Pilsner Water Quality

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Ulsterman

Pilsner Water Quality

Post by Ulsterman » Fri Apr 15, 2016 5:58 pm

Hello All,

My local water company rate the water quality as "Moderately Hard 150 - 200 mg/l CaCO3"

How would I treat the water to make it suitable for a BoPils? Can't seem to find a local supplier for Distilled Water either.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated!

Chug

Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by Chug » Fri Apr 15, 2016 10:00 pm

what about bottled water from a supermarket, Tesco Ashbeck, Asda Eden Falls, or Asda Smartprice

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Pinto
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Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by Pinto » Fri Apr 15, 2016 10:04 pm

Your local aquarium shop can supply you with reverse osmosis (RO) water which is almost as naked as distilled - but at a fraction of the price of bottled water. Build your own mineral profile from there.
Primary 1: Nonthing
Primary 2 : Nothing
Primary 3 : None
Secondary 1 : Empty
Secondary 1 : None
DJ(1) : Nowt
DJ(2) : N'otin....
In the Keg : Nada
Conditioning : Nowt
In the bottle : Cinnamonator TC, Apple Boost Cider, Apple & Strawberry Cider
Planning : AG #5 - Galaxy Pale (re-brew) / #6 - Alco-Brau (Special Brew Clone) / #7 Something belgian...
Projects : Mini-brew (12l brew length kit) nearly ready :D

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Jocky
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Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by Jocky » Fri Apr 15, 2016 11:29 pm

I either use Tesco Ashbeck or reverse osmosis water from the local aquarium shop.

Otherwise the proper way to treat your water to reduce alkalinity for pilsners is to treat with slaked lime/calcium hydroxide.
Ingredients: Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast, Seaweed, Blood, Sweat, The swim bladder of a sturgeon, My enemies tears, Scenes of mild peril, An otter's handbag and Riboflavin.

Secla
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Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by Secla » Fri Apr 15, 2016 11:35 pm

Also interested in this
My next AG will be a pilsner and the water here is very hard, my plan is to get ro water and start from scratch but as of yet i havnt looked into it

Ulsterman

Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by Ulsterman » Sat Apr 16, 2016 12:42 pm

Thanks for the replies.

I have done a little more research and found this report into bottled water. Worth a read. http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/137448/ ... survey.pdf

Also I have spent some time on Brewersfriend using the water calculator, which is also worth a look at. http://www.brewersfriend.com/mash-chemi ... alculator/?

A lot of chemistry which although it may help in achieving the best water set-up it is reducing my enthusiasm for the brew, so I think I will just go for it with minimal water tampering and see what I end up with. Rather be drinking a lager than do a chemistry homework.

ManseMasher

Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by ManseMasher » Sat Apr 16, 2016 6:51 pm

Have you contacted NI Water for an in-depth analysis of your water? I contacted them, told them I was a home brewer and gave them the constituents I was interested in. Within the week I received a very detailed breakdown of my local water supply. Well done NI Water I say!

Ulsterman

Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by Ulsterman » Sat Apr 16, 2016 7:26 pm

Emailed them on Friday so should hear back soon. Yes they are on top of things here and must be commended.

I did get the basic info from the website based on a search using postcode. This was the info I used on the Brewersfriend water calculator. Calculator basically said I wasn't brewing with Czech quality water but balance and ph was fair enough so I will just give it a go and adjust each time I brew.

daf

Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by daf » Sun Apr 17, 2016 6:44 am

I get Asda or Tesco spring water for my pilsners, hated chemistry homework too!

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Pinto
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Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by Pinto » Sun Apr 17, 2016 9:23 am

ManseMasher wrote:Have you contacted NI Water for an in-depth analysis of your water? I contacted them, told them I was a home brewer and gave them the constituents I was interested in. Within the week I received a very detailed breakdown of my local water supply. Well done NI Water I say!
Good Idea, but it's still finger in the wind stuff - the supply authorities are interested in very different things than the home brewer. If the OP really wants to understand the chemistry of his own water supply, there are no short cuts - contact Neil (Wallybrew) on this forum and ask for a proper analysis - for a small, very worthwhile fee, he'll tell you EXACTLY what's coming out of your tap :)
Primary 1: Nonthing
Primary 2 : Nothing
Primary 3 : None
Secondary 1 : Empty
Secondary 1 : None
DJ(1) : Nowt
DJ(2) : N'otin....
In the Keg : Nada
Conditioning : Nowt
In the bottle : Cinnamonator TC, Apple Boost Cider, Apple & Strawberry Cider
Planning : AG #5 - Galaxy Pale (re-brew) / #6 - Alco-Brau (Special Brew Clone) / #7 Something belgian...
Projects : Mini-brew (12l brew length kit) nearly ready :D

