About to do first AG, any tips based on this water report?

DerbyshireNick · Post by **DerbyshireNick** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 10:00 pm

Hi all, managed to find my water report. I am about to do an AG brew and wondered if those with more experience had any feelings about the values in the following...? I think given by the low values compared to the legal maximums the water is pretty good but I am no expert.

Manx Guy · Post by **Manx Guy** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 10:14 pm

Hi
The main things you need to know from your water report are the total hardness, calcium, sodiumandmagnesim.
You can then use the water treatment calc in the hints and tips section of this forum.

When I lived in Derbyshire I recall the water tasting pretty good,and it wasn't overly hard either...
But it depends where you are and the source of water supply for the area.

Good luck and happy brewing!

DerbyshireNick · Post by **DerbyshireNick** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 10:17 pm

Thanks Manx Guy, I am north Derbyshire, apparently the water comes from Buxton. I know it tastes good compared to the stuff I used to get in Derby.

I attempted the calculator but failed due to thickness in these matters, Ill press on see if I can make head or tale.

Nick

fisherman · Post by **fisherman** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:22 am

Buy yourself a Salifert Alkilinity test kit from e-bay test your tapwater and post the result on here, Look at brew university on this website to see how to do the test. The site members will advise I' sure.

DerbyshireNick · Post by **DerbyshireNick** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:14 pm

cheers fisherman, I cant see them on there at the mo but will look around the web and see what I can see.

--Edit--

more fool me for cutting and pasting, ordered one, will let you know the results.

boingy · Post by **boingy** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:30 pm

For your first AG I'd say just forget the water treatment. There is lots of other stuff to worry about and badly applied water treatment can easily be much worse than no water treatment.
Focus on the mash temperature and on sanitising everything post boil.

GrowlingDogBeer · Post by **GrowlingDogBeer** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:34 pm

boingy wrote:For your first AG I'd say just forget the water treatment. There is lots of other stuff to worry about and badly applied water treatment can easily be much worse than no water treatment.
Focus on the mash temperature and on sanitising everything post boil.

+1 to that.

My first All Grain was challenging enough, without worrying about water treatment as well.

I have very high Alkalinity in my water so my Mash pH was way out, but the beer was still drinkable, if not the best I have made.

Your water is probably a lot more suitable straight out of the tap than mine so I would go with boingys advice.

naffolddog · Post by **naffolddog** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:11 pm

DerbyshireNick wrote:Thanks Manx Guy, I am north Derbyshire, apparently the water comes from Buxton. I know it tastes good compared to the stuff I used to get in Derby.

Nick

That's probably why they sell so much of the bottled stuff!

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 5:39 pm

That water report, like most, doesn't contain the information you need to venture into reliable water treatment.
What it does say is that your water is soft, 2 degrees Clarke. My opinion is, on the good side it should not be overly alkaline, but on the down side it probably won't contain enough calcium.
I honestly think that getting into water treatment just when starting to brew is like expecting to master cycling tactics before learning how not to fall off. However, in this case I'd try mixing two teaspoons of gypsum into the grains for your mash and add one to the boil.
You'll value and enjoy using your Salifert kit, it is, again my opinion, without doubt both a powerful tool and an aid to learning.
Good luck, the road to AG is one of no return

DerbyshireNick · Post by **DerbyshireNick** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:25 pm

Cheers all,

Yeah I agree about not worrying this time, I have a test kit on order and will worry about that for brew #2. I am just going to go for it with a nice boil and a bit of campden this weekend and see what the results bring.

Then ill be back to turn it up a notch with some additions.

Geezah · Post by **Geezah** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 8:20 pm

Take a drive to Buxton and fill up on the natural spring water Nick

DerbyshireNick · Post by **DerbyshireNick** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:16 pm

haha well we are on the "Buxton" source whatever that may be anyway.

Done the test. It came out at 0.3 KH or 0.1 Alkalinity in meq/L

this is the first none zero value and to be honest it was going pink before this at the zero value.

This is positive right?

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