Water Analysis

[Onthebrew]

Hello all,

Just wanted to find out if anybody could recommend any of the bottled waters from supermarkets around Belfast etc, for various beer stales? Eg IPAs and American PAs, When using all grain. Which ones hav the closest target water profile etc?

Cheers

[robotmonkey]

I've used both Tesco's Ashbeck and Asda's Eden Falls water but I do water adjustments using BeerSmith.

Asda Eden Falls:

Calcium	11ppm
Magnesium	3ppm
Sodium	9ppm
Sulfate	9ppm
Chloride	12ppm
Bicarbonate	30ppm

Tesco Ashbeck:

Calcium	10ppm
Magnesium	2.5ppm
Sodium	9ppm
Sulfate	10ppm
Chloride	12ppm
Bicarbonate	9.5ppm

[Ciaran]

Pretty good that you can get that level of detail on the labels (or did you need to email each of them for info?)

[Onthebrew]

cheers, maybe give one of those a try then. 

typically for an IPA , and a black IPA, what sort adjustments might i need? can i wait untill measuring themash PH?

[robotmonkey]

Pretty good that you can get that level of detail on the labels (or did you need to email each of them for info?)

Asda have those details on their website but there a little bit of working out for the Tesco one.

[Onthebrew]

Ok here quoted profiles for lidl's carrick glen and my offices water cooler water just EAU.

Calcium seems much higher for these compared to tesco/asda and bicarbonate of the scale with the carrick glen, but would that be good for dark ales?

Also got report of tap water.


Just EAU:
Calcium   92ppm
Magnesium   1ppm
Sodium   7ppm
Sulfate              
Chloride   14ppm
Bicarbonate   
Ph.                   7.5

carrick glen:
Calcium   80
Magnesium   23
Sodium   18
Sulfate    31
Chloride   20
Bicarbonate   293

Tap water. Classed mod soft
Calcium   33
Magnesium   5
Sodium   13
Sulfate    45
Chloride   18
Bicarbonate   81

[auralabuse]

So can I clarify as I'm not great on the water treatment options

Calcium - flakes from homebrew store
Magnesium - also from homebrew store
Sodium - standard salt
Sulfate - are these the Epsom salts
Chloride - homebrew store
Bicarbonate - standard bicarb soda in any shop

I basically want to get all the possible additions for water treatment. I'm sure I got the above horrendously wrong

[robotmonkey]

It's a little bit more complicated than that. The ions are formed in compounds so it's about get the balance right. You can't get chloride on its own but you can get table salt (sodium chloride NaCl) or calcium chloride (CaCl) but obviously they contribute sodium and calcium respectively.

Try using this calculcator http://www.brewersfriend.com/brewing-water-target-profiles/

I've also attached an example of the calculator from BeerSmith which I've found to be pretty useful for this.

[Onthebrew]

that Beersmith tool looks great  so i guess you check the supermarket options etc for one that is a close match to your target water then enter them both and  make the additions needed.

Does anyone no a source for target profiles for specific beer types- as opposed to areas?

also in the meantime as a quick fix, if i check the mash ph pre boil and its too low, or too high - whats best way to raise it or lower it? can you change it post boil? for my first few brews will probably keep it simple if pos.

cheers.

[pob]

A few notes with some different profiles, e.g. Light & hoppy, light & malty, balanced (from brewersfriend calculator)

Remember to add your local / bottled water details.

[auralabuse]

I have r.o water at home. So if I want to replicate a profile I just add each addition as all minerals will be at zero?

[redshift]

I have r.o water at home. So if I want to replicate a profile I just add each addition as all minerals will be at zero?

Essentially yes. If you are using RO water then all you need is gypsum (calcium sulphate), calcium chloride, and sodium bicarbonate. You don't need to worry about magnesium, the mash adds more than enough.

[DEMPSEY]

If you use RO then you set up your water as RO and then all you do is add one of the water profiles to your recipe and beersmith will add the necessary salts to your recipe. 

[DEMPSEY]

Here is me using RO water and using Edinburgh Water,the recipe adds the salts needed