water reports ???????

[tazuk]

how easy is it to get a water report in nottingham ( beeston ) where i am
as at moment all i do is add camden tablet to water night befour ???????
i think its about time i try to get me head around water treatments at last lol lol :wha:

 

[Mark1964]

You need to contact your water supplier they will either give you the water report or if you go on their web site it may give you the report

 

[tazuk]

got my full water report of southern trent now but when i go to calcaulators i can not find some of the items so i can use it ?????????????????? :twisted:

 

[Mark1964]

you need to email or ring as they wont give all the results online you have to request them. Tell them what your doing (brewing) And tell them you need a detailed report

 

[tazuk]

have look here i will pm you my post code got detail report there have a look for me see wot i mean cheers

http://www.stwater.co.uk/category/536?p ... itySubmit=

 

[Aleman]

how easy is it to get a water report in Nottingham ( beeston ) where i am
as at moment all i do is add Camden tablet to water night before ???????
i think its about time i try to get me head around water treatments at last lol lol :wha:

Murphys are your best place for an accurate report . . . around 18 quid . . . But like all reports (even from the water co) they are only 'representative', and really only apply to the day the water sample was taken.

You will probably be able to get figures for Calcium, Magnesium Sodium, Sulphate and chloride from the water company, but the critical figure of alkalinity will always be missing . . . and hardness is NOT a substitute!!!

Remember all you need to do for water treatment is

Reduce chlorine
Adjust alkalinity to recommended range for style
Ensure that you have at least 100ppm calcium using gypsum/calcium chloride to balance the 'flavour' ions (sulphate and chloride)

It is not necessary to mimic a particular regional water profile or a conceptualized ideal beer style profile . . . Or to have a 'balanced' water profile to start with!!

 

[tazuk]

ok thanks for that as i think about time i use the water treatment calculator cheers so i can see if my brews even better as at moment all i do is use camden tab in water night befour :thumb:

 

[stevie1556]

Silly question, but isn't it easier to use bottled mineral water? I use it for my wines and never had a problem (but then again I've only been brewing just over 2 months). I only ask as I would like to make an ale kit soon.

 

[tazuk]

have a look here
water.php
i am trying to get me head round it at moment :wha: so as you can see yes there is :thumb:
i can think of prjects and build things wire them up but water thing i need to learn :wha: :wha:

Silly question, but isn't it easier to use bottled mineral water? I use it for my wines and never had a problem (but then again I've only been brewing just over 2 months). I only ask as I would like to make an ale kit soon.

 

[Aleman]

Silly question, but isn't it easier to use bottled mineral water? I use it for my wines and never had a problem (but then again I've only been brewing just over 2 months). I only ask as I would like to make an ale kit soon.

Not all bottled water is suitable for beer most often have a high level of alkalinity (bicarbonate) normally achieved by raising it artificially. With the vast majority of beer (the pale ones) you need a very low alkalinity (<50 . . and ideally < 30 ).

Wine is a completely different animal, and although 'soil type' and therefore potentially water has an effect on the growing conditions of the grapes and subsequently wines, it is nowhere near as important. . . . especially for kits

remember that water treatment is only important for full mash brewing, kits and extract really only require the chlorine taking out

I am trying to get me head round it at moment, so as you can see yes there is, I can think of projects and build things wire them up but water thing I need to learn

Hmm, Ok . . . People worry too much about water quite unnecessarily! This is not their fault, but is the result of authors and suppliers promulgating the myth that you have to match an 'ideal' beer mineral profile or an brewers 'regional' water profile, this then leads to unnecessarily over complex water treatment calculators.

THERE IS NO NEED TO DUPLICATE A REGIONAL BREWERS WATER PROFILE, OR INDEED A THEORETICAL 'IDEAL' MINERAL PROFILE FOR A BEER STYLE, APART FROM THE EMPIRICAL EXERCISE OF DOING SO!!.

Get a water analysis from Murphy Homebrew, and discard the suggested water treatment, Get yourself a Salifert Alkalinity Test Kit. Measure the alkalinity every time you brew, adjust it using acids/boiling/slaked lime, to that required for style.

Using the results for the water analysis increase calcium to 100-150ppm by adding either calcium sulphate or calcium chloride depending on whether you want a hoppy beer or a malty beer. . . . If you already have high levels of sulphate and want a malty beer, then you do need to look at using some RO or Tescos Ashbeck / Asda Smart Price water to reduce that first.

I would strongly suggest taking a look at Gordon Strong's book Brewing Better Beer . . . While I do not agree with some of the things he says (Especially regards the hot break :evil: :evil: :evil: ) his chapter on water treatment is almost spot on . . . although I do not agree with his use of RO water as all of the water liquor, I can see where he is coming from with it. . . . I'm in a similar situation as most of the year my tap water is pretty much RO pure

I am hoping to provide an in depth set of articles and a water treatment calculator for the CBA web site that works the way Lewis and Young / Strong / Aleman ( ) suggests. Please do not hold your breath

Please remember that water treatment is something that you should look at only when you are brewing consistently 'good' beers

 

[PD]

That last line suits me well....thank you.

 

[calumscott]

THERE IS NO NEED TO DUPLICATE A REGIONAL BREWERS WATER PROFILE, OR INDEED A THEORETICAL 'IDEAL' MINERAL PROFILE FOR A BEER STYLE, APART FROM THE EMPIRICAL EXERCISE OF DOING SO!!.

That for me sums the whole thing up. I see my brewing going the same way as my cooking...

...start with recipes and do what others have done to produce something consistently edible (drinkable). In time I expect I'll learn enough about the ingredients and what they impart to my beer that I'll be able to understand what's going on and build my recipes to produce the results, as I can now do in my kitchen, from my (yet to be built) brewery.

And its water supply.

After all isn't this how and why we have (had?) such an astonishing range of regional beer in the UK? Different water, different local maltsters, different regional hops and other bittering/flavouring agents?

I just can't see me ever wanting a perfect clone of e.g. Rigwelter - I can see me wanting to brew something a bit like it though...