Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

(That's water to the rest of us!) Beer is about 95% water, so if you want to discuss water treatment, filtering etc this is the place to do it!
Post Reply
stuey

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by stuey » Mon May 13, 2013 1:17 pm

[quote="crookedeyeboy"] In the meantime I have ammended the wording on the website to reflect the fact we dont need as much water as we used to need.[/quote]

I thought something had changed when I looked at the product description this morning!

I am on the cusp of sending water off to you but will hold fire if there may be an offer in the er.. offing :)

Wezzel

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by Wezzel » Mon May 13, 2013 2:39 pm

I wish I knew that the sample didn't need to be that large. My postage cost me £5 :-0

crookedeyeboy

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by crookedeyeboy » Mon May 13, 2013 3:04 pm

We DID request a 500ml sample as that's what we needed using the OLD method.

Now we have a great machine that does it in 15 minutes and uses about 0.03 ml!!

User avatar
dcq1974
Lost in an Alcoholic Haze
Posts: 533
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:58 pm
Location: Northamptonshire

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by dcq1974 » Sun Jun 16, 2013 10:37 am

Brewed a standard bitter yesterday with the new recommendations following latest Murphy & Sons water test. All measurements were made with a Mettler Toledo FiveGo pH meter freshly calibrated with pH 4 & 7 buffers

Mash = pH 5.4
Sparge Water = 6.0

Spot on :-)

Thanks Paul =D>
DCQ Ph.D

author in

Handbook of Alcoholic Beverages: Technical, Analytical and Nutritional Aspects, 2 Volume Set, 1204 pages, edited by Alan J Buglass

**OUT NOW**

To find out more and buy online, go to
http://as.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle ... ption.html

User avatar
orlando
So far gone I'm on the way back again!
Posts: 7197
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:22 pm
Location: North Norfolk: Nearest breweries All Day Brewery, Salle. Panther, Reepham. Yetman's, Holt

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by orlando » Sun Jun 16, 2013 10:43 am

How are negotiations going with them lot upstairs :wink:

I think my alkalinity levels have changed but don't know by how much!
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,

Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer

rossi74

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by rossi74 » Sun Jun 16, 2013 4:11 pm

crookedeyeboy wrote:Wow talk about pressure! Ill ask the powers that be and see what I can do! In the meantime I have ammended the wording on the website to reflect the fact we dont need as much water as we used to need.
Waiting :D

User avatar
chastuck
Hollow Legs
Posts: 345
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:43 pm
Location: Beckenham, Kent
Contact:

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by chastuck » Sun Jun 16, 2013 10:09 pm

How about trying to get a deal on Potassium levels as well? This is not included in the basic report and I've just paid Murphy's £29 for this one extra analysis.

crookedeyeboy

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by crookedeyeboy » Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:36 pm

Potassium is carried out by ICP-OES analysis and is considerably more expensive to setup and run. Thus the reason for the charge.
This is currently our charge regardless of whether you are homebrewing or a commercial brewery.
We do a price break for multiple elements but single ones are £25 + VAT.

WallyBrew
Hollow Legs
Posts: 473
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:30 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by WallyBrew » Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:43 pm

crookedeyeboy wrote:Potassium is carried out by ICP-OES analysis and is considerably more expensive to setup and run. Thus the reason for the charge.
This is currently our charge regardless of whether you are homebrewing or a commercial brewery.
We do a price break for multiple elements but single ones are £25 + VAT.
There you are you got a bargain price. 29 not 30

DerbyshireNick

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by DerbyshireNick » Sun Jun 23, 2013 4:19 pm

Just sent a sample away on Friday for this. Having attempted to do the calcs using many methods (with some required chemical elements missing in my water reports) and getting crazily different results I decided it was time to draft in the professionals :o) Really looking forwards to seeing how the recommendations affect the brews.

DerbyshireNick

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by DerbyshireNick » Thu Jun 27, 2013 8:00 am

Had my results back on this. Very happy with the service and I highly recommend to all. If only as a sanity check that your own calculations are in the right ball park. Ill be using the recommendations once my kit is put together (current kit is in bits to salvage parts for a new build).

fisherman

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by fisherman » Thu Oct 17, 2013 5:25 pm

Hello, My brewing has changed so much since my original post. ForThe last year I have not used DLS but purchased a set of scales from E-Bay that weigh up to 100grams for minerals and hops and found them to be brilliant. I also weigh my CRS as I think it is better than a syringe .So now I use separate minerals ford my water treatment. I can now add a little more calcium chloride than gypsum to give a sweeter background to my bitters or visa versa more gypsum to give a more hoppy beer. The one mineral I really do not use much now is Epsom salts as I think it was making my brews taste sour rather than bitter. I very often use mild water treatment for. Pale bitters or sweet pale ale treatment with great results. Maturing my beer in bottles also seems great if i store for four months or more. I have had brews that were very average when bottled turn into very good beer if stored. Moving to ten gallon brews made a great move forward for me larger mashes and ferment s seem very forgiving on small mistakes. What a hobby five to ten pounds a week plus free beer.Happy Brewing :D

thirdlight

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by thirdlight » Thu Oct 17, 2013 8:36 pm

Thanks for the update - good to hear what's working for you!

fisherman

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by fisherman » Thu Dec 26, 2013 11:01 am

Merry Christmas Everyone.
In the last few months I have been using Grahams water calculator as usual but in my quest to remove a slight sour taste from the finished beer. The one mineral I have removed from all of my brews whatever the calculator reads is Epsom salts. This has made a massive difference to my beers. I have had great success making bitter and pale ale using mild water treatment which is adding more calcium chloride than gypsum when using mild or sweet pale ale water treatment. The hops are not so full in the face so maybe increase the late hops. I have lowered my alkalinty down to just below 20 ppm now with good results. Any comments or advice is very welcome on mineral additions.

User avatar
orlando
So far gone I'm on the way back again!
Posts: 7197
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:22 pm
Location: North Norfolk: Nearest breweries All Day Brewery, Salle. Panther, Reepham. Yetman's, Holt

Re: Water Analysis at Murphy and sons

Post by orlando » Thu Dec 26, 2013 11:43 am

fisherman wrote:Merry Christmas Everyone.
In the last few months I have been using Grahams water calculator as usual but in my quest to remove a slight sour taste from the finished beer. The one mineral I have removed from all of my brews whatever the calculator reads is Epsom salts. This has made a massive difference to my beers. I have had great success making bitter and pale ale using mild water treatment which is adding more calcium chloride than gypsum when using mild or sweet pale ale water treatment. The hops are not so full in the face so maybe increase the late hops. I have lowered my alkalinty down to just below 20 ppm now with good results. Any comments or advice is very welcome on mineral additions.
Murphy's suggest your alkalinity is a little low at 20, they recommend 30-50 for Pale Ales, 100-200 for Stout Porters etc. The other crucial one is calcium, which you don't mention, views vary on this but 100 to 200 ppm is a fair range to accommodate that variety. The other salts are as you say to be used to affect taste.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,

Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer

Post Reply