Wye Valley water

Mike Johnson · Jan 11, 2019

Does anyone have a water analysis for the Wye Valley? I am brewing a clone of Butty Bach and what I find online does not give me all the data I need. I understand that the brewery has its own well but it seems that a local water analysis should come close. Brewery is located at Stoke Lacy, Herefordshire HR7 4HG.

If no one has that, any suggestions for a standard Brewsmith water I should use? Thinking Amber Balanced. I am new at this creating water game so any help is appreciated

foxbat · Jan 11, 2019

I would go with Brunwater amber balanced. The local authority water report isn't likely to be a match for the brewery's well. I think you're on a road to nowhere trying to replicate it.

Most important will be the yeast - are you culturing up from the bottle? I love Wye Valley ales. A while back they did a special called Water of Forgetfulness that was simply sublime.

Slid · Jan 11, 2019

foxbat said:
I would go with Brunwater amber balanced. The local authority water report isn't likely to be a match for the brewery's well. I think you're on a road to nowhere trying to replicate it.

Most important will be the yeast - are you culturing up from the bottle? I love Wye Valley ales. A while back they did a special called Water of Forgetfulness that was simply sublime.

Agreed! The water company is going to get the majority of its water from "run-off", as it is much cheaper to treat. The water from a deep well will have picked up a lot of salts etc dissolved from the rocks it has run through.

Pale ales in particular gain much from these salts and it is replicating this that Water Treatment is all about, from our HB perspective.

Mike Johnson · Jan 11, 2019

Great, thanks for the help, I will do that. Unfortunately I do not have the Wye Valley yeast as I am over here in Texas trying to brew a taste of home. I intend to use some 82-005 White Labs British Ale WLP005 from local brew shop hoping that will give me reasonable results.
I did gather that the brewery used its own well but could not think of any other way to get close than asking you guys, you are champions (not fake news).