Help with getting started

[pretzelb]

After years of brewing I want to start looking at my water profile. I found a report for my supply and entered it into Beersmith but I'm stuck. It seems like I'm supposed to pick a profile to match and let the software calculate what I need to add. But that assumes I know what my goal is. Since I'm new to this I wanted to start slow and just try and get my mash ph in the right range. I do have a ph meter but seems like I need to know more before I can start. Maybe I'm looking at the wrong tool for a beginner?

 

[iijakii]

Bru'n Water ( https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/ ) has profiles you can select and aim towards.

More importantly, after you put in your base water and recipe, it'll show your anticipated mash pH, then you can tinker around with additions and see how it effects it. The Primer has good starting points as well.

 

[pretzelb]

After reading a bit last night I think my confusion is caused by the various starting points of these sources. Some seem to say you should check your mash ph then adjust (but don't really get in detail on how). Others seem to say you should start by adjusting your water (but don't really say what you should adjust it to). And others like BeerSmith seems say you should select a goal profile then adjust your water to that goal (but don't mention what your goal should be or what to do if the mash ph isn't correct).

I'll make another attempt at understanding Bru'n Water. My first attempt didn't go well. I've read the start of the primer but it seems to suggest one solution to fit everyone.

 

[Felix2Fingerz]

I been tinkering with water chemistry the past 6 month or so myself and I started like you with getting a copy of the water report from my county and entering it all into the Bru'N'Water spreadsheets. I've learned a lot but still feel I'm just tossing in chemicals according to what the spreadsheet is telling me. I'm sorry I don't have answers for you and I just have more questions to toss in here.

I decided to take a step backwards and focus just on pH only for now. I plan on purchasing a pH meter from the great recommendations I find here. I read a ton of information out there on mash pH and how to adjust it but still a little unclear on the exact procedure. This is my guess for checking and adjusting my mash pH once I have my meter.
1. Measure the pH of my tap water. (not sure how accurate the public water reports can be)
2. Enter the information into some brewing software along with the ingredients. See where the mash pH will end up without adjustment. Use the recommended treatment from the brewing software to hit my projected target mash pH.
3. Treat the mash water prior to adding grains?
4. Mash in, take a reading to see if you hit your target.
5. Take notes for the next brew. Rinse and repeat on next batch.

If you don't have a meter, I assume you can simply use the pH reading on your report and then trust the brewing software that you will hit your target if you make the right additions?

I read that pH meters don't last all that long either, maybe a year for a halfway decent one. I'm also assuming that if I spend a year recording all my batches, I really shouldn't need a meter anymore unless something drastically changed with the local water supply. I'm hoping someone could shed more light here and steer us in the right direction.