What are your favorite water profiles for different styles? Just for fun
Ahhh water… the most difficult subject in brewing. Me, personally I go simply by color. Most of my profiles are very similar as most beers I make are similar in color. Even if you look at profiles they are very similar. Now I will up the SO4 for an APA or IPA or drop the SO4 level and up the Cl for a NEIPA. But other than that the water profiles are pretty similar unless I’m brewing a stout/RIS, which I don’t do very often.
Same here treat my water the same with most styles of beer me struggeling still with trying to get a hold by reading books and using different styles of brewing salts. And other products. But getting my water report back from the usa. And understanding my ph meter. Its beter
Well some stuff ive tried to read just goes over my head as well so im more of a trial and error brewer. I think I generally add to little salts to make much difference. My water is quite soft and makes a decent Pilsner straight up and generally is good brewing water because of it. We all strive for that edge though as brewers
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Water…
We have good drinking water… It does have a bicarbonate around 200… The other minerals are within the guide lines for a lighter colored brews…
I strive mainly to REMOVE the bicarbonate… I’ve come to a conclusion… less is more…
There are a few APA’s I know I can taste the calcium chloride in them… and its not a trait I feel is needed…
I’ve not messed with Gypsum enough to render a thought… I should take a small glass of water and put a tablespoon in and see what it tastes like…
Sneezles61
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First off to all those who struggle with water chemistry, I hear ya. I struggle as well and I am a MS chemical engineer with MS in environmental engineering with course in water chemistry as part of that. I need to break the text books out.
To answer the question, for hazy oatmeal IPA I target Ca ppm ~110, sulfate/chloride ratio 1.4. I play around with sodium chloride addition to sweeten after brewing by taste test. But I keep it less than 200 ppm as NaCl. My target is around 110 ppm as NaCl. I adjust the mash pH with lactic acid to 5.3 to 5.5 after 10 min in mash. I want to play around someday with the sulfate to chloride ratio bump it higher. No hops in boil all whirlpool and dry. IBU high 20s calculated.
I moved brewing to a second home with well water as opposed to surface water from POTW at my home. The well water is alkaline and has to be diluted with distilled water. If I don’t dilute, I have to add too much lactic acid. Thinking about ordering HCl so I can titrate for direct alkalinity measurement as well as adding instead of lactic acid. Warning don’t use concentrated strong acids like hydrochloric or sulfuric acid unless you have experience. I miss my laboratory and equipment. Glassware is sooooo expensive! 
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I’ve been using this one for my last five or so brews. It seems to produce a crisp beer and suits my personal tastes. I’ve used it in hefeweizen, cream ale and IPA to name a few.
Calcium = 51ppm
Sulfate = 98 ppm
Chloride = 19 ppm
