went cloudy. Never happened before. The StarSan guys say it doesn't matter, it's just minerals in the water that are precipitating out and as long as the pH is below 3.5 it works fine. Mine is below 3.5, and I've had no problems with it.

 

[Justin Dean]

Good to know, thank you

 

[foxbat]

I need to buy a few dozen litres next week. I have the Ca and kH salifert kits so I can verify that those minerals are close to the sticker numbers, which because I'm doing a lager does matter to me.

I think it's the bicarbonate that causes the milky colour. Something to do with a reaction with the starsan surfactant. Not sure though and happy to be corrected.

 

[Justin Dean]

Yes i have the salifert kits too and I am going to test bottled water regardless, Ashbeck says 11 ca for instance and it measures 25 on the kit. I think on the bottles is averages so there is some variation which is fine but be aware if you are doing corrections

 

[Sadfield]

I don't think the Salifert tests are very accurate either.

 

[strange-steve]

I don't think the Salifert tests are very accurate either.

Some guy on an aquarium website compared the results from Salifert KH and calcium tests to a proper lab analysis, the alkalinity was off by 1 ppm and the calcium off by 8 ppm. That being said, both concentrations were considerably higher than we would generally use and so it's entirely possible the tests are less accurate at lower levels than the kits were designed for, especially something like Ashbeck.

 

[Sadfield]

Yes, small but significant margin of error from reading small (and cheap) syringes, could easily count for some of discrepancy in @Justin Dean results at Ca levels of 10-25ppm.

Good enough for our needs though. Doubt any beer has ever been ruined by an extra 15ppm of Calcium.

 

[aamcle]

Without calibrated equipment and standardised solutions "right answers" and going to be like lottery wins but close (ish) is mainly good enough for us.


Aamcle

 

[Justin Dean]

Yes, small but significant margin of error from reading small (and cheap) syringes, could easily count for some of discrepancy in @Justin Dean results at Ca levels of 10-25ppm.

Good enough for our needs . Doubt any beer has ever been ruined by an extra 15ppm of Calcium.

I looked at Marine Reef hobbyist threads it seems here is tolerance of +/-5ppm or +/-5%


So yes I agree 11-25 is jump of 14, +/-5ppm tolerance is 6 to 17. I must have made an error. I just tested it again more carefully with my wife watching as well and it comes out at 15ppm not 25. That is in tolerance. All make sense and its fine. Conclusion Go with the bottle figure 11.

 

[foxbat]

Thanks for doing the work there Justin. I'll test the other one - alkalinity next week if you don't have the kit. I did it about a year ago and it was 'close enough' to the bottle.

 

[Justin Dean]

I have both kits. Virgin brew Sunday. Just finished all grain set up in garage

 

[Simonh82]

My star san that I make up with Ashbeck or the Asda equivalent often goes cloudy. I keep mine in the bottle and after it's been in and out of a couple of kegs and fermentors and given a good shake and a dose of CO2 each time it does go cloudy.

I always make mine up towards the higher dose rate and when I've tested the pH it has been fine.

After a while it just looks a bit murky so I chuck it and start again. I think if I was just filling a spray bottle it would stay clear for a lot longer.