Water 1850 - 1880

The best water, according to Loftus, was hard spring water from chalky soils, such as that at Burton. He did warn that hard water worts required a higher pitching temperature than worts brewed with soft water. (Source: "The Brewer" by William Loftus, 1856, page 33.)

Faulkner said that there were basically two types of water: hard and soft. Hard water had quantities of calcic sulphate and sodic chloride dissolved in it. Soft water, on the other hand, only contained sodic carbonate. (Source: "The Art of Brewing" by Frank Faulkner, 1876, page 4.) Hard water, especially that of Burton which contained very large quantities of calcic sulphate produced beer that would keep well without low attenuation and which would clear easily. (Source: "The Art of Brewing" by Frank Faulkner, 1876, pages 4-5.)

In earlier times brewers had preferred one type of water, either hard or soft, for brewing any beer. It was now realised that the best water de[pended on the type of beer being brewed. "Such a water [Burton water] is admirably suited adapted for pale ale brewing; but it is not naturally fitted for obtaining the full round flavour we desire to find in stouts; and thus London porters have long been noted, not on account of any superior skill in arrangement of grist proportions, or conduct of the brewing operations, but because London waters (taken in connection with the fact that sodic carbonate is present in them) tend to dissolve much more malt than a hard water is capable of doing, of the different matters that, while mitigating against long keeping qualities, constitute the fulness or roundness on palate so necessary for certain beers; and so we begin to see, I trust, wht London is a great brewing centre for porters, and Burton for pale ales; for it is almost needless to point out why pale beers are so rare in London, when you consider the extractive properties of sodic carbonate existing in a watery solution." (Source: "The Art of Brewing" by Frank Faulkner, 1876, page 5.)

Faulkner didn't hold with artificial hardening or softening water. He argued that by adapting mashing and fermentation regimes brewers could compensate for any deficiences in their brewing water. (Source: "The Art of Brewing" by Frank Faulkner, 1876, page 6.)