Water profile for porter, in beersmith

[USMChueston0311]

I am doing my first water adjustment for my brew tomorrow. I have used EZ and BS and the salt levels differ greatly. The sodium beersmith suggests for a porter are very high, and almost everywhere is recommending lower sodium levels.

I also read an exbeeriment on high sodium vs low sodium beers, and the tasters all picked the higher sodium beers as being better, so I am at a cross roads.

Any suggestions on the porter profile from beersmith?

Beer smiths "porter water profile"

CA - 141
Mag - 10
sodium - 100
sulfate - 100
chloride - 300 (its recommend 0-250) and is red on BS
bicarbonate - 50

and the final numbers with my water profile and salt additions

ca - 146
mag - 18.4
sodium - 104.6
sulfate - 97.9
chloride - 297.1
bicarbonate - 119

The sodium, and chloride levels seem a bit high, and I have to add lots of epsom and salt.

thoughts/suggestions?

 

[maisch]

That's fairly brave profile WRT sodium and chloride but I can see where it would work to enhance the beer depending on how much crystal and roast grain your recipe has.

The sodium will definitely support the flavor and the chloride will give a fullness in mouth feel.

I would recommend cutting the sodium and chloride in half. 50 ppm sodium and 150 ppm chloride - that should help achieve the same affects without the risk of a minerally tasting beer.

 

[USMChueston0311]

I’ll post the recipe in a few, it uses some 80L and a little chocolate wheat. But keep everything else as Is and adjust down the sodium and chloride?

 

[USMChueston0311]

21 lbs 9.6 oz 2 row
1lb 14.7oz german chocolate wheat
1lbs 3.2oz crystal 80
11.9oz carapils

I tried the brown full profile in beersmith and it seems more reasonable. my magnesium is a little high, at 14PPM from the faucet, should I worry about that? Or should I dilute with RO or distilled? I really dont want to make a trip to buy some RO, or go through the hassle of it, for a few higher points of magnesium.

SO how does

146 CA
16 MG
50 sodium
97 sulfate
150 chloride
119 bicarbonate sound?

Ill try and hit those numbers in ez water and see what additions it says.