Bru'n Water Spreadsheet Profiles

For those using the Bru'n water spreadsheet, do you find the generic water profiles to work well for the color and balance indicated? I mean how well does the pale ale profile work? Or the malty brown, for example? I think the spreadsheet looks promising, but I'm so afraid of overdoing my salt additions.

Thanks. Any feedback would be appreciated.

David

I use the Bru'n water spreadsheet and think it works great. I have not been dissapointed in any of the beers that I have brewed and have gotten many compliments from the Sam Adams/Fat Tire crowd, but have never had it judged.

Barry

Those generic color based profiles have relatively low mineral content specifically aimed at avoiding overdosing your water. They provide a minimum amount of calcium for yeast and fermentation performance as well as modest levels of flavor ions to help accentuate the beer flavors the brewer is looking for. The variable that the brewer is left to determine for their grist is the level of bicarbonate in the mash water. It might have to go up or down a bit to help produce a more desirable mash pH.

Don't sweat trying to get the concentrations exactly right. Its not that important. Plus or minus 5 ppm shouldn't be a big deal.

Enjoy!