Water additions for HRM area

[oceanic_brew]

I would like to start a discussion around how we are working with the water profiles from the major distribution sites in HRM, their differences are negligible. Anyone working with well water may find that their starting water profile will be drastically different depending on their system.

The water profiles sticky shouldn’t be muddled with this type of banter in my opinion.

I’ve been dabbling in water chemistry for a couple years now and I have seen a significant increase in the quality of my beers. I would like to hear the experiences of others.

Given the profiles for the HRM

I’m way too drunk for this right now

Maybe tomorrow






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[RubberToe]

Do you use beersmith? I could share some of the profiles I've made.

[oceanic_brew]

Do you use beersmith? I could share some of the profiles I've made.

Hey, I use Bru’n water but I would love to take a look.

As far as I can tell we have great water to build on here in HRM. However some of the ion concentrations are lower than desirable mainly calcium but I’m not sure on zinc which has been mentioned as vital for yeast health.

I’ve made good beers before water additions but that was also before I began yeast harvesting. It’s definitely possible that if I had been reusing yeast back then that I would see a consistently less desirable outcome with my brews.

Later today I’m gonna get a couple profiles that I use and post them here. I would like to compare that with what other people do. I mainly do Belgians but I do the odd NEIPA, Doppelbock, and stout as well.


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[RubberToe]

I'll start with my Dartmouth water profile I created in Beersmith from the available water reports. It may be a year out of date but doesn't change much. The pH is probably wrong, I don't recall setting that.

Code: Select all

Name: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
PH: 7.20

Ions:
Calcium: 9.90
Magnesium: 0.43
Sodium: 10.80
Sulfate: 24.00
Chloride: 8.30
Bicarbonate: 18.50

Additions:
Gypsum: 0.0
Salt: 0.0
Epsom Salts: 0.0
Baking Soda: 0.0
Chalk: 0.0
Calcium Chloride: 0.0

[RubberToe]

Since you're interested in Belgians here's a dark strong profile I developed too long ago to remember my reasoning for each detail. Like most of my profiles it's based on web research and books.

Code: Select all

Ions:
Calcium: 18.69
Magnesium: 0.48
Sodium: 27.03
Sulfate: 16.80
Chloride: 8.20
Bicarbonate: 74.63

Additions:
Gypsum: 0.0
Salt: 0.0
Epsom Salts: 0.0
Baking Soda: 2.0
Chalk: 1.0
Calcium Chloride: 0.0

[RubberToe]

ESB

Code: Select all

Ions:
Calcium: 64.30
Magnesium: 9.98
Sodium: 29.38
Sulfate: 107.73
Chloride: 70.23
Bicarbonate: 64.10

Additions:
Gypsum: 3.0
Salt: 0.0
Epsom Salts: 3.0
Baking Soda: 2.0
Chalk: 0.0
Calcium Chloride: 4.0

[RubberToe]

APA and IPA.

Code: Select all

Name: APA 1
PH: 7.00

Ions:
Calcium: 81.84
Magnesium: 25.12
Sodium: 11.80
Sulfate: 252.97
Chloride: 38.14
Bicarbonate: 17.70

Additions:
Gypsum: 8.0
Salt: 0.0
Epsom Salts: 8.0
Baking Soda: 0.0
Chalk: 0.0
Calcium Chloride: 2.0

Code: Select all

Name: IPA 1
PH: 7.00

Ions:
Calcium: 100.00
Magnesium: 26.00
Sodium: 12.00
Sulfate: 300.00
Chloride: 39.00
Bicarbonate: 18.00

Additions:
Gypsum: 10.0
Salt: 0.0
Epsom Salts: 8.0
Baking Soda: 0.0
Chalk: 0.0
Calcium Chloride: 2.0

I have more...

[RubberToe]

Last one for now... honest.

Altbier!

Code: Select all

Ions:
Calcium: 90.00
Magnesium: 12.00
Sodium: 45.00
Sulfate: 65.00
Chloride: 82.00
Bicarbonate: 223.00

Additions:
Gypsum: 0.0
Salt: 0.0
Epsom Salts: 8.0
Baking Soda: 10.0
Chalk: 7.0
Calcium Chloride: 8.0

Notes: Hard water for strong, well hopped amber lagers.  Enhances malty flavor of beer.

[oceanic_brew]

Thanks man! I’ll look these over, still haven’t had a chance to get a few of mine up.


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[RubberToe]

No prob. I have a few more as well.

In those reports, the "additions" don't make sense... I think that might be my Beersmith basis for 36 litres or something.

[oceanic_brew]

So that’s my water profiles for
Belgian Dark Strong
Doppelbock
And the Kolsch I just entered


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[ScotianHobo]

No idea if this is helpful/redundant for anyone as the only thing I know about water is that it's usually wet and the numbers above made my head hurt - - but here's what I got from Halifax water recently when I asked for specs.