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In preparation for my first full mash, I thought I'd try to understand a little more about water chemistry. I live in Melbourne, Australia, so I tried to find the water analysis, and came up with this: Analysis of Melbourne's Water for 2005.

From here I worked out the water profile by averaging the water from the various water storages (numbers in mg/L which is equivalent to ppm).
Which looks pretty close to the Pilsen region as described in Palmer's How to Brew. Does this mean that I'll be needing to use brewing salts whenever I do mashes for things other than pilseners? And have I worked out these numbers in a reasonable way?

At first I would attempt the AG without adjusting the water. You want to keep your variables to a minimum until you get each step bedded down.

Cheers,
Greg

I agree. No point messing with it until you've tried brewing with it.
The only water treatment I'd reccomend would be filtration. Which I believe is an absolute must.

chris. wrote:I agree. No point messing with it until you've tried brewing with it.
The only water treatment I'd reccomend would be filtration. Which I believe is an absolute must.

Thanks guys. I actually did my first partial the other day, so I've already got my toes wet. Why is filtration a must? I thought it was unnecessary if your water is good (like it is in Melbourne).

As I understand it mostly for the chlorine. I dont filter, but do run my water up to a rolling boil to drive off chlorine. Then let it cool to strike temp.

Cheers,
Greg

At the end of the day, play with water chemistry if you must, but you've been making some pretty good beer with plain melbourne water up until now. Why should it be any different for all-grain?

The most I've ever done with water chemistry was just adding some gypsum for my stout.

blandy wrote:At the end of the day, play with water chemistry if you must, but you've been making some pretty good beer with plain melbourne water up until now. Why should it be any different for all-grain?

The most I've ever done with water chemistry was just adding some gypsum for my stout.

Because Chlorine in the mash can lead to Chlorophenols.

As Greg has said you can boil off the Chlorine & let the water cool back down. I personally find filtering easier.

I find my water is too soft & even though it can make a great beer I prefer to add Gypsum to most of my beers for more of a hop bite.

Im a melbourne man and i have used both filtered and unfiltered tap water and never noticed a big difference, i have a britta jug and to be quite honest the extra stuffing around wasnt worth the almost unnoticable difference, if your tap water is of good quality like ours here in melbourne i say use it and be merry, if i was in adelaide lets say where i have heard the water is very poor then i may think of filtering but my beers taste great and thats good enough for me

If you can't taste or smell chlorine in your drinking water then filtering or boiling are not necessary, I make only AG beers and don't do either.

Most chlorine contamination comes from sanitzing using bleach based products, and insufficient rinsing. In fact I would strongly advise against the use of bleach or chlorine based sanitizers and don't use them myself.

If you are truely worried about chlorine then a small amount of sodium metabisulphate before mash in will remove any trace of chlorine (I don't use SMB either).

Lastly unless your making AG beer then tampering with your water is not necessary. Any water modification required in AG should be done after consulting you local water report, in my area the water is fairly neutral and quite soft, I generally only add a little gypsum.

AC

Aussie Claret wrote:If you can't taste or smell chlorine in your drinking water then filtering or boiling are not necessary, I make only AG beers and don't do either.

Most chlorine contamination comes from sanitzing using bleach based products, and insufficient rinsing. In fact I would strongly advise against the use of bleach or chlorine based sanitizers and don't use them myself.

I'm not sure if I agree with you on this AC. I have did a few taste test with visitors & have found that most couldn't even taste or smell Chlorine (especially without a filtered control).
I don't use any Chlorine based cleaners (Iodophor & Sodium Percarbonate) & have experienced Chlorophenols in my grain beers. Not a nice taste at all.
IMO I'd advise that if you do have a filter, use it. If not, boiling (or Sodium Met. in the mash - I myself havent tried it though. But I vaguely recall hearing a brewer saying adding any form of Sodium to the mash can have detrimental effects?) Just to be on the safe side.

Having had the oppertunity to taste chlorophenols, I will filter always. It is a small price to pay to guarentee chlorine free water.

Dogger