Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

I am in Fairfax, and the city won't give up much about the water. They will give me the biological and contaminant levels as being ok but nothing else. I currently use Hyvee spring water and it always is great, but it is getting expensive at a buck a gallon. The water in Fairfax is sh*t. Fill my white bathtub more than 1/2 inch and it is yellowish or greenish. I have a water softener and it is still sh*t. The off color is definitely not rust. There is a chlorine smell.

My question is this: does anyone have a current CR water analysis? Or even a Fairfax one? I don't want to mess with the water to much, just want to know what the levels are. I can get CR water from a friend if it is a known quantity.

Paul

I used to live in North Liberty which had highly chlorinated water as well. I also got tired of using spring water and eventually started using half spring/half tap. Worked fine. Have you tried using a charcoal filter and see how that works?

I can tell you I brew with CR water all the time. Randy may be your best hope here, as he is into water profiling.

I have multiple copies of the CR water report. I would be happy to bring them to the next meeting for distribution. If anyone has a specific parameter they want to know about, let me know and I'll get it for you.

A pdf or a scan would be great. You guys always have these meetings while I am at work (2nd shift General Mills... yes most weekends too).

Maybe even posting on the beer nuts website of the most recent report would be awesome? Just a suggestion

I am not sure, but I do believe that the city is required by law to provide information about the water upon request. Not positive, but fairly certain.

Yes all public water supplies have to have annual reports released to the public.

Before I started using CR tap water, I would fill 5 gallon jugs at Hy-Vee at their Culligan station. It was less than $2 for 5 gallons for refills but I haven't done that for several years. Made good beer with that water.

Yes they have to release the DNR Water Quality Report. But they do not have to test for all the things we care about

Just thought it might be a good resource if we had the latest always available here.

Matt F wrote:Before I started using CR tap water, I would fill 5 gallon jugs at Hy-Vee at their Culligan station. It was less than $2 for 5 gallons for refills but I haven't done that for several years. Made good beer with that water.

After completion of my new brewery, that is my plan I am going to have bottled (large 5 gallon jugs) deliverd per service. Then when you use them you just sit them outside the door and they replace.

It doesn't sound like Fairfax is on the same water as CR, since I don't remember it ever having any noticeable tint (at least on the NW side).

I'm now on well water with very high bicarbonate and fairly high levels of Magnesium. I've done a lot of experimenting using various ratios of my water mixed with RO water from HyVee etc. I've pretty much switched to all RO water and making my own mineral or acid adjustments to get what I'm looking for. Once you buy the containers the water is only like 30-40 cents per gallon. I have two 5 gallon containers.

One tip here: Some Walmarts also have the same Culligan RO stations and I was able to snag a "cube" shaped 5 gallon container that has a spigot on it. Easier to handle and pour from than the standard round ones. Doesn't matter where you fill them at.

Are you doing extract, partial mash or all grain beers? With extract you don't need to worry about it as much. As long as it doesn't taste foul it is usually OK. You may want to let it sit a day or two or buy campden tablets to get rid of the chlorine though.

Have I got a deal for you! For a limited time only! If you buy DR Paulsen's house you get wonderful brewing water and it's only a few miles from Fairfax so it's not much of a move. (I wonder if I can get commission on that referral?)

I don't have a current CR report, but the water is fairly good. A couple campden tablets for cloramines is about all you need. If you really want to know whats in your water you can get it tested at Ward Labs, but it does cost you.

http://wardlab.com/FeeSchedule/WaterAnalysis.aspx

not the latest, but it doesn't change much. I think someone posted a more recent one on the board, so a search may find it.

aha - here is a more recent one, which I'm pretty sure I got off the forum.