Got a reading of 1.6 dKH which I've put into an online calculator that tells me that there is 29ppm CaCO3. I did the test with the supplied sample solution and got the expected results so I did the test correctly. This figure of 29ppm is very low though yeah?
Stand back, stand back Dempsey coming through...
Quote from: CH on March 04, 2014, 07:53:40 AM
Stand back, stand back Dempsey coming through...
Why thank you but you don't need to stand back as far as you would have ;) Delzep that's what I suspected you had when we last spoke of this. All you need to do now is deal with the chlorine and keep an eye on the Caco3 levels for consistency. Tweeking from here for different styles will be a daudel :)
I didn't think it would be that low! Suppose its worth checking a couple more times over the next week or so for now, then about once a month and graph it
Not sure if you're on same supply as me but I reckon you are. It's a mix of supplies from ballymore and leixlip. Mine varies from around 40ppm to 250ppm. So I test every brew day.
Quote from: imark on March 04, 2014, 09:21:59 AM
Not sure if you're on same supply as me but I reckon you are. It's a mix of supplies from ballymore and leixlip. Mine varies from around 40ppm to 250ppm. So I test every brew day.
let me know the next time you test yours and I'll test mine the same day to compare
I just looked at the water report from September 2013 for Ring, the only mineral it shows being tested for is Nitrates. No Calcium, Potassium etc are tested for apparently, very disappointing as would like to know what the hell i am dealing with. Ph was shown at around 7.5 i think, nitrates were 5.4mg/l. Now all i need to find is a lab in Ireland willing to do a mineral test on my water supply for small money boss ;D
BTW sorry for hijacking your thread Delzep :o
Sure. I'll try and sample it today.
Quote from: Greg2013 on March 04, 2014, 09:45:51 AM
I just looked at the water report from September 2013 for Ring, the only mineral it shows being tested for is Nitrates. No Calcium, Potassium etc are tested for apparently, very disappointing as would like to know what the hell i am dealing with. Ph was shown at around 7.5 i think, nitrates were 5.4mg/l. Now all i need to find is a lab in Ireland willing to do a mineral test on my water supply for small money boss ;D
BTW sorry for hijacking your thread Delzep :o
Those reports are not much good for us brewers. PH 7.5 is normal for all drinking water.
Quote from: DEMPSEY on March 04, 2014, 09:50:46 AM
Quote from: Greg2013 on March 04, 2014, 09:45:51 AM
I just looked at the water report from September 2013 for Ring, the only mineral it shows being tested for is Nitrates. No Calcium, Potassium etc are tested for apparently, very disappointing as would like to know what the hell i am dealing with. Ph was shown at around 7.5 i think, nitrates were 5.4mg/l. Now all i need to find is a lab in Ireland willing to do a mineral test on my water supply for small money boss ;D
BTW sorry for hijacking your thread Delzep :o
Those reports are not much good for us brewers. PH 7.5 is normal for all drinking water.
So where do i go from here Dempsey ? I have seen fellas suggesting test kits on here but can not tie down a single one that does it all and i am not paying meag bucks for 3 kits to cover all i need,i would much rather get someone to test it once for me and pay them instead ;D
Hardness is main concern.
Use taste test Greg. Is there a specific problem in your beer resulting from the mineral content?
Get one of these from the pet shop
Quote from: imark on March 04, 2014, 09:58:47 AM
Hardness is main concern.
Use taste test Greg. Is there a specific problem in your beer resulting from the mineral content?
High chlorine and high calcium, plus its yellow in colour ;D Like if i fill up the bathtub with cold water it will show as having a slight yellow tinge in it and that's before i get in :o
Calcium is good. I doubt you have enough for brewing in your tap water :)
Quote from: DEMPSEY on March 04, 2014, 10:01:47 AM
Get one of these from the pet shop
Thanks Dempsey i will keep an eye out for one locally ;D
When my water is hard I usually give it a good boil the night before. It drops out hardness and you can even add Camden tablet next morning if you've still got a bang of chlorine. It'll drive it off.
