First off, I am chemistry challenged. Secondly, I am making pretty crappy beers except my dark ones. I am getting a harshness/ maybe sourness in the final beer and cannot produce a malt forward beer for the life of me.
I have a pH meter and all the brewing salts which I have messed with in varying degrees for nearly a year. I have especially been dissapointed with my last few beers and realize I need to find a solution.
I am planning to just step back and use AJ's primer for my next batch. I may just go with all RO water as I would need to dilute more than 75% to get into the alkalinity range he recommends.
Anyway here is my Ward report:
Most recently, I have been using a small amount of CaCl and Lactic acid to get my pH in line. As far as all the spreadsheets I have used nothing seems out of place but it is obviously not working.
I guess the main thing I do not understand is: why is my relatively hard/alkaline water, after pH adjustment not producing mid to light beers that you would get starting with soft water? I realize I have not removed anything from the water. I just don't understand what is left that is causing the problems I am having.
I hope someone can make sense out of my confusion and I would greatly appreciate any input.
I have a pH meter and all the brewing salts which I have messed with in varying degrees for nearly a year. I have especially been dissapointed with my last few beers and realize I need to find a solution.
I am planning to just step back and use AJ's primer for my next batch. I may just go with all RO water as I would need to dilute more than 75% to get into the alkalinity range he recommends.
Anyway here is my Ward report:
Most recently, I have been using a small amount of CaCl and Lactic acid to get my pH in line. As far as all the spreadsheets I have used nothing seems out of place but it is obviously not working.
I guess the main thing I do not understand is: why is my relatively hard/alkaline water, after pH adjustment not producing mid to light beers that you would get starting with soft water? I realize I have not removed anything from the water. I just don't understand what is left that is causing the problems I am having.
I hope someone can make sense out of my confusion and I would greatly appreciate any input.