Portland, Or. water quality

Hello all brewers. I've been brewing for a year, AG for the last 4 months or so, building my own recipes with favorable results. What a difference!
I brew mostly APAs,IPAs, the occasional seasonal fruit spiked or Gruit type brews. I know we have super soft water here w/ a typical Ph of
3.2-4.2. Should I be adding salts, say Burton salts?, to the mash for these types of brews?
If so, how much? And I'm talking teaspoons here...
PS: my average grain bill is about 11-15lbs, mostly US 2-row, including quick oats, which I add 1lb for all brews. I just like it like that!

To know what to add you should know what you are starting with. Ward labs (www.wardlab.com) will do a water analysis for $16.50. (their W-6 analysis). Then read John Palmer's "How to Brew" section on water.

Otherwise you can experiment, but that could be costly and waste otherwise good beer. If you are making good beer now, you are just looking for small adjustments - start with small changes.

Vancouver's water is nearly identical to Portland's and ours is about 6.4 before treatment and about 6.5 after.

The pH you've quoted seems very low. Wine has a pH of about 3.5.

http://www.portlandoregon.gov/water/article/244813

I just got the water report in the mail the other day. Found it online and posted it above.

Id like a copy of the water report. but i have a hard time finding it in the link above. if anyone can post the portlands water, it would be greatly appreciated

PDX water is indeed very soft, and works as a base for most styles, with additions for calcium for yeast health and sulfate to make hops sharper tasting you can make tasty APAs and IPAs.
Here is an Oregon Brew Crew article on water adjustment for Portland:

http://www.oregonbrewcrew.com/technique/water.html

pdxal said:

PDX water is indeed very soft, and works as a base for most styles, with additions for calcium for yeast health and sulfate to make hops sharper tasting you can make tasty APAs and IPAs.
Here is an Oregon Brew Crew article on water adjustment for Portland:

http://www.oregonbrewcrew.com/technique/water.html

Click to expand...

great link! thank you!

pdxal said:

PDX water is indeed very soft, and works as a base for most styles, with additions for calcium for yeast health and sulfate to make hops sharper tasting you can make tasty APAs and IPAs.
Here is an Oregon Brew Crew article on water adjustment for Portland:

http://www.oregonbrewcrew.com/technique/water.html

Click to expand...

And I (think - unless I already shredded it) still have the mailer listed bove at work. If I have it I'll scan it and PM you.

To the OP, your water is not 3.2-4.2, it is probably closer to 7.8