Yet Another Ward Lab Thread Here's what I knew about my water before the test. Bad. We use a softener, and recently installed an RO - though the water for the test was not from the RO tap because I wanted to see how the "regular" levels were. I currently brew from bottled water, but was hoping to be able to use the tap if necessary. I suppose I need to submit an RO sample to Ward, too. I have the Bru'n Water spreadsheet, but I'm still absorbing the documentation - so if any water experts care to dissect my results with a cursory review pH 7.4 Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 702 Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 1.17 Cations / Anions, me/L 12.3 / 12.8 PPM Sodium, Na 55 Potassium, K 91 Calcium, Ca 50 Magnesium, Mg 61 Total Hardness, CaCO3 379 Nitrate, NO3-N 0.2 (SAFE) Sulfate, SO4-S 71 Chloride, Cl 39 Carbonate, CO3 <1 Bicarbonate, HCO3 444 Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 364 Total Phosphorus, P .41 Total Iron, Fe .04
That is only the second time I have seen higher alkalinty than what I have, which is not good for brewing. The Sulfate should be multiplied be 3 to get ppm, so 213 ppm SO4. Magnesium is way high, you want 30 or less. Potassium is reall high too - was that from the softener and do you use potassium salt? Or is that from the well? Send your RO to Ward Labs and see what it does not clean up. I can't think of any beer that would be brewed with that water. Really. Mine is only good for really dark Porters and Stouts. Mine has a RA of 200, yours is off the charts!
That water is really going to be a challenge. If it were my water, I think I would build from distilled or RO for every style. I hope your RO filter is up to the challenge. I would definitely want to get an analysis post-RO to find out what's left.
This water is not good for brewing any beer. The only way I figure you can use your tap water for brewing is filtering it through a RO water system, you can have a ballpark number of 10% of minerals remaining after filtration. See this app: http://www.pure-aqua.com/residential-reverse-osmosis-systems-ro-100.html Edit: OOPs ,sorry didn´t read you already have installed a RO water System
I see the OP was from Illinois. The other report that was worse than mine was from central Illinois, around Champaigne IIRC. Some nasty water there.
Wow, that water profile is pretty interesting. I am curious, can you comment on what it is like going through life with partially shit pants? Must be pretty hard on the underwear, eh?
On thr thing - you SO4 is 213 ppm. Multipy the SO4 - S by 3 to turn it into SO4. Ward Labs reports the SO4 as equivalent sulfur.
