Plano, IL Water Profile

[copper2hopper]

So I got my water analysis back from Ward labs and is as follows

pH 7.6
TDS 549
Sodium Na 22
Potassium K 3
Calcium Ca 93
Magnesium Mg 49
Total Hardness CaCO3 437
Nitrate NO3-N 1.7 (Safe)
Sulfate SO4-S 20 ("60")
Chloride Cl 57
Carbonate CO3 <1.0
Bicarbonate HCO3 430
Total Alkalinity CaCO3 354
Total Phosphorus P 0.02
Total Iron Fe <0.01

So based on these numbers my RA 250-260 using the various Nomographs and calculators out there that we have all are familiar with. My problem is my water is off the chart good for stouts. I hate stouts. I'm pretty much only doing hoppy light colored and amber colored IPA's and APA's. My issue I'm having after extensive playing around with numbers via the EZwater calculator is that my calcium sulfate and calcium chloride additions and Acidulated malt and acid additions are annihilating my RA for the plugged in grain bill I plan on using next and taking it way too far into the negatives.....more than I would like. I've read not to worry about RA and focus on pH which is fine but bringing my pH into range just really really dips my RA and that the recommended range for my color style IPA and APA's I should have no less than 20.

The closest I have come to getting everything within approximate range is definitely having to cut my water with distilled and then work from there. That's the only way to bring down my magnesium and then boost up my calcium sulfate to bring down pH.

Am I too worried about RA? Any help or advice would be great

 

[Culbetron]

If you aren't going to the trouble to decarbonate your water, then you could easily start with RO water and build up from there.

That water doesn't seem worth brewing with.

 

[copper2hopper]

Thank you for the prompt response Culbetron. I'm really new to this water thing so bare with me but how would I decarbonate the water? I use a carbon filter on the end of my water hose (which is the sample source of water I sent in)...Am I on the right track? Or do I need to add different minerals/chemicals to do that? Also, what would the mineral levels be of RO water? I know and have read that a lot of people do it that way by using all RO water and build up from there, but is all RO the same as far as mineral contents that are relative to brewing? If not, then I guess I would have to purchase some store bought RO water and contact that company to get their mineral levels just like any other bottled water provider out there?