Water chemistry variability

With that kind of variability, I wouldn't use an average. Not of I was serious about optimizing water.
IMO, the variability in these reports, even in the last two (less than a year apart), is a good reason to consider building from RO or distilled. You could try figuring out seasonal variation, but I think that's probably a crapshoot.

 

Do you regularly test your mash pH? There is indeed importance to ensure that you have minerals like Calcium, Magnesium, etc. in proper amounts the issue of highest importance is maintaining a proper mash pH. If your water varies such that you have difficulty ensuring a proper mash pH than an alternative approach of using RO water and then ‘building’ your water is something to be considered.

Cheers!

 

I would go with RO water.

If not that, TDS meters are cheap, and could tell you when things have changed.

What is the source of the water? River?

 

I use grocery store distilled water jugs. I'm sure it's more expensive in the long run than buying an RO system. But each time I brew, the latest marginal cost is cheaper.

 

I take 2 5 gallons carboys to the local big-box store and buy 10 gallons of RO water for each batch. $3.70.

 

Do you build up your water different for each brew? What does it usually look like for you to dr up your ipa water from store water?

Ive been using filtered water and 5.2 stabilizer because I haven't had time to read up on water and get an understanding I like.

 

TDS tells if there is a change, not what Changed.

I might get one as a QC check for the RO I buy, to see of the machine is working properly.

 

Yep.

For IPAs, generally lot's of Gypsum and a little bit of CaCl2. I'll post a real life example after I get home tonight.

My understanding is that 5.2 is a little bit useful under some very specific conditions, but will not magically bring every mash (or even most mashes) to 5.2.

 

I've been thinking about an RO system. The last time I brewed, we had a water issue and I had to buy water. It also varies during the year since they use different sources. At least I'll know what I'm starting with.

 

Agreed, Im not real pleased with the idea of using it but its been pretty ok so far.

 

I do the same as VikeMan...I purchase distilled water from the grocery store, at a cost of about $1 per gallon. I generally just grab 4 gallons each time I go to the store, and more if I need it.

I build a different water profile for each brew. There is some seasonal variability with the water here, I'm sure, but cutting my water with about 50% distilled is helpful. When I build a water profile I just don't go to extremes, and doing so has not hindered my end product at all (it helps that Minneapolis water is pretty soft). If you want to build a water profile that is going to be close to extremes, say Burton, then you should be using 100% Distilled/RO.

As for RO equipment, I did a bunch of research and came to the conclusion that the cheaper 3 filter systems that you add to your tap are basically garbage. If you want to go RO, and have reasonably consistent results, you'll need to shell out some cash.

 

I'd like to say I plan ahead, but really I usually pick up as many gallons as I'll need the night before my brewday.

 

My water for the APA IPA used 4.5 gallons of distilled water in the mash, with 8g Gypsum and 2.7g CaCl2, to hit 5.55 pH. No acid additions. No salt or acid additions to the mashout (no-sparge) water (4.39 gallons of distilled).

 

Without pouring over your numbers, how "variable" IS your water? Is this on the key parameters? No two reports will be identical, but consider whether you really need to sweat it or not.

One thing I know (from talking to a professor at school who knows water) is that municipalities often change the sanitization method from chlorine ot chloramine, and most use some amount of chloramine at least part of the year. Because my local water makes great beer, I haven't delved into water chemistry too much (I have enough calculations to do at school). However, I do add a bit of a campden tablet each time to guard against chloramine water, just in case they do use it.

 

The ratios of the various minerals to each other are pretty consistent for the most part, so total hardness test strips would give a decent approximation of where your water is at on a given day. If you feel geeky, you could get several analyses and chart each mineral vs. total hardness; eyeballing will probably be good enough. Then you could add an appropriate amount of RO/DI water, salts and/or acid for the particular brew.