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Water Hardness Test Strips

Regular price £6.99 GBP
Regular price Sale price £6.99 GBP
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Water Hardness test strips are very simple to use, they have a range of 0-500 mg/l and are supplied in a re-sealable container of 25 strips. The range is 0, 50, 125, 250 and 500.

Very simple and quick to use, just immerse the swab strip in the water for 2 seconds then remove. Shake off excess liquid and compare against the colour chart on the packaging within 30 seconds. This will indicate the total water hardness.

The hardness of water depends on its content of calcium and magnesium salts. The total of these salts determines the hardness of water. Water hardness is expressed in mg/L (ppm) of CaCO3 and often classified as ”soft” or “hard” water.

The definition of water hardness is based on the amount of calcium it contains per litre.

0 mg/L Totally soft water
50 mg/L Soft Water
125 mg/L Slightly Hard Water
250 mg/L Hard Water
500 mg/L Very hard Water

 

Soft water:
Soft water has a relatively low concentration of calcium carbonate and other ions. Soft water will lather with soap very easily and leave little or no scum in baths, kettles or heating systems. It is very good for bathing in, but it is not advisable to drink or brew with totally soft water.

Hard Water:
Hard water has a high concentration of calcium carbonate and other ions. The higher the concentration of calcium, the harder the water. Hard water will not lather with soap very easily and leaves scum and scaling in baths, kettles or heating systems. It is a major contributor to boiler breakdown as the deposits block the pipes. There are two types of hardness, temporary and permanent. Temporary hardness falls out as a deposit when boiled, permanent does not.

Water for Beer:
Different beer styles are better suited to specific types of water. Bitters and Pale Ales achieve optimal results if brewed with a harder water (Burton is a relatively hard water area). As a general guide aim for around 250 mg/L.
Pilsner Lager, Brown Ale and Mild brew best if a softer water is used. As a general guide aim for around 50 mg/L when brewing these varieties.

To increase the hardness of water:
The simplest way is to add Calcium Sulphate (Gypsum) or Calcium Carbonate. These do not dissolve easily in the water, so it may take a while of constant stirring to get them to mix properly.

To make the water softer:
The safest way to reduce the hardness of beer is to use Lactic Acid – either liquid or powder form.

Temporary hardness can be reduced by boiling the water and allowing it to cool before use. Syphon the water off any sediment before using it for brewing.

Shipping

Delivery / Despatch Times
  • All orders placed before 1pm will be dispatched the same day, although we will strive to dispatch all orders as soon as possible.
  • We use Royal Mail 48 Tracked for most orders, although also use DHL for next day delivery if chosen at checkout and also for some of our bigger orders.
  • Shipping time might vary depending on location and other factors.
  • If you require any items in a hurry, please get in contact and we will see what we can do to accommodate this.

Delivery Prices

  • Orders over £60 will have free shipping.
  • Orders under £60 will be charged for shipping depending on your chosen delivery method and country. Full price will be displayed at checkout.

Delivery Weight

The delivery cost is affected by this factor and broken down below:
  • Up to 250g - £2.00
  • 251-500g - £3.00
  • 501g-5kg - £4.99
  • 5kg-15kg - £6.99
  • 15kg and over £7.99
Please note that the cost for the channel islands up to 5kg is £5.49 due to increased costs for smaller items.
Order Tracking
All orders, once dispatched, will be sent a tracking number. This can be used on the royal mail website https://www.royalmail.com/track-your-item to track your order. If your order is sent using DHL, you can click on the tracking number sent on dispatch and this should take you through to the DHL website containing all relevant information.
If there appears to be any issues with your order, please use the chat provided in the first instance, as they can better help with your queries. If you still are having issues, please contact us at hello@brewco.uk and we will try our best to resolve any issues as soon as possible.

Refunds & Returns

Thanks for shopping at Brewco Brewing LTD.

If you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, we're here to help.

Returns

You have 30 calendar days to return an item from the date you received it.

To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it.

Your item must be in the original packaging.

Your item needs to have the receipt or proof of purchase.

Refunds


Once we receive your item, we will inspect it and notify you that we have received your returned

item. We will immediately notify you on the status of your refund after inspecting the item.

If your return is approved, we will initiate a refund to your credit card (or original method of payment).

You will receive the credit within a certain amount of days, depending on your card issuer's policies.

You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable.

Shipping

If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.

Contact Us

If you have any questions on how to return your item to us, contact us.

Email - admin@brewco.uk