Help with understanding Water Profile

[injac]

Hi All,

I'm having trouble deciphering my water profile obtained via Yorkshire Water. I think I definitely need more Calcium for a start. If anyone has any time can they take a look for me? Unable to upload PFD files to here so please PM me your email addy and I'll send it over.

I'd like to in the future start looking properly at water treatment so just after the basics at the moment for knowledge rather than practice.

[Aleman]

I'm having trouble deciphering my water profile obtained via Yorkshire Water.

I'm not surprised it's fcuking useless . . well the ones I've looked at in the past have been, One reading in 12 months adn alkalinity and calcium reading were 9 months apart.

Get a real report from Phoenix Analytical (PM WallyBrew on here), OK so it costs 25 quid but it contains all you need for brewing (*) and nothing else, and you can rely on the values actually being correct. . . . Then get yourself a Salifert Total Alkalinity test kit and measure alkalinity each time you brew.

(*)Alkalinity, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphate, Chloride, Sodium, Potassium, Nitrate, Phosphate

Technically speaking teh last 4 are not essential

[DerbyshireNick]

You can buy tests for Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium.

I was gutted after spending £20 on the latter two only to find my water report was pretty much right

[keith1664]

+1 to Alemans comment.

The water reports the utilities give are average figures, I know for a fact that my water out of the tap can vary in alkalinity from 220-250 and when you're aiming for 25 for a pale beer that's considerable. So at the minimum get a water report from WallyBrew and measure your alkalinity before every brew with a salifert kit.

[orlando]

Dittto,a proper report is essential. When I started I did exactly what you did, got hold of the Anglian Water report. They have to give statutory values, the majority of which is not needed by us brewers and totally confusing. I also noticed, as Keith mentioned, they are averages and taken every 6 months. Recommend wally brew for the analysis, get only what you need, but you will have to check alkalinity every brew so a slaifert kit is the minimum extra, but very cheap. When you have all that tied down come back for part 2.

[Dave S]

Brew UK now stocks Salifert Kits at, I think £6, which is cheaper than I've seen it on the likes of Amazon and eBay.