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Brewer's Friend Water Calculator Questions

Discussion in 'Brewing Software' started by Tippsy-Turvy, Jul 25, 2014.

 

  1. #1
    Tippsy-Turvy

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 25, 2014
    This upcoming brew will be my first to use chalk in adjusting the water to match a specific profile. So my newbie questions are:

    1) In the software, I've typed in the total water volume (half for mash, half sparge), the Water Source details, selected the target profile and played around with the salt additions to get a good match. Is the chalk to be added ONLY to the mash (this, I read from the Bru'n Water calculator)? I haven't specified anywhere that I'm separating the mash water from the sparge so surely the salt additions I've entered are meant for the total water volume?

    2) If I'm using the 5.2 PH Stabilizer in my total water volume, then surely it will buffer any alkalinity effects in the sparge water from having chalk in it, in which case it should be ok to just add chalk to the combined water?

    So much to learn....

    Thanks gurus!
     
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    foles likes this.
  2. #2
    Sheldon

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 25, 2014
    where and when do you add the additions?
     
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  3. #3
    Yooper

    Ale's What Cures You! Staff Member  

    Posted Jul 25, 2014
    First, don't use chalk to raise the pH. It doesn't dissolve properly, not without extraneous measures, so it won't really be of any use. Use baking soda if you're making a dark beer and need to raise the pH.

    Don't use the 5.2 'buffer'. It doesn't really work, as it is only a buffer and if you're using a spreadsheet, target the pH to be 5.3-5.5 without either the chalk or the 5.2.

    Be extremely cautious on targeting a 'profile' as remember that the brewers in the cities where the water came from treated the water to change it, and the water profile (such as Dublin's) is not what was used for the beer.

    I'd suggest reading some of the articles by Martin Brungard on water profiles of cities and why it's impossible to target them and get it right before attempting this. If it still is something you want to do, then at least you'd have the proper tools (not chalk or 5.2 buffer) to do so.
     
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  4. #4
    Tippsy-Turvy

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 26, 2014
    Sigh...back to the drawing board.

    Ok, I was going to use the chalk to raise the calcium level without boosting the sulfate too far above target. Before, I'd been using gypsum to get the calcium level up but that boosted the sulfates significantly. Perhaps I should look into using calcium chloride instead then. As for the PH, I had hoped the stabilizer would take care of everything :)o) but I guess the commercial's really too good to be true.

    So, no chalk, no stabilizer and target the ideal ph independently. Got it.

    Many thanks!
     
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  5. #5
    Yooper

    Ale's What Cures You! Staff Member  

    Posted Jul 26, 2014
    Remember that you don't have to raise the calcium level. Malt has plenty of calcium in it. Some brewers like to go to 40-50 ppm with calcium, because it helps with yeast flocculation but you can make a perfectly fine beer with much less.

    You can use 100% RO water, and make a perfectly fine beer. Tweaking the water a bit by using calcium sulfate or calcium chloride can be all that needs to be done to make the beer go from good to great. Mash pH is crucial- other things are not.
     
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    Tippsy-Turvy likes this.
  6. #6
    Tippsy-Turvy

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jul 29, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 23, 2018
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