Water
- GuingesRock
- Award Winner 20+
- Posts: 5190
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:26 pm
- Name: Mark
- Location: Wolfville, NS
Water
How much do people work on their water? I’m starting to think about this more. On my last brew I actually checked my mash PH and added Burton salts until it seemed to be around 5.2. I couldn’t really tell for sure because the PH test strips only provide a guestimate. Ended up being an ounce in 10 Gal. Am I just paying lip service by doing that?
The attached spreadsheet is very complicated. Does anyone really go through the process of entering all the figures in the spreadsheet? And then adding the exact amount of the different salts?
I might have all the figures from the town water, if I can unravel them from the report, but I am running my brewing water through a carbon filter, and I think the filter might change the chemical profile of the water, but I don’t know if it does and to what degree.
How anal is everyone about this?
The attached spreadsheet is very complicated. Does anyone really go through the process of entering all the figures in the spreadsheet? And then adding the exact amount of the different salts?
I might have all the figures from the town water, if I can unravel them from the report, but I am running my brewing water through a carbon filter, and I think the filter might change the chemical profile of the water, but I don’t know if it does and to what degree.
How anal is everyone about this?
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-Mark
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
- berley
- Award Winner 5
- Posts: 386
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2012 9:04 am
- Name: Shawn
- Location: Fredericton
- Contact:
Re: Water
I've been using that spreadsheet... it's great, because it actually takes into account your recipe, not just the color of the beer you're aiming for (like the John Palmer one, that addresses residual alkalinity, I think).
I add salts based on what style of beer I'm brewing, and then for pale beers like APAs and IPAs, I've taken to adding some Acid malt to get the mash pH in a better range (it can be pretty high with Fredericton water, up to 5.7 or so).
I add salts based on what style of beer I'm brewing, and then for pale beers like APAs and IPAs, I've taken to adding some Acid malt to get the mash pH in a better range (it can be pretty high with Fredericton water, up to 5.7 or so).
Co-author of the Atlantic Canada Beer Blog
http://meekbrewingco.blogspot.ca
http://meekbrewingco.blogspot.ca
- GuingesRock
- Award Winner 20+
- Posts: 5190
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:26 pm
- Name: Mark
- Location: Wolfville, NS
Re: Water
Thanks,
I found something on carbon filters.
I found something on carbon filters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_filtering
Carbon filters are most effective at removing chlorine, sediment, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), taste and odor from water. They are not effective at removing minerals, salts, and dissolved inorganic compounds.
Last edited by GuingesRock on Mon Jan 20, 2014 8:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-Mark
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
- GuingesRock
- Award Winner 20+
- Posts: 5190
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:26 pm
- Name: Mark
- Location: Wolfville, NS
Re: Water
Where did you get your water report from? Is it possible to have your water tested.
Thanks
Thanks
-Mark
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
- Jimmy
- Site Admin Award Winner
- Posts: 6984
- Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2010 6:35 pm
- Location: Halifax, NS
Re: Water
I just used the one from the city water supply. You can get it tested at various locations that do water tests for new house purchases (AFAIK). We dropped our water sample off to the hospital in Halifax and they do the test. You need to select the appropriate test so you get results relevant to brewing.
- GuingesRock
- Award Winner 20+
- Posts: 5190
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:26 pm
- Name: Mark
- Location: Wolfville, NS
Re: Water
Thanks!
-Mark
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
- berley
- Award Winner 5
- Posts: 386
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2012 9:04 am
- Name: Shawn
- Location: Fredericton
- Contact:
Re: Water
Ha, yeah, I get you. I've only been doing the Acid malt additions (regularly, anyway) for the last couple of batches of APA and IPA... haven't got them out of primary yet, so not sure if it'll help or not, either!Jimmy wrote:I've used that spreadsheet and found it to be the easiest to understand, however, I'm still not sure if the additions helped my beer or not
Co-author of the Atlantic Canada Beer Blog
http://meekbrewingco.blogspot.ca
http://meekbrewingco.blogspot.ca
- Jimmy
- Site Admin Award Winner
- Posts: 6984
- Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2010 6:35 pm
- Location: Halifax, NS
Re: Water
Mark, did you read through this thread before?