To quote the NHC wiki on this
Calcium is the superhero
After the alkalinity of the water has been adjusted you the amount of calcium should be adjusted to match the beer style to be brewed. Calcium will do a lot of great things, it will,
Interact with carbonates: Carbonates increase PH, calcium lowers PH,
Bind with carbonates forming compounds that will precipitate out of the mash,
Protect the amylases from heat inactivation (falling asleep) when in the mash,
Help form trub in the boil, neutralising protein, so helps hot and cold break,
Aids yeast flocculation by interacting with protein on the yeast cell wall.
It even helps remove excess oxalate on your brewing equipment to help prevent the build up of beer stone!
Lets hear it for CALCIUM.8-)
There are 2 types of calcium sources a brewer likes:
Calcium Chloride: the chloride brings out the malt flavour.
Calcium Sulphate: the sulphate brings out the hoppier flavour.
The amount of calcium in each of these sources varies from 23% in calcium sulphate to anywhere between 27% and 18% in calcium chloride. So by adding one of these you also add more sulphate or chloride, which is fine depending on the type of beer you want.
So how much Calcium Chloride (or Calcium Sulphate) should be added? I left me Gordon Strong book in me locker in work >:(
Your planning to brew a mild so Calcium Chloride will give you a boost in your Calcium and the Chloride will enhance the malt profile. At a guess your water has about 60 ppm of Calcium atm and you should boost that to 120 ppm. Keep a bit for the boil kettle :)
Quote from: Tube on March 04, 2014, 10:37:31 AM
Look up the water profile of the beer you want to brew.
Or in summary:
Dark beer: don't add anything
Hoppy beer: a squirt of gypsum
(http://i.imgur.com/CcEouMI.jpg)
Need to find the 'squirt' button on Beersmith
surely you mean a puff of gypsum?!?!
Quote from: Tube on March 04, 2014, 02:18:21 PM
A squirt is when you tip the bag over and a load comes out the end.
...as the bishop said to the actress...
Quote from: delzep on March 04, 2014, 09:37:16 AM
Quote from: imark on March 04, 2014, 09:21:59 AM
Not sure if you're on same supply as me but I reckon you are. It's a mix of supplies from ballymore and leixlip. Mine varies from around 40ppm to 250ppm. So I test every brew day.
let me know the next time you test yours and I'll test mine the same day to compare
Back on topic... Just checked mine and it's ~180ppm. Water has been hard around here since the water shortages. Maybe they're blending more leixlip muck in up my way since.
(http://i.imgur.com/P6n1vfd.gif)
Feck off!
You can have some of mine before the charges kick in :-*
Checked it again today and it was the same - 29ppm
Well after several emails looks like i will be able to get Murphys to test my water after all, have to do it off the site though but they are willing no problem. Went for the standard water analysis for £18 stg, waiting to hear back on what to do next re sending sample etc. I don't actually mind paying this money to have it professionally tested this once. ;D ::)
mines about 25ppm
Quote from: Tube on March 05, 2014, 05:08:50 PM
Just go round to Dempsey's and get some RO. Saves on water charges too ;)
RO owners. Just in case ye dont know it. As far as i understand the RO water that gets 'wasted' down the drain is water that has gone through 3 x 5 micron filters its nearly as good as RO and should be saved in containers as it would be perfect for brewing / sparging or drinking as treated water. Or passing on to other brewers who have crap water full or chlorine and lime.
This RO 'waste' water is probably chlorine and bacteria free as it has passed numerous filters as well as carbon block filter. I will be saving it in 5 gallon drums that Im modifing with and overflow that goes to the drain, that way I always have 5 gallong on hand, also it allows an indication of how much is being used for back flushing the RO filter which normally then ends up down the drain.
Anyone any more to add to this idea