Confused with Mash Chemistry and Brewing Water Calculator

[Brewer #98794]

Hello, this is my first time on this site so sorry if my questions have been answered before. I'm trying to use the calculator and am totally confused with the settings of "Use different water sources for mash and sparge" and "salts added to mash only".

Let me explain what I want to do. I have my water profile (very soft water by the way) and want to know what volume of salts to add to the MT to hit my target mash pH. I typically fill up my HLT with about the same volume as my mash (e.g. 9 gallons in MT, 9 gallons in HLT) so I will also be adding the same amount of salts to the HLT as I added to the MT. Because the salt additions are the same, I am fine with having the calculator just tell me what amount of salts to add to the MT because then I will add the same amount of salts to the HLT. The confusion that I have is how to get the program to tell me this.
For instance, if I select "salts added to mash only" is the calculator assuming I'm adding enough salts to the MT for both the mash and sparge water? If so, then I could be accidentally adding double salts because I am still intending to add an equivalent amount of salts to the HLT.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I add my salts to the mash only and just sparge with acid adjusted water to drop ph down a bit.
I think your using a blend with your brewing water profile in that each 9 gallons has equal mineral additions added.

I'm not too experienced with water but I just add calcium chloride and calcium sulphate at either equal amounts or 2:1 ratios to get a bitter or malty beer. I add lactic acid to drop ph into better mash range 5.3-4ph. I wouldn't use your salts to adjust ph just my 2 cents anyways.

Hopefully someone will be able to help you more FWIW mineral addictions do help give the beer that edge good luck.

 

[Yooper]

Hello, this is my first time on this site so sorry if my questions have been answered before. I'm trying to use the calculator and am totally confused with the settings of "Use different water sources for mash and sparge" and "salts added to mash only".

Let me explain what I want to do. I have my water profile (very soft water by the way) and want to know what volume of salts to add to the MT to hit my target mash pH. I typically fill up my HLT with about the same volume as my mash (e.g. 9 gallons in MT, 9 gallons in HLT) so I will also be adding the same amount of salts to the HLT as I added to the MT. Because the salt additions are the same, I am fine with having the calculator just tell me what amount of salts to add to the MT because then I will add the same amount of salts to the HLT. The confusion that I have is how to get the program to tell me this.
For instance, if I select "salts added to mash only" is the calculator assuming I'm adding enough salts to the MT for both the mash and sparge water? If so, then I could be accidentally adding double salts because I am still intending to add an equivalent amount of salts to the HLT.

No, you wouldn't be doubling the salts! You would just be adding them to the mashing water, instead of splitting them up.