RA in Recommended Water Profile

surfmase

Member
Trial Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Messages
54
Reaction score
1
Points
8
Hi,
The recipe editor recommends a range for water RA citing Palmer. I assume this is based on the grain bill.
My question is which value in the water calculator should be in this range? At the end of the calculator there is the "Mash Report" which indicates an effective water RA, and then there is the "Overall Water Report" which gives an RA value.

Thanks
 
Last edited:
Hi,
The recipe editor recommends a range for water RA citing Palmer. I assume this is based on the grain bill.
My question is which value in the water calculator should be in this range? At the end of the calculator there is the "Mash Report" which indicates an effective water RA, and then there is the "Overall Water Report" which gives an RA value.

Thanks
Mmm mr Surf I'm not an water expert and especially on residual Alcalinity not even sure if I spelt that right. Right so I selected mine as bicarbonate sin my source water section my local council water bicarbonate ppm was 33 so this is the number I put in for the ra section on my water report input bit. With my water I'm looking at my chloride to sulfate ratio more than anything else and I know this has a big difference in your mouth feel you experience when drinking your beer be it an hoppy IPA which lends itself in favour to an sulfate biased water Ratio compared to a malty Octoberfest
 
Thanks Guys,

Ben, I do look at the Cl / SO4 ratio as well. My water is good except the bicarbonate is 279 ppm, so I use acid to get the mash ph down.

OzarksMB, I read that post, but it's about using or blending with RO water. My question was about the RA suggestion in the recipe editer. I do have my water profile loaded and my question is about the two different results in the water calculator.

I've come to the conclusion that the recommended RA value is useless. The key is getting the mash ph on target.
 
Yes, recommended RA value IS pretty useless. It's only useful for comparing one water to another, when it comes right down to it.

I generally ignore it.
 
The RA listed in the recipe editor is that which is suggested by John Palmer based on the beer's color, which approximates beer style (such as, blonde ale, American Pale Ale, Porter, etc.). But per "Water, A Comprehensive Guide for Brewers" by Palmer and Colin Kaminski, there are several additional parameters that they suggest for a particular style's water profile. Specifically these relate to its level of calcium, alkalinity, sulfate and chloride.

BF's Mash Chemistry & Brewing Water Calculator provides a "Water Target Selection" that sets out the water characteristics for the style of beer you might want to achieve. I've found it to be quite useful and, using salts as necessary, I modify my available water to approximate the target water I select.

Regarding the recipe editor's recommended RA range, it's only part of the water story. As a stand alone item and not in context with other water chemistry considerations, I don't consider it useful or helpful for building a recipe and thus find it strange that it's listed as part of the recipe editor.
 
Last edited:

Back
Top