Water Treatment - Simple vs. Complex (Algorithmically Speaking)

[bitteritdown]

Simple:

1.) Water report or pH Meter with acid required calculation -or- "guess and test" with acid addition and alkalinity test
2.) Reduce Alkalinity (Salifert test kit (alkalinity and ca), acid additions)
3.) Add Calcium w/ flavor minerals (chloride, sulfate)

* - May require dilution for extreme hardness

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/a-brewing-water-chemistry-primer.198460/
http://forum.craftbrewing.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=907
http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=79639#p825096
http://www.brupaks.com/brewing-aids.htm (Table of recommended alkalinity for beer styles)

Complex:

1.) Water report required
2.) Water and Recipe input
3.) Computations to predict mash pH from input water and recipe using "SRM" models

Any mash water spreadsheet calculator, BruNwater, MashMadeEasy, EZWater

http://braukaiser.com/documents/effect_of_water_and_grist_on_mash_pH.pdf

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Just a post for my own reference, pointing out two methods of accomplishing the same thing. Perhaps a spreadsheet maker would like to accommodate the simple method by adding an "acidification to pH or acidification to alkalinity level" calculator (amount of acid required to bring volume of water from pH X to pH Y -or- alkalinity X to alkalinity Y).

@ajdelange kindly gives calculations to do so:

http://www.wetnewf.org/pdfs/alkalinity-reduction-with.html
http://www.wetnewf.org/pdfs/Brewing_articles/Water_acidification.html

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Ca precipitation due to phosphoric acid:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/phosphoric-acid-and-calcium-prcipatation.515216/

Ca precipitation due to tannins (BrewTan-B):

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=31213.msg406205#msg406205

Ca precipitation in the mash:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...f-ca-and-mg-precipitation-in-the-mash.645512/

 

[mabrungard]

I'd place a caution on the Simple approach. It seems to assume that the calcium and flavor ions are a low levels. Without a water report or starting with water like RO or distilled, you would be working in the dark. A water report or test result is likely needed.

 

[bitteritdown]

I'd place a caution on the Simple approach. It seems to assume that the calcium and flavor ions are a low levels. Without a water report or starting with water like RO or distilled, you would be working in the dark. A water report or test result is likely needed.

Agree that a water report or pH meter is prudent though Salifert also has a Ca test kit.

 

[bitteritdown]

Still dukin' it out with the Brits eh Martin?

http://forum.craftbrewing.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=11935
http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=79639#p825096