Re: Yet Another Water Chemistry Question

Jim's post directing me to the utility's website was all that was needed to
resolve the problem with the hardness and ion contents.

The calcium and magnesium contents were reported on the website 'as CaCO3'.
Therefore, the actual calcium and magnesium contents are 20 and 9.7 ppm,
respectively.

The alkalinity is appropriately reported 'as CaCO3', so the 35 ppm value
should be correct. The alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium content indicate
the Residual Alkalinity (RA) is about 15. This is good for most pale beers.

The hardness level of this water is relatively low, so no additional
hardness reduction is needed. The sodium and sulfate levels are a little
high, which will make it more difficult to brew delicate or maltier beer
styles. The water should be good for balanced and hoppy styles. Overall,
this isn't a bad water, it may just have a bit of harshness when brewing
some styles.

The pH issue is troubling. Jim says he shows 8.5 when he tests, but the
utility says the pH is averaging 9.4. The utility's reported carbonate
and bicarbonate content, along with the reported pH suggest that the utility
is using a lime-softening process to reduce the hardness of the raw
groundwater. The website does indicate that the utility softens their
water. The lime softening process involves raising the water pH to above
10.5 to precipitate the calcium and magnesium. After settling and
filtration, the pH is supposed to be adjusted back into a more reasonable
range with an acid addition prior to distribution. It appears that this
utility is not keeping their pH in a tight range. That is going to make it
tougher for Jim to assess and maintain his mashing pH. This is a case where
a brewer will probably need to have a pH meter for every brew to check the
incoming water.

Jim is using potassium metabisulphate to remove chloramine. This is the way
he should go. Considering the sodium content of this water, he should make
sure that sodium metabisulphate is not used since it will further increase
the sodium content, possibly into the undesirable range. Please note that
there are carbon filters that can remove chloramine, but you have to make
sure you have the right filter. Some carbon filters cannot handle
chloramine.

Martin Brungard, P.E.
Tallahassee, FL




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