I see this being discussed in another thread. I have well water as a source for water. My hardness direct from well is 16.4 grains/gallon and 281 mg/l (as CaCO3) and alkalinity is 213 Mg/L. I have three options in terms of brewing. 1. direct from my well; 2. from my water softener; 3. from my Reverse Osmosis water filter Anyone have any thoughts around this?
thats alot of alkalinity you are going to have to overcome, you also dont have amounts of minerals that effect flavor like sulfate, sodium and chloride. The simplest thing to do would use RO and build your water yourself. You’d need baking soda to alkalinize, an acid (lactic acid or phosphoric) to acidify, calcium sulfate and calcium chloride for taste.
Water softeners strip most of the Ca and Mg out, Ca is good for brewing all grain, still need some Ca if brewing with extract. Softeners don’t reduce alkalinity, and boost the sodium levels.
Use RO.
Alkalinity (as CaCO3) 213
Bicarbonate (as CaCO3) 212
Total Disolved Solids 750
Carbonate 0.85
Chloride 54.1
Magnesium 25.2
Potassium 1.2
Sodium 11.8
Im adding this table as the RO Calculated Values:
Substance Reduced (Calculated)
Alkalinity (as CaCO3)
Bicarbonate (as CaCO3) 8.48
Total Disolved Solids 86.3
Carbonate
Chloride 4.3
Magnesium 0.8
Potassium
Sodium 1.4
TDS of 86.3 with RO water doesnt look right
TDS was incorrect:
S/b 436 (which is an estimated number in my water test) and my RO reduces by ~88.5%
TDS = 50.1
TDS is still a bit high for RO I think, but send it in to Wards Lab (WL 501 Brewers Test) and verify what the RO has in it (of course, if you have the means to test it, please ignore that bit). You should be determining your Calcium, since it should approach 50 ppm, typically, to be good brewing liquor. Then use a water calculator to get the right ratio of Chloride to Sulfate for the style beer you are brewing. Then check projected pH and make sure it has been adequately adjusted for the grist and beer style. That should get you pretty close. Others here are experts on this and can probably suggest more to you.
The TDS reduction by the RO system seems low. It should be 94% reduction or more. I would have it sent to Ward’s as someone said and verify the numbers. Do you have a TDS meter, they are pretty cheap? If your numbers are confirmed then I would replace the RO membrane, mine reduces 94% or more.
I used to live in the Ozarks on a well that had high TDS too. I tried using the lime method to reduce alkalinity and it helped but I finally went to Wal mart and just bought their RO water and built water to style. Now I have a RO unit at home and change the filters every year except for the membrane which I keep track of with a TDS meter.
The TDS reduction is an estimate. I used 88.5% based on the range provided by the RO manufacturer and not an actual measurement. The range is like 84 to 92 % or similar I just used the mid point. I replaced the membrane in the last year and ordered a Ward Labs brew water test yesterday. Can anyone recommend a good web tool that will provide quidance as to what minerals to add to brew water to optimize it’s chemistry?
The additives are typically Calcium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, occasionally Magnesium (consider Epsom Salts), and then pH adjustment by Lactic Acid, Phosphoric Acid, in the strike water based on the mash, or Acidulated Malt as part of the grist in the mash. You will need a good set of starting numbers to work from, so your Ward Lab report will be used for that. Then a good water calculator - Brunwater is available in both free and pay software. Other software is out that as part of a recipe builder and are pretty reliable.
For pale beers, you might use under a gram or so per gallon in the strike water/mash of both CaCl2 and CaSO4. Also consider Brew Tan B, though it is negligible in amount needed for a 5 gallon batch (it is a gallotannin that helps in many different ways, including clarity of the final beer).
Cheers.
Looks like my estimate of TDS was way to high. I acquired a tester today and TDS is “6”.
Well done - now you can confidently build back to be where you want to be.
Cheers!
You’re good, and your system is working fine.
I am in a very similar situation with my water as you are. After I controlled fermentation temps, the best improvements to my beers have been due to water chemistry control. I now use DO water for 90-100% of my brewing water. I’ve had my well water tested by Ward labs so when I do mix some of that in I can account for it’s effects with the brewing water software I use. Occasionally I use some of my water softener water in small doses if I want a small bump in the sodium content, but since I’ve never had that water tested I don’t like to use it much at all