[Stevie]

Why chalk and baking soda? That grain bill shouldn't need any alkalinity. Stick with gypsum, calcium chloride and Epsom. Maybe some salt. It will take quite a lot of gypsum and Epsom salt to hit the profile.

Read on the directions tab regarding chalk usage. Martin doesn't recommend it.

[HoosierBrew]

Why chalk and baking soda? That grain bill shouldn't need any alkalinity. Stick with gypsum, calcium chloride and Epsom. Maybe some salt. It will take quite a lot of gypsum and Epsom salt to hit the profile.

Read on the directions tab regarding chalk usage. Martin doesn't recommend it.

+1.   Shouldn't need baking soda at all in this beer, and chalk is pretty much worthless in brewing water for pH control.

[mabrungard]

Because of the large amount of calcium (and the magnesium) added to the water, its common to need to add alkalinity to the mashing water to avoid pushing the pH down too far with the Pale Ale profile. This is the result of the Residual Alkalinity effect. An important fact to remember, is that the native water of Burton also has a huge amount of alkalinity, but the huge calcium and magnesium contents result in that water having its RA near zero. 

Don't rely on chalk to provide your alkalinity. Use the baking soda exclusively for that.

[denny]

Reviving this thread. I am brewing Denny's Wry Smile Rye IPA.
I am planning on using the pale ale profile but reducing the bru'nwater sparge volume by my boil off  (1 gal).  To hit this profile, building on RO water,  I am adding gypsum, calcium chloride, Epsom salt, baking soda and a tiny bit of chalk.  That is a lot more additions than I have used before.  Does that sound right?

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Well, I don't know your water, but I'm puzzled by the baking soda and chalk.  Besides not knowing why you need them, chalk is notoriously hard to dissolve and therefore not very effective.

BTW, I use the amber bitter profile for the beer.

[cempt1]

Because of the large amount of calcium (and the magnesium) added to the water, its common to need to add alkalinity to the mashing water to avoid pushing the pH down too far with the Pale Ale profile. This is the result of the Residual Alkalinity effect. An important fact to remember, is that the native water of Burton also has a huge amount of alkalinity, but the huge calcium and magnesium contents result in that water having its RA near zero. 

Don't rely on chalk to provide your alkalinity. Use the baking soda exclusively for that.

That was my issue.  With the high calcium content, the mash pH would have been like 5.2.  I think the little bit of chalk pushed the calcium up to match the profile without dropping the pH.  I am new to this so my thinking my be off.  I can rework without the chalk for another beer but sounds like Denny suggests the bitter amber profile. Guess he may know a thing or two about this recipe. Back to the drawing board.

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