Join the BrewChat - open minds and adults only ;) - Click here

Ulsterman

Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by Ulsterman » Sun Apr 17, 2016 2:48 pm

Hi Pinto,

Niwater do give a lot of detail in their reports which are based on locality. They also recommend on their website that anyone interested in homebrewing should email them for a more complete analysis, so I think they are genuine in their approach. I will however take your advice and have already PMd Wallybrew regarding an independent water test. Thanks for the advice!

ManseMasher

Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by ManseMasher » Sun Apr 17, 2016 8:01 pm

Pinto wrote:
ManseMasher wrote:Have you contacted NI Water for an in-depth analysis of your water? I contacted them, told them I was a home brewer and gave them the constituents I was interested in. Within the week I received a very detailed breakdown of my local water supply. Well done NI Water I say!
Good Idea, but it's still finger in the wind stuff - the supply authorities are interested in very different things than the home brewer. If the OP really wants to understand the chemistry of his own water supply, there are no short cuts - contact Neil (Wallybrew) on this forum and ask for a proper analysis - for a small, very worthwhile fee, he'll tell you EXACTLY what's coming out of your tap :)
Finger in the wind stuff - a bit like most of my brews! To be honest, my water is my water - as long as it is fit for human consumption, I'm not really that bothered about knowing what EXACTLY is in it. Different areas, different waters, different results. I tend not to get too hung up on 'Burtonising' or replicating water to fit a specific brew, I concentrate more on making decent beer with what the heavens have bestowed upon me. Each to their own, of course!

As for NI Water - I told them what particular elements I was interested in, and they got back to me the next day, so whilst I agree they normally look at every regulated chemical/compound and their ppm limits for safe drinking water (and rightly so), they went out of their way as far as I can see to provide me with the information I requested, for free. So as I said earlier, well done NI Water!

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Pinto
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Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by Pinto » Sun Apr 17, 2016 8:54 pm

They have an enlightened approach, I will admit - but I'd also say that their figures will be generalised for the area rather than the specific resevoir or bore hole your water is drawn from - and they can vary significantly. A personal analysis is the way to go :)
Primary 1: Nonthing
Primary 2 : Nothing
Primary 3 : None
Secondary 1 : Empty
Secondary 1 : None
DJ(1) : Nowt
DJ(2) : N'otin....
In the Keg : Nada
Conditioning : Nowt
In the bottle : Cinnamonator TC, Apple Boost Cider, Apple & Strawberry Cider
Planning : AG #5 - Galaxy Pale (re-brew) / #6 - Alco-Brau (Special Brew Clone) / #7 Something belgian...
Projects : Mini-brew (12l brew length kit) nearly ready :D

Join the BrewChat - open minds and adults only ;) - Click here

ManseMasher

Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by ManseMasher » Sun Apr 17, 2016 9:09 pm

I agree to an extent, but even personal boreholes/wells are subject to variations - dry spells, heavy rainfall etc. etc. So even a personal analysis is only a snapshot of your supply on that day. Tomorrow, or last week, it could be markedly different. So is it worth it? Not convinced. And the water report I got from them is for my specific, local supply....

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Pinto
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Re: Pilsner Water Quality

Post by Pinto » Sun Apr 17, 2016 9:39 pm

A lot of the commercial brewers get more than one :) - I think it was Aleman who had 2 weekly reports from Neil over the course of a year.....thats dedication to the brew lol
Primary 1: Nonthing
Primary 2 : Nothing
Primary 3 : None
Secondary 1 : Empty
Secondary 1 : None
DJ(1) : Nowt
DJ(2) : N'otin....
In the Keg : Nada
Conditioning : Nowt
In the bottle : Cinnamonator TC, Apple Boost Cider, Apple & Strawberry Cider
Planning : AG #5 - Galaxy Pale (re-brew) / #6 - Alco-Brau (Special Brew Clone) / #7 Something belgian...
Projects : Mini-brew (12l brew length kit) nearly ready :D

Join the BrewChat - open minds and adults only ;) - Click here

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