Salt Additions & Water Volumes

[guttoc27]

I'm planning on brewing an AG partial boil. 3.5gal boil, 5.5gal final vol (i.e. 2 gal top-off water). I'm using all RO water and doing salt additions. Do I calculate for, and thus treat, ALL 5.5 gal of water (thus, including the top-off water), or only the water for my Mash/Sparge? I've seen some opinions both ways. Thanks for the help!

 

[afr0byte]

I'm planning on brewing an AG partial boil. 3.5gal boil, 5.5gal final vol (i.e. 2 gal top-off water). I'm using all RO water and doing salt additions. Do I calculate for, and thus treat, ALL 5.5 gal of water (thus, including the top-off water), or only the water for my Mash/Sparge? I've seen some opinions both ways. Thanks for the help!

I'd treat all of the water. Don't add any alkalinity to your sparge/top-off water though (examples: baking soda, chalk (doesn't really work, generally), slaked lime).

 

[WoodlandBrew]

I would add the salt required for all 5.5 gallons to the mash as long as it isn't so much that the pH will be adversely effected.

Although I have heard often to treat 5.5 gallons of water and use what is necessary from that for the mash.

Here are some simple guidelines based on flavor instead of pH
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/11/basic-water-chemistry.html