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  • Alkaline Water Advice

    We are starting up a new brewery and received our results back from Ward Labs. My main concern is the high bicarbonate and alkalinity. I am trying to avoid having to install an RO system, but it seems it may be necessary. Thoughts?

    pH 7.4
    Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 208
    Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.35 Cations / Anions, me/L 3.9 / 3.9 ppm
    Sodium, Na 3
    Potassium, K < 1
    Calcium, Ca 45.0
    Magnesium, Mg 19
    Total Hardness, CaCO3 192
    Nitrate, NO3-N 0.7 (SAFE)
    Sulfate, SO4-S 1
    Chloride, Cl 3
    Carbonate, CO3 < 1.0
    Bicarbonate, HCO3 227
    Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 186
    Total Phosphorus, P 0.01
    Zinc, Zn 0.10
    Total Iron, Fe < 0.01


    Thanks,

    Clay Baldwin
    Oak Mountain Brewing Co.

  • #2
    Yes - you'll probably want an RO. You have over 11 gpg hardness, so the RO feedwater will need to be softened. Assuming we're talking about a commercial-scale RO, then you'll want a backwashing carbon tank as well.

    Russ
    Last edited by BuckeyeHydro; 03-24-2021, 05:50 AM.
    Water Treatment Systems & Supplies www.BuckeyeHydro.com
    Info@buckeyehydro.com 513-312-2343

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    • #3
      NO!!! You do not HAVE to get a RO system for your brewery. That water is not bad for brewing and is almost a blank slate (flavorwise). The only difficulty you'll have is when brewing more delicate lagers. If you're planning on ales with flavor, you are fine.

      Your main concern will be in neutralizing the high alkalinity in that tap water. There is a possibility that you won't be able to use lactic acid for neutralization since your beers could have the lactate flavor come through in them. You might be forced to use phosphoric acid (that's not a bad thing).

      One thing you will want to avoid, is adding any magnesium salts. The magnesium content is already high enough in that water.

      Enjoy!
      WaterEng
      Engineering Consultant

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      • #4
        If the acid addition to deal with the alkalinity is practical for you, I agree.
        Water Treatment Systems & Supplies www.BuckeyeHydro.com
        Info@buckeyehydro.com 513-312-2343

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by WaterEng View Post
          NO!!! You do not HAVE to get a RO system for your brewery. That water is not bad for brewing and is almost a blank slate (flavorwise). The only difficulty you'll have is when brewing more delicate lagers. If you're planning on ales with flavor, you are fine.

          Your main concern will be in neutralizing the high alkalinity in that tap water. There is a possibility that you won't be able to use lactic acid for neutralization since your beers could have the lactate flavor come through in them. You might be forced to use phosphoric acid (that's not a bad thing).

          One thing you will want to avoid, is adding any magnesium salts. The magnesium content is already high enough in that water.

          Enjoy!
          Thank you for the prompt and informative response. I have been using lactic acid for pH adjustment up until now and haven't noticed any flavor impact.

          To your point on magnesium- I had always read up to 25ppm on Mg was okay. One of my concerns is the low levels of chloride and sulfate. I have been adding epsom salt and table salt to increase both. I have been avoiding gypsum and CaCl altogether since my calcium is already fairly high- do you think this is neccessary?

          Thank you,

          Clay Baldwin
          Oak Mountain Brewing Co.

          Comment


          • #6
            With 227 ppm of carbonate hardness, you're looking at a hot-water nightmare. I maintain a brewery with 150-180 ppm of carbonate and I spend far too much of my time keeping things from getting ruined by scale deposits. We use three Rinnai C199 on-demand heaters to heat our 1,200 gal HL tank and I'm having to acid wash them every other week just to keep them from shutting down. This causes accelerated erosion of the internals, so I'm replacing very expensive parts on too-regular a basis. The scale deposits destroy valves, too, so I replace them regularly.

            When we heated the HLT with electrical elements, we replaced them several times a year due to the carbonate. We used low-density elements and still had them burning out all the time.

            I have to go inside the HLT every three months or so and physically dig out up to 15 gallons of scale, then acid-wash the entire system. This usually consumes an entire weekend.

            You don't need RO. Nano-filtration will remove the carbonate.

            Carbonate hardness, by the way, contributes nothing to your brew water. It's permanent hardness you want.
            Timm Turrentine

            Brewerywright,
            Terminal Gravity Brewing,
            Enterprise. Oregon.

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