Water Profile & Deer Park

Question.

Will be doing my first AG beer this weekend. I'm very excited. However, at the 11th hour, a friend has told me about issues with water, water profiles and stuff like that. He's linked me to calculators that boggle my mind. I'm all of a sudden scared...

So, I have the water profile where I live at.

Ca: 9.6
SO4: 23
Mg: 1.7
Na: 13
Cl: 18
(carb): 24
Hrdns: 31
Alk'y:20

Doesn't really mean much to me. Something about adding salt, soda, chalk, gypsum and a bunch of other minerals? Can someone help me out without dropping formulas on me?

Also, I brewed my first extract beer (currently fermenting) with Deer Park water. I just assumed that that would be the best choice. Perhaps not? Thoughts on using Deer Park / bottled water?

Thanks! :rockin:

I couldn't tell you for the life of me what all that means. I'm sure someone on here smarter than me can decode it for you. However, I take the KISS philosophy. Taste your water. If it tastes ok then brew with it. The only variation to this that I have read about is the water being too soft. If you are worried about it, get some gypsum and at it to the water.

Water around here is fine. Our city has very good water (from what I hear). Since this is my first AG brew, maybe I'll wait a few brews before I start getting into all the fine details of perfecting water profiles.