Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
I hope someone can help?
I know this is quite a complicated subject, which I am starting to learn about in more detail.
Just as a start for my first all grain brew i hope to do on Sunday, I wonder if someone can cast an eye over my local water profile results I just found on my local water companies website.
What would you do to my water as a starting point if you were brewing London Bitter?
Many thanks
Andy
https://www.affinitywater.co.uk/docs/wa ... /TV065.pdf
I know this is quite a complicated subject, which I am starting to learn about in more detail.
Just as a start for my first all grain brew i hope to do on Sunday, I wonder if someone can cast an eye over my local water profile results I just found on my local water companies website.
What would you do to my water as a starting point if you were brewing London Bitter?
Many thanks
Andy
https://www.affinitywater.co.uk/docs/wa ... /TV065.pdf
Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
It's certainly hard water so I wouldn't start brewing lagers! But otherwise it's looking good. You alkalinity is high so your water is well placed for porters, stouts etc. Bitters it should work but the mash pH will likely be a bit high unless you reduce it. I'd keep it simple to begin with- use some CRS to get the alkalinity down. It will have the benefit of boosting the sulphate and chloride amounts also.
I know some people say go for full water adjustment from the beginning, others say do nothing and see what happens. You'll likely get beer either way. I personally think CRS is a good start (possibly with some DLS to boost calcium).
It's a shame they didn't do more test samples for alkalinity. Personally I'd get a Salifert alkalinity kit and double check before using CRS/DLS as per the Brupaks water adjustment website. It's simple and should get you in the ball park.
I know some people say go for full water adjustment from the beginning, others say do nothing and see what happens. You'll likely get beer either way. I personally think CRS is a good start (possibly with some DLS to boost calcium).
It's a shame they didn't do more test samples for alkalinity. Personally I'd get a Salifert alkalinity kit and double check before using CRS/DLS as per the Brupaks water adjustment website. It's simple and should get you in the ball park.
- orlando
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Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
PM Wallybrew and get him to analyse your water, he will produce a water report for a brewer. Once you know what you are starting with you have a chance of making sensible/accurate adjustments . The thing you always have to test for is alkalinity as in some places this can vary over time and Ben's suggestion of a Salifert kit is a good start. Your alkalinity is very high and even though Stout and Porters could be made as is, with a little adjustment down in the mash, you will still need to get that down a lot, under 30, for the sparge, unless you are a BIAB or full volume GF/BM owner, and if you don't know what they are you don't have to worry.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"
Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,
Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer
Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,
Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer
Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
Hi Shepp.
The process is pretty much the same for any beer which is measure the alkalinity and adjust for correct mash pH.
The adjustment method will determine the 'flavour' profile e.g. what acid is used but I wouldn't worry too much about that as your water is similar enough to London and is really tweaking around the last few percent of improvement.
The process is pretty much the same for any beer which is measure the alkalinity and adjust for correct mash pH.
The adjustment method will determine the 'flavour' profile e.g. what acid is used but I wouldn't worry too much about that as your water is similar enough to London and is really tweaking around the last few percent of improvement.
Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
Thanks Ben, that's the sort of simple and concise advice I was hoping for at this early stage, I'll order a test kit today.BenB wrote:It's certainly hard water so I wouldn't start brewing lagers! But otherwise it's looking good. You alkalinity is high so your water is well placed for porters, stouts etc. Bitters it should work but the mash pH will likely be a bit high unless you reduce it. I'd keep it simple to begin with- use some CRS to get the alkalinity down. It will have the benefit of boosting the sulphate and chloride amounts also.
I know some people say go for full water adjustment from the beginning, others say do nothing and see what happens. You'll likely get beer either way. I personally think CRS is a good start (possibly with some DLS to boost calcium).
It's a shame they didn't do more test samples for alkalinity. Personally I'd get a Salifert alkalinity kit and double check before using CRS/DLS as per the Brupaks water adjustment website. It's simple and should get you in the ball park.
I am in two minds whether to go ahead with the brew on Sunday or to wait for the test kit then make additions to suit?
Orlando, I think getting Wallybrew to do me a report will be useful to build from i'll take sort that out too. I have a GF so I guess full volume means using full volume of liquor with no sparging,.
Cheers for your input too Anthony, do you think as it's a London bitter, then the liquor can be of a higher alkalinity than say a midlands bitter?
- orlando
- So far gone I'm on the way back again!
- Posts: 7197
- Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:22 pm
- Location: North Norfolk: Nearest breweries All Day Brewery, Salle. Panther, Reepham. Yetman's, Holt
Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
shepp wrote: I am in two minds whether to go ahead with the brew on Sunday or to wait for the test kit then make additions to suit?
Go for it, there is no such thing as "wrong", every time you brew you will produce something you like or don't or are indifferent about, that is your guide. Following a "style" guide is not necessarily a bad thing either, as it is at least a signpost on the road to what you are looking for, but in the end the beauty of this game is you can brew beer you like and whether that fits a style or not is only as important as you deem it to be. Now if you want to enter competitions...well that's different!
I am "The Little Red Brooster"
Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,
Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer
Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,
Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer
Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
I test with a Salifert kit and the alkalinity varies from around 60ppm CACO3 to 130ppm in my area, over a year; quite a difference. However, I still made good beer before I ever got the kit. It's definitely a variable you want to control as soon as possible though, even if you don't get into the sulphate/chloride ratios and all that.
Busy in the Summer House Brewery
- Eric
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Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
You don't want the complications of water treatment for your first AG brew. A dark beer would have been a better choice for alkaline water.
Once you get to grips with your system, getting to grips with water treatment will produce better beers.
Meanwhile get a Salifert kit, your water analysed and read about reducing alkalinity in water with acids.
Enjoy Sunday.
Once you get to grips with your system, getting to grips with water treatment will produce better beers.
Meanwhile get a Salifert kit, your water analysed and read about reducing alkalinity in water with acids.
Enjoy Sunday.
Without patience, life becomes difficult and the sooner it's finished, the better.
Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
Yea enjoy it and dont panic, beer will happen
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Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
Thanks chaps, I will make the beer and do more research, then add chemicals to my next grain order.
- alexlark
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Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
Enjoy your first all grain brew on Sunday. I was brewing all grain for a year before I moved on to water treatment.
Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
Don't worry too much on the first AG. I screwed my first one up good and proper without worrying about mash pH. My alkalinity is crazy stable. I check it every brew and every time it comes out at 210! Just look at drinkable beer with the first AG as a bonus
Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
I hope this works.
I wondered if anybody would be so kind as to cast an eye over the Graham Wheelers Liquor Treatment Calculator, I have just filled in.
I just wanted to see that I have managed to get all my information filled in correctly, taking into account of course that the information may well be not as accurate as is required.
Many thanks
Andy
I wondered if anybody would be so kind as to cast an eye over the Graham Wheelers Liquor Treatment Calculator, I have just filled in.
I just wanted to see that I have managed to get all my information filled in correctly, taking into account of course that the information may well be not as accurate as is required.
Many thanks
Andy
- Eric
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Re: Water Profile For Brewing In My Area
That should produce a decent beer. A test using a Salifert kit would allow you to confirm alkalinity after treatment with CRS.
Without patience, life becomes difficult and the sooner it's finished, the better.