Water chemistry is something this blog has tried to discuss in a way that makes the subject seem a little less complex. Mike has done a lot to simplify water chemistry for homebewing.

The fine folks at CraftPRO are trying to do the same thing. They sent us their 9-in-1 Beer Brewing Test Strips to check out.

We set up some tests and showcased how these test strips can give you a quick water read before brew day.

How the Test Strips Work (and How We Tested Them)

These test strips are as simple as it gets. You just dip a strip into your water sample for two seconds, pull it out, let it sit for 30, and compare the color changes against the provided chart. Each strip tests for nine things: calcium, magnesium, iron, sulfate, total chlorine, pH, alkalinity, total hardness, and a partridge in a pear tree (ok, not the last one).

For our test, we got three glasses of different water: Glass A was distilled, Glass B was our go-to spring water, and Glass C had our local tap water.

The distilled and spring water came out almost identical, which isn’t shocking, with really low ion readings across the board.

Our tap water, on the other hand, actually showed a bit of chlorine, around 3 ppm. It is enough for us to use Campden tablets. Calcium was also higher in the tap, sitting around 50 ppm, but nothing wild. The strips don’t test for sodium or chloride (the two things most homebrewers obsess over for malt and hop character), but they do a good job of giving you a ballpark idea for everything else.

Should You Bother? Our Thoughts

Here’s the bottom line: if you want lab-grade precision or need exact numbers for sodium and chloride, you’re still better off sending out a sample for proper lab analysis. These strips, though, are a handy, cheap, and dead-simple way to get a sense of where your water stands. They are also good at seeing any changes based on your brewing salt additions.

The downside is the color matching. If you’re color blind or can’t reliably tell the difference between many shades of blue, for instance, these strips are going to be frustrating.

For most homebrewers, though, they’re a quick, low-commitment tool that’s great to have in your kit. Big thanks to CraftPro for sending these along.

Brew ON!