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  • Water filters?

    What are all you guys using for water filtration? Sand, carbon? I can get a generic water analysis. Do I need to pay to get one specific to our pub?

    Steve Purdie
    Brewer,
    The Terminal Brewhouse
    Steve Purdie, Brewer
    The Terminal BrewHouse
    Chattanooga Tn

  • #2
    I use a 10 inch carbon block filter. It's usefull for filtering out any chlorine/chloramine from the town water supply. Flow through is ok, I have to change it about every six brews (on a 7 bbl system), which works ok for my brewery.

    I rely on the water analysis from the town water department. I have seen breweries that had small test kits so they could test the water on brewday. This was due to the fact that their water supply came from several diff't places, and they each had diff't mineral profiles.
    Hutch Kugeman
    Head Brewer
    Brooklyn Brewery at the Culinary Institute of America
    Hyde Park, NY

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    • #3
      Water

      Spurdie,

      This is somewhat of a loaded question as water can be filtered for many different reasons. I would suspect you are on a clean, potable, city water supply.

      You certainly need to make sure the general water analysis you are speaking of, is in fact your supply water to the pub. I advise getting a private party to analyze your water, even with a general (city) water analysis.

      Carbon filtration is probably the most common in small brewpubs.

      Active carbon based on coal or coconut can be used to adsorb impurities from water, either through physical adsorption into its honeycomb structure, which is a reversible process, or by chemical reaction that is irreversible. Find something with high internal pore volumes. Activated carbon has a finite capacity to adsorb chemicals, and will require replacement or regeneration depending on the level of contamination and the capacity (throughput) of the filter. These are commonly used for pub breweries.

      If your halogen (chlorine) content is extremely high, a combination of carbon filtration and precipitation by boiling would be adviseable. Halogenated compounds in combination with organic material, from the water or beer, can react to produce trihalomethanes and chlorophenolic compounds. These are not desireable in the finished product!!

      I also advise you monitor your hardness and alkalinity on a daily basis or during your brewdays. This will allow you to adjust your pH and inorganic ions, within your brewing water, to emulate certain styles of beer.
      Last edited by Todd; 10-23-2008, 12:27 PM.
      Todd Malloy
      Director of Brewing
      Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co.
      Glenwood Springs, Colorado

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      • #4
        If you decide to go with a carbon based filter, you should consider a commercial backflushing tank. They end up being more economical than cartridge filters over time and offer way better flow rates.

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        • #5
          water filtration

          Originally posted by Beersmith
          If you decide to go with a carbon based filter, you should consider a commercial backflushing tank. They end up being more economical than cartridge filters over time and offer way better flow rates.

          HI Steve:

          I believe in carbon filtration because of the large surface your water
          will run through; RE: Chlorine etc in the water.

          I don't know how far you are in your set up; if you want to add
          a filter later - what you can do is have the water for your brew
          the day b4 boiled. Shut down and cool to your mash-in temperature over night. Make the correct water mineral addition to beer style brewed.
          Cheers,

          Fred

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          • #6
            To get an economical water analysis, visit wardlabs.com

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            • #7
              Domain wardlabs.com seems to be for sale.
              Steve Purdie, Brewer
              The Terminal BrewHouse
              Chattanooga Tn

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              • #8
                try wardlab.com

                Highly recommended in the homebrewing community.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Buckeye Hydro
                  But their results are typically not sufficient if you're considering water treatment equipment/processes.

                  Russ
                  I have water samples specifically for the purpose of determining water filtration/treatment needs. Any suggestions on where to send them?

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                  • #10
                    wardlab

                    wardlab.com. w5a brewers test. cost just under $30....
                    Scott LaFollette
                    Fifty West Brewing Company
                    Cincinnati, Ohio

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by yap View Post
                      wardlab.com. w5a brewers test. cost just under $30....
                      In my opinion, this is NOT what you want as a baseline to support water treatment.

                      Russ
                      Buckeye Hydro
                      Water Treatment Systems & Supplies www.BuckeyeHydro.com
                      Info@buckeyehydro.com 513-312-2343

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        The one that always jumps out at me is Manganese - a relatively common contaminant in well water that can be addressed with standard equipment. Other analytes not in their test include Bromide, Fluoride, Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, Boron, Cadmium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Lithium, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Silver, Strontium, Vanadmium, Zinc, Silica, and Tannis/Lignin.

                        Additionally, on site measurements should include pH, and any dissolved gasses (e.g., CO2, H2S)

                        Russ
                        Water Treatment Systems & Supplies www.BuckeyeHydro.com
                        Info@buckeyehydro.com 513-312-2343

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I agree with everyone above about carbon filtration being the way to go for brewing water. For your brewery water, consider just a simple sediment filter and I say that because if you remove the biocide (chlorine) from your water where it enters the building you risk developing microbial growth in any dead legs that there may be in your plumbing. This may not be an issue for your facility but it was a consideration for us. Good luck.

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                          • #14
                            good point. I like to use carbon in a pou application for that reason.
                            Water Treatment Systems & Supplies www.BuckeyeHydro.com
                            Info@buckeyehydro.com 513-312-2343

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Some of the analytes make more sense for well water - agreed. And we definitely work with breweries using well water. That said, we work with a 7-going-on-15 barrel brew house in ohio where the issue was periodic manganese in the municipal water. When present, it was bad enough to stain fixtures. No iron issues to speak of. Very treatable, and the treatment starts with knowing what's in the water...
                              Last edited by BuckeyeHydro; 05-18-2015, 04:00 PM.
                              Water Treatment Systems & Supplies www.BuckeyeHydro.com
                              Info@buckeyehydro.com 513-312-2343

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