Alkalinity, Testing Your Tap Water

Post by **Andy** » Wed May 14, 2008 8:20 pm

That reminds me, I must retest my water!

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Thu May 15, 2008 8:31 pm

I tested my Sutton & East Surrey water this evening using the kit Daab provided - thanks a lot.

Having made up the test solution, and putting 10 drops of indicator into 250mls tap water, it took 5mls of test solution to turn from faint yellow into faint pink

.

Think this means my tap water tonight contains around 90mg/l of CaCO3. Previously I had been adding CRS allowing for 165mg/l as per my latest water report. This test will mean I'll add half as much CRS to my brew tomorrow (14ml as opposed to 28ml) to leave a residual alkalinity between 0-50mg/l as suggested for paler beers.

If I've worked this out correctly I've been overdosing my liquor with too much acid

. I don't know what effects this might have had but am interested to see if tomorrows brew ends up different.

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Thu May 15, 2008 9:00 pm

Definately not though well worth asking!

That addition I worked out should leave 27mg/l like the leaflet suggests. Looking forward to doing this now.

Redbloke · Post by **Redbloke** » Sat May 17, 2008 12:37 am

DaaB wrote:I know not everyone has received their kits yet, I can only appologise for that. It looks like Royal Mail has let us down again, i'm going to give it until end of play monday and if the package hasn't arrived i'll get the stuff I need locally.

... hey Daab, I work for RM and they really aren't that bad. The pressure put upon drivers, sorters, and postmen (postpersons?) to get the stuff out means that very few items are not delivered on time. It's not a great place to work at present

Are you sure that RM are actually handling the stuff?

Redbloke · Post by **Redbloke** » Sat May 17, 2008 1:32 am

... OK, I'm not going to get on my soapbox in this thread, another one maybe

Daab, you have not mentioned reimbursement to yourself, do you send an invoice of some sort with the kit?

bandit · Post by **bandit** » Sat May 17, 2008 9:00 am

Thank you for the kit. I aim to try it soon. I do have one question. Whilst visiting Murphys recently, Hilary told me that they titrate to 4.3pH rather than 4.5ph Other than the 0.2pH difference what difference will this have on the end result for determining alkalinity?

des · Post by **des** » Sun May 18, 2008 10:03 pm

Could you let me have a kit please Daab

jonnyv · Post by **jonnyv** » Sun May 18, 2008 10:26 pm

I'd love one too - only done 3 AGs but would like to look at sorting out my water which I'm sure is affecting the taste of my beers.

Happy to send a cheque or paypal, just let me know what to do.

Cheers DaaB

Redbloke · Post by **Redbloke** » Sun May 18, 2008 11:07 pm

Any recommendations Daab for some decent digital scales for this purpose? I'v got some Salter digital kitchen scales but they are not very reliable when adding small amounts

SteveD · Post by **SteveD** » Tue May 20, 2008 3:51 pm

Hurried post - I'll go back and read the 9 pages when I get to sit down properly.

So Nirvana has a arrived, a cheap water testing kit. Like a reagent palintest? I was just about to order alkalinity testing tablets from palintest, which work out at about Â£21 for 60 tests, including delivery. But I need to read through this thread prawpleah - just wanted to get a quick reply in because it's damned interesting. The topic, not my post

SteveD · Post by **SteveD** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:37 am

Read the lot now -

I'm glad the bun fight was resolved. One thing - the effect of chlorine present in the tap water on the ammount of indicator needed... I didn't see this mentioned within the thread, but if we test the bulk liquor drawn for brew for alkalinity after dosing it with campden tablets, would that not get rid of the problem? It seems obvious to me, or am I missing something?

SteveD · Post by **SteveD** » Wed May 21, 2008 1:20 am

DaaB wrote:
SteveD wrote:Read the lot now - I'm glad the bun fight was resolved. One thing - the effect of chlorine present in the tap water on the ammount of indicator needed... I didn't see this mentioned within the thread, but if we test the bulk liquor drawn for brew for alkalinity after dosing it with campden tablets, would that not get rid of the problem? It seems obvious to me, or am I missing something?
It's known that chlorine has a bleaching effect on the indicator but other than that it won't effect the result. I haven't found what effect any residual sulphite has on the indicator so I have suggested in the instructions that the test is conducted after dechlorination if using a POU filter but before treatment if using campden tablets.

In reality it isn't an issue as all you have to do is add more indicator if it fades out as demonstrated in the video clips i've posted.

Ah, ok. Can't connect to 18,000ft at the mo.

Campden tabs do reduce PH, also, they'll lift a hydrometer.

crow_flies · Post by **crow_flies** » Wed May 21, 2008 1:59 pm

Mine arrived today

thanks Daab. Read it all, looks reasonably straightforward - only PITA is my digital scales seem to like turning themselves off when they sense no changes - whats the betting that will be right as I get close to the last drop.....

/CF

Post by **Aleman** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:01 pm

DaaB wrote:Can I implore everyone to read the instructions thoroughly before testing their water, there is no room for errors or deviations from what is written.

Oh no, I deviated from the instructions . . I only made up 250ml of test solution , and I didn't weigh it, I used a measuring cylinder

Is my beer ruined

delboy · Post by **delboy** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:22 pm

Aleman wrote:
DaaB wrote:Can I implore everyone to read the instructions thoroughly before testing their water, there is no room for errors or deviations from what is written.
Oh no, I deviated from the instructions . . I only made up 250ml of test solution , and I didn't weigh it, I used a measuring cylinder Is my beer ruined

Yes

Jim's Beer Kit

Practical Homebrewing

HomeBrew Forum

Sponsored by BREW-SCHOOL

Alkalinity, Testing Your Tap Water