water expertise requested please

[Beekeeper]

Yep, Wards is less than 37 USD (Yep, I'm cheap). Oh BTW speaking of Cheap, I get all my books from Thriftbooks (used book dealer). They happen to have that book for sale ($19.95 marked down to $11.69 USD) right now, only 1 copy heh. See Here

Texas Tea, your source for Cheap!

Used copies from $7.70 shipped at Abebooks.

 

[TexasTea]

Thanks beekeeper, I'm adding them to my list of booksellers.

Used copies from $7.70 shipped at Abebooks.

 

[kohalajohn]

In many cases you're going to want to add about 1-2 grams each of gypsum and calcium chloride (in 8 gallons) to get calcium up to 50 ppm and then about 4 mL of 88% lactic acid for pale beers to get mash pH around 5.35.

Without acid, your pH will land around 5.8 on a full 2-row mash.

Bobby, I don't have acid to add, but I do have acidified malt. For a three gallon batch, a few ounces would be suitable?

 

[Bobby_M]

Yes, a couple ounces of acidulated will do.

 

[kohalajohn]

Yes, a couple ounces of acidulated will do.

thx.

 

[Peebee]

thx.

Be careful! Helpful suggestions coming from areas with a radically different geology (or attitude to available technology) can do the reverse of what you are expecting. Though the water you are intending to use isn't far removed from "RO Water" (which many Americans use) so the advice should be sound ... just don't take it without thought.

If I were to take some of the advice, I'd be in a right pickle! My water appears to be similar to the water you posted, but mine has twice the calcium and a fraction of the alkalinity. They are the two most important components of your mash water (calcium and alkalinity). "Mash pH" will usually sort itself out (the malt "buffers" the outcome), but you can influence that outcome meddling with those two "components" (calcium and alkalinity). You can strongly mess with the outcome using acids, or, as in my case, bases like calcium hydroxide (a much rarer action).

If you're going to mess about, make sure you're doing what's best for you!