Home water report - help interpret!

[Cavpilot2000]

So I've never been one to adjust my brewing water because I think it makes damn fine beer, so why mess with that which works, right?
We'll lo and behold, I can't leave well enough alone, so I order a water analysis from Ward Labs.
Basically I brew mostly lighter style beers, especially German lagers usually no darker than an Oktoberfest, and they turn out great.
But when I do darker styles (Dunkels, mostly), I feel like they aren't as good as my lighter lagers, pale ales, and IPAs.
So I begin to wonder if it's my water that lends itself to lighter styles and is detrimental to darks.
That's why I ordered the test.
This being my first one, I'd like some help interpreting it from a brewing perspective. So feel free to chime in.

 

[Cavpilot2000]

Here is the report.

 

[Cavpilot2000]

I also finally broke down and bought a pH meter.

 

[oylerck]

http://www.brewersfriend.com/2009/03/14/all-grain-water-chemistry-brewing-information/somewhere in this webpage is the range. Looks like calcium and sulfate are low and the rest are ok. Gypsum seems to be best bet.

Look at an online calculator like Bru'n water. Should be in the right direction.

I haven't messed with salts yet and just had my water tested for most minerals but I have a filter coming because the water is slightly gritty.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I agree with adding gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) for other than your light colored brews. Perhaps 4 grams to the mash water for your darker beers if you are in the 5 gallon yield range.

Or perhaps for a better chloride/sulfate balance, add 3 grams gypsum, and 1 gram calcium chloride. This is what I would do.

 

[Cavpilot2000]

I agree with adding gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) for other than your light colored brews. Perhaps 4 grams to the mash water for your darker beers if you are in the 5 gallon yield range.

Or perhaps for a better chloride/sulfate balance, add 3 grams gypsum, and 1 gram calcium chloride. This is what I would do.

Are you talking specifically for dark beers?

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Are you talking specifically for dark beers?

Yes, because you have already stated that your light beers are turning out fine, but your darker brews are dull.