Nut Brown Water Profile?

[ParanoidAndroid]

I'm doing Lil Sparky's Nut Brown this weekend and am using straight RO water with additions. I need some advice on what additions.

I'm thinking about just doing the baseline plus British beer additions from the water primer. So it would be this:

Baseline: Add 1 tsp of calcium chloride dihydrate (what your LHBS sells) to each 5 gallons of water treated. Add 2% sauermalz to the grist.

PLUS

For British beers: Add 1 tsp gypsum as well as 1 tsp calcium chloride

It will be a BIAB so the total mash volume will be 8-9 gallons (I think).

Does this look right? Just trying to keep it basic here.

Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
9.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 76.6 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 8.5 %
1.00 lb Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 8.5 %
0.50 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 4.3 %
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 2.1 %
1.00 oz Fuggles [4.50%] (60 min) Hops 14.7 IBU
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00%] (15 min) Hops 8.1 IBU
1 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

Btw, how does BIAB water chemistry differ from regular batch/fly sparging? Since its a combo of strike and sparge water, making it a lot thinner mash, does that change any salt additions?

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

I input 8.5 gallons mash in Brun with 100% RO water.

It has me adding:

4.3 grams Gypsum
0.9 grams Epsom Salt
2.1 grams of CaCl2
0.9 mL Lactic Acid

This puts my numbers in green and gives a mash pH at 5.4.

Thoughts? Am I doing this right?

 

[jturman35]

I got my shovel out and dug this one up from the grave! How did this beer turn out? I’m starting to adjust water myself and I’m going to attempt this recipe for the second time. The first time I used my tap water and this brown had a tart aftertaste. It also had no head retention after about 2 mins after outing out of keg.

 

[cire]

That water won't make good beer.
There would seem to be some sort of ion exchange softening and maybe more treatment that isn't improving its brewing qualities.

 

[jturman35]

Yes I figured which is why also plan to use distilled water like the OP.

 

[mabrungard]

While that tap water isn't ideal, it isn't a total dumper. That sodium level is higher than most would prefer, but its not too high. The real killer is the alkalinity...especially if that brewing water wasn't treated to neutralize it. I'm doubting that the beer was 'tart', but I can believe it may have been astringent and dull.

Adding some form of calcium salts and some form of acid could make this water 'passable'. RO is still a better idea for brewing.

 

[cire]

Adding some form of calcium salts and some form of acid could make this water 'passable'. RO is still a better idea for brewing.

I think if jturman35 were to find the other end of the water softener, there he may find a good 70ppm calcium.

 

[jturman35]

Thanks guys! For simplicity I believe using distilled and building my water towards the brown Ale family may be the easiest for me at this time. My thinking is my municipal water will not be as consistent as using distilled and adding salts. I probably could have saved myself $30 had I though of doing this prior to sending my water off to have tested.