JakeTheHopDog

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I’m brewing an APA (Color = 6) this weekend and need some help with my water profile. I got a report done by Ward Labs and using the EZ_water_adjustment spreadsheet by -TH-, I can’t seem to get it adjusted to anything meaningful. Below are the report’s findings. This is county water, run through a water softener (i.e. the high Sodium) and a refrigerator filter. Any help would be appreciated.

pH = 7.9
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est = 206
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm = 0.34
Cations / Anions, me/L = 3.8 / 3.5

ppm
Sodium, Na = 81
Potassium, K = 1
Calcium, Ca = 4
Magnesium, Mg = < 1
Total Hardness, CaCO3 = 14
Nitrate, NO3-N = 0.7 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S = 3
Chloride, Cl = 9
Carbonate, CO3 = < 1
Bicarbonate, HCO3 = 183
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 = 150

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Keith

My Keezer Build

HOP DOG BREWING CO.
Spring Hill, FL
"If you can't drink with the Hop Dog..."

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JerD

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Does the water from your hose spigots go through the softner system? If not, I would get a sample of that and send it to Ward. Not only does the softner add sodium to the water, you wind up losing some of the good stuff in the water. You might find your untreated water diluted with some distilled might be perfect.

Bobby_M

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I agree with JerD in that the pre-softener water is probably closer to what you want but you can work with this. The additions below are per gallon of strike water that goes into the mash. Nothing goes in the boil. I know the SRM ranges doesn't quite make it but I'm pretty sure you'll be OK. If you know your exact strike and sparge water volumes, you can get more exacting numbers.

Starting Water (ppm):
Ca: 4
Mg: 1
Na: 81
Cl: 9
SO4: 3
CaCO3: 150

Mash / Sparge Vol (gal): 1 / 1
Dilution Rate: 0%

Adjustments (grams) Mash / Boil Kettle:

CaSO4: 1.5 / 0
CaCl2: 0.5 / 0
MgSO4: 1.5 / 0

Mash Water / Total water (ppm):
Ca: 130 / 67
Mg: 38 / 19
Na: 81 / 81
Cl: 73 / 41
SO4: 379 / 191
CaCO3: 150 / 150

RA (mash only): 35 (8 to 13 SRM)
Cl to SO4 (total water): 0.21 (Very Bitter)

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JakeTheHopDog

Recipes 

I agree that I should get a new report on the un-softened water, but that will take 2 weeks. Mash water is 3.4 Gals (11lbs x 1.25 qts), Sparge is 2.4 gals twice. So multiple addition grams by 3.4 for the mash and add nothing to the sparge?

CaSO4: 5.1
CaCl2: 1.7
MgSO4: 5.1

Would I be better off just using the un-softened water or maybe bottled water, like Zepherhill Spring Water?

__________________
Keith

My Keezer Build

HOP DOG BREWING CO.
Spring Hill, FL
"If you can't drink with the Hop Dog..."

"Doppler Effect": The sudden change in pitch of a car horn as a car passes by.
"Dopeler Effect": The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.