Adjustng Top Off Water?

[Islandbrew212]

Hi all,

Have a quick question about water chemistry.....when adjusting your water profile do you add the salts to any top off water as well or only mash and sparge?

Thanks!

 

[Saunassa]

Water profile or adding a bit of water to get desired preboil volume or adding to get fermentation volume due to excessive boil off?

 

[Islandbrew212]

Water profile or adding a bit of water to get desired preboil volume or adding to get fermentation volume due to excessive boil off?

Sorry, fermentation volume

 

[Jag75]

Sorry, fermentation volume

Just curious but your talking like its topping off for extract brewing , but your 1st post you mention mash and sparge which is all grain.

If your doing all grain and your needing to top off in the fermenter then you maybe boiling too hard or not getting your water amount dialed in . How much water are we talking? I wouldn't add water but if I did I wouldn't add salts or acids .

Now if your brewing extract you dont need to do a water profile its already been done and using RO water is best.

 

[Islandbrew212]

I do mini mash. So a recipe for 2 gallons would look like this for me

3 lb marris otter
4oz caramunich

1.8 quarts per lb mash

Then adding 20oz light dme with 15 minutes left in the boil
Have about a gallon or so in the pot at the end of thr boil

Then I add roughly 1 gallon of cold water to top off and cool down.

Live in an apartment so the mini mash works for me.
Sorry for not being clear

 

[Jag75]

Ok , I have zero experience with mini mash. Just curious but do you hit your projected OG after you add water ?

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I do mini mash.

Is there a "water chemistry" app that works with mini mash?

background: later this fall, I may start brewing some mini-mash batches (to extend existing equipment). I have an approach in mind for working with mini-mash and brewing salts. I'm also willing to listen / learn / discuss with others on an approach.

 

[Islandbrew212]

Is there a "water chemistry" app that works with mini mash?

background: later this fall, I may start brewing some mini-mash batches (to extend existing equipment). I have an approach in mind for working with mini-mash and brewing salts. I'm also willing to listen / learn / discuss with others on an approach.

No that i am aware of but by just doing division is how i am planning to do it. So of a 5 gallon batch needs 5 grams of gypsum then my 2 gallons needs 2 grams.

I typically do 1/4 tsp of calcium chloride added to crystal geyser spring water (20 cups) fpr the mash. I generally do 1.050 OG batches

 

[Islandbrew212]

Ok , I have zero experience with mini mash. Just curious but do you hit your projected OG after you add water ?

Yes everytime. I just use the brewers friend recipe calculator and set it for 2 gallon batch. My mash efficiency is only 50% because I use a grain bag. By the end of boil it is concentrated and then the water simply brings down the OG to the range I want.

It took alot of trial and error but have this down perfectly.
Saw that treehouse water profile thread and it peaked my curiosity as to whether or not I could do a unique water profile with this system.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

No that i am aware of but by just doing division is how i am planning to do it. So of a 5 gallon batch needs 5 grams of gypsum then my 2 gallons needs 2 grams.

I typically do 1/4 tsp of calcium chloride added to crystal geyser spring water (20 cups) fpr the mash. I generally do 1.050 OG batches

Thanks. What you are doing reads similar to what I'm considering.

Back to the original question for a moment: I wouldn't adjust any "top off water" (but would take a "season to taste" approach with some salt additions in the boil).

For me, rather than thinking about a "water profile", I'm thinking about what needs to be done 1) during the mash to get a good mash, and 2) during the boil to adjust the flavor. For step 1, I'll keep doing what I'm currently doing for my BIAB process (RO/Distilled water + acidulated malt + calcium). For step 2, the DME/LME will have a major contribution to the salts (but the contribution varies by brand). With my extract (DME) recipes, I initially limit gypsum and/or calcium choloride addtions to 0.25 grams per gallon.