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2284" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2284" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- GuingesRock
- Award Winner 20+
- Posts: 5190
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:26 pm
- Name: Mark
- Location: Wolfville, NS
Re: Water
Jimmy, no but I will read it. Thanks
I've just spent an hour on it and managed to figure out the town water report I got before and put it into that spread sheet. It really is quite simple. I wonder if my water chemistry might be the reason why I never liked crystal or caramel malt. Always disliked any beer I made with them. I maybe tailored my beer to my water profile as time went on and I experimented with this and that ...it's possible.
I'm chuffed to have sorted out the spread sheet any way. All I needed was a bit of encouragement. Thanks.
Redoubt PMd me and said they got their water tested at the place where my wife works. Who would have known
ps. Reading that thread now. It's great!
I've just spent an hour on it and managed to figure out the town water report I got before and put it into that spread sheet. It really is quite simple. I wonder if my water chemistry might be the reason why I never liked crystal or caramel malt. Always disliked any beer I made with them. I maybe tailored my beer to my water profile as time went on and I experimented with this and that ...it's possible.
I'm chuffed to have sorted out the spread sheet any way. All I needed was a bit of encouragement. Thanks.
Redoubt PMd me and said they got their water tested at the place where my wife works. Who would have known

ps. Reading that thread now. It's great!
-Mark
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
- GuingesRock
- Award Winner 20+
- Posts: 5190
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:26 pm
- Name: Mark
- Location: Wolfville, NS
Re: Water
Videos on how to use EZ water calculator
He's using an older version, but good videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 1n7-RjEJEM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... KT6EE7ong0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... n0GwU7TqNE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
He's using an older version, but good videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 1n7-RjEJEM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... KT6EE7ong0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... n0GwU7TqNE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
-Mark
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
- GuingesRock
- Award Winner 20+
- Posts: 5190
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:26 pm
- Name: Mark
- Location: Wolfville, NS
Re: Water
BeerSmith interview on mash PH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ucJO_s7WiE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(I can't seem to embed youtubes these days, what am I doing wrong? this doesn't work [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ucJO_s7WiE[/youtube])
(I can't seem to embed youtubes these days, what am I doing wrong? this doesn't work [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ucJO_s7WiE[/youtube])
-Mark
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
- LeafMan66_67
- Award Winner 2
- Posts: 4600
- Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2012 7:10 am
- Name: Derek Stapleton
- Location: Lower Sackville, NS
Re: Water
Try getting rid of the 's' in 'https' - you are logged in to your YouTube account when copying the link.GuingesRock wrote:BeerSmith interview on mash PH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ucJO_s7WiE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(I can't seem to embed youtubes these days, what am I doing wrong? this doesn't work [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ucJO_s7WiE[/youtube])
"He was a wise man who invented beer." - Plato
- NASH
- CBA Award Winner
- Posts: 4085
- Joined: Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:33 pm
- Name: Nash
- Location: Halifax, NS
- Contact:
Re: Water
Try removing the 's' from the 'https' url.GuingesRock wrote:BeerSmith interview on mash PH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ucJO_s7WiE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(I can't seem to embed youtubes these days, what am I doing wrong? this doesn't work [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ucJO_s7WiE[/youtube])
- NASH
- CBA Award Winner
- Posts: 4085
- Joined: Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:33 pm
- Name: Nash
- Location: Halifax, NS
- Contact:
- GuingesRock
- Award Winner 20+
- Posts: 5190
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:26 pm
- Name: Mark
- Location: Wolfville, NS
Re: Water
Thanks 

-Mark
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
Cicerone Program - Certified Beer Server
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests