Brewing Water Questions

[rjfvt]

I’m just starting with all grain and have done my best to try and adjust my water to get a good water profile for my beer. At first I thought it would be best to add the salts to my 15gal drum and then re-test to make sure it’s correct but my results didn’t come out like the calculators said it would. Also the chalk basically sat at the bottom and didn’t dissolve. So I then used EZ-water calculator and added it to the mash and sparge water. I don’t know how the best way to prepare my water, if I treat the mash and sparge, you have no way to insure the correct amount of salt was added. If you mix the salt to the water before brewing some will not dissolve.

Also I wanted to use a blend of my straight up well water mixed with my RO water but the Sodium Na level are so high.

Can anyone help me with my water questions, Thanks!

This is my well water run through a up flow neutralizer. (I by-passed my water softener.)
Ca – 24
Mg – 18
Cl – 110
So4 – 0
Na – 72
Total Hardness CaCo3 – 100
Total Alkalinity HCO3 – 144
Residual Alkalinity – 18

This is my well water run through a up flow neutralizer and a RO system. (I by-passed my water softener.)
Ca – 0
Mg – 0
Cl – 20
So4 – 0
Na – 22
Total Hardness CaCo3 – 0
Total Alkalinity HCO3 – 24
Residual Alkalinity – 0

 

[mabrungard]

Those Na and Cl levels in the RO water are insignificant. Its fine for brewing.

 

[rjfvt]

I'm also looking to find out:
1. can trust the ez-water calculator or other calculators and software to put the right amount of salts in the mask/sparge. I have been adjusting the amounts to meet my target.
2. Should I adjust the RO water before I start brewing.

 

[beskone]

I'm also looking to find out:
1. can trust the ez-water calculator or other calculators and software to put the right amount of salts in the mask/sparge. I have been adjusting the amounts to meet my target.
2. Should I adjust the RO water before I start brewing.

Bru'n Water is pretty accurate when estimating mash ph using RO water + brewing salt additions. EZ water is usually close but it's no where near as detailed or accurate IMO.

With a calibrated PH meter I've never been off more than .02 on what Bru'n Water tells me to what the meter tells me.

Yes adjust your water with your preferred flavor ions before brewing, use the calcs to verify you're getting the PH you're shooting for.

 

[rjfvt]

Hi thanks for the info I'll use Bru'n Water next time, I made an Imperial stout. I added the grain build, target water profile and RO water profile into EZ water calculator. I also added enough salts to get my 15 gallons of RO water closer to my target just so I wouldn't have to add so much to the mash and sparge.

So when we brewed 10 minutes into the mash the PH was 4.74. the ez-water calculator showed it at 5.58. with it that low will it effect the beer? we mashed at 150°for 60 minutes and batch sparged at 170°. Two other adds were, 1lb of lactose with 10 min left to the boil and 12oz of maple syrup at end of boil so I'm not sure it that would through off the PH. I had some 5.2 stabilizer but forgot to use it.

Starting Water (ppm):
Ca: 36
Mg: 22
Na: 39
Cl: 70
SO4: 20
CaCO3: 84

Mash / Sparge Vol (gal): 6.7 / 4.8
RO or distilled %: 0% / 0%

Total Grain (lb): 19.0

Adjustments (grams) Mash / Boil Kettle:
CaSO4: 8 / 5.731343284
CaCl2: 2 / 1.432835821
MgSO4: 2 / 1.432835821
NaHCO3: 0 / 0
CaCO3: 0 / 0
Lactic Acid (ml): 0
Sauermalz (oz): 0

Mash Water / Total water (ppm):
Ca: 129 / 129
Mg: 29 / 29
Na: 39 / 39
Cl: 108 / 108
SO4: 227 / 227
Cl to SO4 Ratio: 0.48 / 0.48

Alkalinity (CaCO3): 84
RA: -25
Estimated pH: 5.58

 

[doug293cz]

Did you add chalk to your RO water to get to your "starting" water? If so, most of the chalk probably didn't dissolve, so your starting alkalinity was much lower than you thought it was. This could be a big part of why your mash pH came out lower than calculated. You should never use chalk to add alkalinity. Use baking soda or pickling lime, as they will actually dissolve fully.

Did you measure your pH with a pH meter calibrated the same day? If not, then the pH reading itself is suspect.

Making additions to your RO water to get "starting" water, and then adding more salts to that is just over complicating things. Just put your RO water profile into the calculator, and make all your additions to the mash and sparge water in one go.

Brew on

 

[rjfvt]

Thanks for all of the good suggestions! I'll pick up some baking soda and pickling lime. I do have a good PH meter that came with my water test kit and I calibrated it that day. Mixing the additives at the mash and sparge will be a lot easier.
Thank

 

[rjfvt]

One more question if the meter was right, and my target PH reading was 5.58 and I ended up with a 4.74. how will that effect the beer taste?

 

[Natdavis777]

When did you last calibrate you pH meter?

 

[rjfvt]

Same day and I really checked it again to day

 

[Yooper]

Same day and I really checked it again to day

It's all but impossible to get the mash pH of 4.7, although if you measured it, it may have been so. Still, something seems wrong. I guess the boatload of gypsum could drive down the pH, but it still doesn't seem accurate.

It's not mash pH related, but you don't want to add gypsum or Epsom salts to an imperial stout. Your sulfate is very high, and the chloride is also high, making a very "minerally" and dry finishing beer.