Beersmith Water Profile Calculation

In Beersmith2 it has an option for 'Batch size'. When I am calculating what additions of salts I need to use to get a certain water profile, am I supposed to enter the final batch size (i.e. 5.50 gallons), or the preboil volume (i.e. 7 gallons for a 5.5 gal batch) OR the total amount of water used (i.e. like 8.5-9 gallons for a 5 gal batch). Which volume am I supposed to use in order to get the proper water profile for a certain style ? Also, do I add the salts all into the mash, or split in half and add half in mash, half in BK? Etc.

To me it referes to the told volume of water you are planning on treating.

I use this spreadsheet for water calculations. Beersmith's is ok, but I hop they do some work on it for future releases.

http://www.ezwatercalculator.com/

prymal, so you calculate it based on the total say 9 gallons for a 5.5 gal batch?

Yeah, If you need 9 gallons to make a 5.5 gallon batch then I would calculate the additions for 9 gallons. As an FYI some people do not add brewing salts to their sparge water so you could subtract the total sparge water from your total volume of water needed. I use the BIAB technique so I don't sparge. Also, I use Beersmith 2 for everything but water additions. I use the above mentioned ez water calculator. Also I tend to follow the Brewing Water Chemistry Primer found in the sticky threads of the Brew Science forum.

stevo155 said:

I use this spreadsheet for water calculations. Beersmith's is ok, but I hop they do some work on it for future releases.

EZ Water Calculator

Click to expand...

I do the same. I've used ezwater for several batches now and my tested mash pH is always within 2-3 points of what ezwater estimated. Recently did a 10 gallon of Yoopers DFH clone. My buddy used his water profile and tried adjusting it with beersmith. I used the same profile and plugged it into ezwater. Ezwater called for 4.5 grams of gypsum, among other things, and beersmith called for 34 grams of gypsum. I'll stick with ezwater for the ease of use and accuracy.