Water Treatment - Basic Advice Needed.

[Darcey]

Hello All!

I have just racked off AG 14 which turned out to be a mild rather than a best bitter as planned but thats a different story!

I have been considering water treatment. I currently use the standard of campden tablets and that is it. I really want to get some really tasty beer made. What I have produced so far is good quality and far better than the usual stuff in the shop, but I am a bit of a perfectionist as well as working in the beer industry so want to take it to the next level. I am aware of the standard Burtonisation method that most micros and many of the regionals treat their water with especially if they are using the United Utilities as source.

I live in South Manchester so my tap water mainly comes from a Welsh Lake somewhere but also from water treatment works and local aquifers! I attempted to call United Utilities to get a water report done but just got passed around a call centre and ended up feeling a little miffed and gave up. I have seen that some labs do water analysis when supplied with a sample and I am willing to spend some £ to get one done.

What are the common compounds that are used in water treatment? My LHBS sells many but have no advice on using them. What do these compounds actually do for my beer? What further equipment will I need? Please feel free to offer any advice its really appreciated.

I would also love to hear of any success storys for treating water, what sort of difference its made or equally any detrimental effects?

Thank you in advance for any replys.

D

 

[artiums_enteri]

In order to know how to treat your water you must first know what you are starting with. It's not a good idea to start tossing in compounds without knowing first the chemical makeup of your water. Getting that water report is step one.

Next examine the beer style you are making and where it came from. For instance: German pils will require a much different water profile than an Irish red. Getting the water table from the town the brewery is located is step two.

There are some basic things we do know. First dark beers require a higher PH to get those dark malts to shine through. I like to put my mash PH of a porter or stout at 5.5, but that is my table. How I get there and how you get there will be totally different roads. The exception being if you start with RO water. I do begin every brew with RO water, so it's like starting with a blank canvas.

Step three if it ain't broke don't fix it. In all seriousness water should be the last thing a brewer plays with. I recommend learning your system, temp control, fermentation control, and consistency. Once you've mastered that then I'd say lets re-invent the wheel with water.

 

[Mark1964]

The main things you need to know about your water is
calcium
magnesium
sodium
chloride
sulphate and alkilinity levels you then put the results in to the forums water treatment calculator to see what you need to add

 

[fisherman]

Buy a Salifert alkalinity test kit from e-bay and read on the Brupacks website " information water treatment" print it off if you can and read CRS and DLS additions. Once you know your alkalinity it should be game over. :thumb:
Happy brewing

 

[graysalchemy]

If you go to the united utilities website you candown load a water report for your postcode, I use the average figure quoted. As said you will need an alkalinity test kit pick one up from a pet shop then test your water. You may have to convert the figures into something the water treatment calculator at the top of the page uses. Use the above calculator and viola.

 

[Darcey]

:thumb: Had a look on the website and there is an average reading (taken 5 days ago!)! So I'll get some PH jobbies and give it a wirl!

 

[The Goatreich]

I've looked into using this calculator before, just out of interest, but unfortunately the report given on the dwrcymru site doesn't seem to have all the information I'd need. EG. No calcium or magnesium results.
http://www.dwrcymru.com/public_dwr/zonedetailsinfo.asp
Ho hum.

 

[Darcey]

I too cannot get any readings for 'Alkalinity' for Caco3 or HCO3 from my suppliers website.. I do however have a rather accurate PH tester for the long gone fish tank. Is there away of converting this or does it have to be calculated using the known compound PPM / Mg/l?

I assume also that I should be using the 'average' reading as my basis for calculating my treatment?

 

[The Goatreich]

Is there merit in the thought of just treat it to be sure?

 

[Darcey]

I would assume that the other levels of treatment are effected by the alkalinity of the water? So any treatment we do could be making things worse? I would rather do a brew with out treatment at the moment untill I can get some firm answers.

D

 

[Darcey]

If they simply do not state a value for Carbonate (CO3) or Alkalinity or Hardness, you can measure it yourself using a simple procedure that takes about 5 minutes. THBF may be able to provide information about where to buy a kit or perhaps even sell you a kit to measure the Alkalinity of your water.

Any suggestions?

 

[Good Ed]

Getting a Salifert test kit for Alkalinity is the way to go, water reports are ok, but are just a snapshot in time. My CaCO3 level can vary between 120ppm and 160ppm (the 2009 water report stated 230ppm). You will be able to get a kit from any tropical fish aquarium companies, this is where I get mine from http://www.erdingtonaquatics.com/

 

[graysalchemy]

If they simply do not state a value for Carbonate (CO3) or Alkalinity or Hardness, you can measure it yourself using a simple procedure that takes about 5 minutes. THBF may be able to provide information about where to buy a kit or perhaps even sell you a kit to measure the Alkalinity of your water.

Any suggestions?

As above but you will probably find one a stockport pets at home or at the aquarium bit at wyvale garden centre in timperly thats where I got mine. There is also a big aquatic place in salford as well, they have kits half the price of the safale ones clicky

 

[Darcey]

Ok so I happwned to be going anyway to pets @ home today. They had several kits on offer measuring different things. Am I just after an alkalinity test? Will that show ppm/ppl? Or just the ph! I have a digital ph meter anyway. I don't want to buy something I can't use?

D

 

[Good Ed]

This is the jobby http://aquatic-store.co.uk/marine/view/435

 

[Darcey]

Bugger they had them on offer. I wasnt sure what kit to get! So many! So will that give me a reading that I can use on the water treatment calculator?

 

[Mark1964]

its not that simple it will only give you the alkilinity.
5.49 meq/L x 50 =274.5 ppm reduce to 25 ppm (25 ppm is the figure for the type of beer Pale/Stout/Bitter) 25 ppm is a Bitter! so 274.5 -25ppm = 249.5...So you have to divide 249.5 by 183 = 1.36ml CRS per litre of water (183 mg/L ) is the amount of CRS to remove calcium) . So then multiply 1.36 by the amount of water you are using for mash and sparge together eg 40 Litres..So 1.36 x 40L = 54.5 CRS

Thats how i worked out the alkilinity of our water have you got the results from your local water company for the rest of the additives you will need?

 

[Darcey]

While I wait for my alkalinity tester to come in the post is it worth treating my water with what info I have regarding the chemical make up? D

 

[Mark1964]

yes its always worth treating with a campden tab to the whole of the water being used then anything the calculator tells you depending on what beer your making