Water Chemistry Calculator Question

[Brewer #404298]

I had my water tested by Ward Labs. I created a profile for the water and then brought in a recipe. I chose the balanced profile for the target water selection. I see there are some large deltas. For example, CA is 6.0 and delta is 74.0. I was assuming the calculator would say "to hit your target add xxxx of this". But it doesn't seem to do this.

Am I correct that you just poke around adding amounts in the Salt Additions section till you get the deltas really close? I got all into the green after 5 minutes and the mash PH to 5.51.

2nd question: What target water profile would you use for a brown ale? Light colored and hoppy or Edinburgh.

 

[Megary]

I had my water tested by Ward Labs. I created a profile for the water and then brought in a recipe. I chose the balanced profile for the target water selection. I see there are some large deltas. For example, CA is 6.0 and delta is 74.0. I was assuming the calculator would say "to hit your target add xxxx of this". But it doesn't seem to do this.

Am I correct that you just poke around adding amounts in the Salt Additions section till you get the deltas really close? I got all into the green after 5 minutes and the mash PH to 5.51.

2nd question: What target water profile would you use for a brown ale? Light colored and hoppy or Edinburgh.

Good on you for getting your water tested and knowing where you’re starting from!

Yes, trial and error with the salt additions. After one or two beers it becomes second nature.

I prefer a relatively balanced profile (Cl and SO4 pretty much equal) for a Brown Ale and a pH in the 5.4-5.5 range, but there may be reasons why you would want to lean one way or another depending on what you’re after.

Any questions, just fire away.

 

[Blackmuse]

2nd question: What target water profile would you use for a brown ale? Light colored and hoppy or Edinburgh.

Personally, I found it way too difficult to match a target profile... I always end up over and under even with water that has very little minerals.

Instead, I think about if I want the beer to malt forward or balanced (I rarely ever choose a bitter profile) and then try to bump my levels up into the green and my pH between 5.2-5.5. For a Brown Ale I tend to lean towards Malt forward.

Not sure if that helps...

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

I had my water tested by Ward Labs. I created a profile for the water and then brought in a recipe. I chose the balanced profile for the target water selection. I see there are some large deltas. For example, CA is 6.0 and delta is 74.0. I was assuming the calculator would say "to hit your target add xxxx of this". But it doesn't seem to do this.

Am I correct that you just poke around adding amounts in the Salt Additions section till you get the deltas really close? I got all into the green after 5 minutes and the mash PH to 5.51.

2nd question: What target water profile would you use for a brown ale? Light colored and hoppy or Edinburgh.

I think it's trial and error because minerals can come from different sources. For instance Calcium can come from 5 different sources:
* Gypsum [Ca+2 SO4• 2H2O]
* Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) [Ca+2 Cl2• 2H2O]
* Calcium Chloride (anhydrous) [Ca+2 Cl2]
* Chalk [Ca+2 CO3]
* Slaked Lime [Ca(OH)2]
Each source of Calcium has other minerals with it. Plus, some increase pH and other decrease pH. I usually don't target the city profiles because sometimes that means adding a lot of certain salts and that's when the beer suffers. At least that is my experience.

Also, below is what I saved from this post which I found very helpful when I started to mess with water chemistry.

Another Rule of Thumb*:
Sulfate : Chloride Ratios
3 : 1 = IPA's
2 : 1 = Drier, Hop Assertive
1 : 1 = Balanced
1 : 2 = Less Bitter, Maltier

Rule of Thumb #2*:
Lighter Color Beers - pH range of 5.3-5.4
Darker Color Beers - pH range of 5.4-5.6

*YMMV

 

[Donoroto]

Personally, I found it way too difficult to match a target profile... I always end up over and under even with water that has very little minerals.

Instead, I think about if I want the beer to malt forward or balanced (I rarely ever choose a bitter profile) and then try to bump my levels up into the green and my pH between 5.2-5.5. For a Brown Ale I tend to lean towards Malt forward.

Not sure if that helps...

Getting within 10% or so is plenty close. If the call is for 75 Ca and you have 68 or 83 you will be very hard pressed to notice any difference. Fiddle for a few minutes, get close, good enough.

 

[Blackmuse]

Getting within 10% or so is plenty close. If the call is for 75 Ca and you have 68 or 83 you will be very hard pressed to notice any difference. Fiddle for a few minutes, get close, good enough.

Good to know. I always had this perfectionist urge to hit the numbers dead on! lol

 

[Donoroto]

Good to know. I always had this perfectionist urge to hit the numbers dead on! lol

I get that. But I purposely tried it and found it didn't matter. Considering that many don't adjust their water at all and still make fine beer, I consider it kinda like a nuance, nudging beer in one direction or the other. So close enough is, well, close enough, like horseshoes.