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Bad Community Water

Mashing
#1

I have been brewing with this for years but am looking for ways to improve my brewing process.

Apparently I will struggle untill I improve my water.

Here is a copy of my community water report:

http://www.sweetwater.org/Modules/ShowD ... entid=4598

The sodium levels are like 115! and Total water hardness is 200+.

My plan is to start using distilled water and adding Epsom, baking soda and Calcium Choride as per this websites calculator:

http://www.brewerslair.com/index.php?p= ... al06&u=eng

Martin,

Denny said you may have some suggestions. What do you think?

Thanks,

Brad

#2

Ok, I am planning on diluting my tap water 2 parts distilled to 1 part tap water. It looks like if all my mineral and salt content was cut to 1/3 of what the report states, I would be within a reasonable brewing range.

I will also get some pH strips and some acid for final mash adjustments.

I heard an interview with the owner who makes Headytopper that it is desireable to keep mash pH between 5.0 to 5.3 for an IPA.

That is what I am going to shoot for, unless an expert out there has better advice.

ehem…Denny or Martin…

#3

[quote=“bstein”]Ok, I am planning on diluting my tap water 2 parts distilled to 1 part tap water. It looks like if all my mineral and salt content was cut to 1/3 of what the report states, I would be within a reasonable brewing range.

I will also get some pH strips and some acid for final mash adjustments.

I heard an interview with the owner who makes Headytopper that it is desireable to keep mash pH between 5.0 to 5.3 for an IPA.

That is what I am going to shoot for, unless an expert out there has better advice.

ehem…Denny or Martin…[/quote]

Don’t waste your money buying cheap strips. The only ones I’ve found that are accurate are ColorpHast.

#4

Dilution is a wise approach to the high concentrations. I doubt you would need baking soda in most brewing. An acid addition is more likely needed. I’m not sure if that calculator provides input on acid. If it doesn’t, you are wasting your time with it.

#5

And you need to add 0.3 to the reading you get from them. Kai demonstrated this pretty well awhile back.

#6

Roger that, I will not be using that calculator, I will also not be estimating my Acid additions, I will test the mash and correct as needed. I think it would be easier to test and correct than estimate additions.

#7

Roger that, I will not be using that calculator, I will also not be estimating my Acid additions, I will test the mash and correct as needed. I think it would be easier to test and correct than estimate additions.[/quote]

I thought so, too, until I started using Bru’nwater. I add what it tells me and it’s right on the money.

#8

Roger that, I will not be using that calculator, I will also not be estimating my Acid additions, I will test the mash and correct as needed. I think it would be easier to test and correct than estimate additions.[/quote]

I thought so, too, until I started using Bru’nwater. I add what it tells me and it’s right on the money.[/quote]

My jaw dropped open when I saw how complex the bru’nwater xls was. I don’t have the patience to even read the first tab full of instructions. I never took chemistry in HS or college.

#9

There are only a few editable fields in Brunwater. Most of those fields are precaluclated fields. you only need to punch in a few numbers on a few tabs to dial things in.

#10

If you prefer, Kai’s water spreadsheet also works well and is bit less daunting.

http://braukaiser.com/blog/blog/2011/03 ... et-update/
#11

[quote=“narcout”]If you prefer, Kai’s water spreadsheet also works well and is bit less daunting.

http://braukaiser.com/blog/blog/2011/03 ... et-update/[/quote]

This I can deal with, it has explanations next to each section. It looks like if I dilute with distilled I can just add 1/2 lb of acidulated malt to get my mash PH to 5.2.

#12

Roger that, I will not be using that calculator, I will also not be estimating my Acid additions, I will test the mash and correct as needed. I think it would be easier to test and correct than estimate additions.[/quote]

I thought so, too, until I started using Bru’nwater. I add what it tells me and it’s right on the money.[/quote] wheres the damn like button?

#13

Why do people think that Bru’n Water is so hard. I nevet took chemistry and don’t fully understand the chemistry and find Bru’n Water VERY easy to understand. All you do is:
Enter your water report
Pick your profile
Enter your mash
Start entering salt additions until it closely matches profile
Check mash/pH page to make sure your pH is within range
Enter sparge amount and it will tell you how much acid to add

Its REALLY not that difficult and this is coming from a person who doesn’t know chemistry and hates reading.

#14

Bru’n Water is not hard to use. It is a bit intimidating at first glance though. Spend a few minutes using it and it becomes easy. Plus Martin is great about answering questions.

#15

Bru Kaiser is very user friendly. Much less reading, I may spend more time getting to know bru’nWater but for now I am going with Kai.

Unless his sheet is unreliable, anyone have a bad experience with it?

#16

[quote=“bstein”]Bru Kaiser is very user friendly. Much less reading, I may spend more time getting to know bru’nWater but for now I am going with Kai.

Unless his sheet is unreliable, anyone have a bad experience with it?[/quote]

No, it’s not bad, but I don’t find it as accurate as Bru’nwater.

#17

[quote=“Denny”][quote=“bstein”]Bru Kaiser is very user friendly. Much less reading, I may spend more time getting to know bru’nWater but for now I am going with Kai.

Unless his sheet is unreliable, anyone have a bad experience with it?[/quote]

No, it’s not bad, but I don’t find it as accurate as Bru’nwater.[/quote]

FWIW, I’ve been comparing the accuracy of the two:

http://unluckybrewing.com/ph-martin-v-k ... with-data/

It’s not wholly scientific, but it seems that Martin has been closest except where I’m adding a relatively high amount of chemicals to the water.

#18

[quote=“Silentknyght”][quote=“Denny”][quote=“bstein”]Bru Kaiser is very user friendly. Much less reading, I may spend more time getting to know bru’nWater but for now I am going with Kai.

Unless his sheet is unreliable, anyone have a bad experience with it?[/quote]

No, it’s not bad, but I don’t find it as accurate as Bru’nwater.[/quote]

FWIW, I’ve been comparing the accuracy of the two:

http://unluckybrewing.com/ph-martin-v-k ... with-data/

It’s not wholly scientific, but it seems that Martin has been closest except where I’m adding a relatively high amount of chemicals to the water.[/quote]

Interesting, it looks like out of 10 batches, Kai’s spreadsheet was a better predictor 7 times.

I think both spreadsheets have their particular advantages. Like you, I use both of them on a regular basis.

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