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Along with this, what are the common salts/ acids to use to change water PH and water profile? I see several different products available, some that automatically set the mash at 5.2 (somehow???) and others that are just containers of different salts and such. Where do you guys purchase those? LHBS? I haven't used Bru'n water before either so the info im looking for may just be on that program. I just don't know if I would understand what to do.
Quote from: deadpoetic0077 on September 22, 2016, 09:11:22 amI use calcium chloride, gypsum, epsom salts, and baking soda. I also have lactic acid on hand just in case, but I don't use it hardly ever since I started using RO water.I use lactic most often with lighter beers, sub 5 SRM. I've been using it less lately as I discovered the "add sparge to mash" option in the supports Bru'n Water. New fav feature.
I use calcium chloride, gypsum, epsom salts, and baking soda. I also have lactic acid on hand just in case, but I don't use it hardly ever since I started using RO water.
Quote from: fmader on September 22, 2016, 10:00:27 amQuote from: deadpoetic0077 on September 22, 2016, 09:11:22 amI use calcium chloride, gypsum, epsom salts, and baking soda. I also have lactic acid on hand just in case, but I don't use it hardly ever since I started using RO water.I use lactic most often with lighter beers, sub 5 SRM. I've been using it less lately as I discovered the "add sparge to mash" option in the supports Bru'n Water. New fav feature.Very good point. But yes. I typically brew hoppy beers or stouts soooo.... yeah, no real use for it lol
When adjusting all of this, the salts for the water profile are added before the mash, after, during? And the PH adjustment occurs once your mash has been going a few minutes right?
I add my salts to the empty pot. Then I add my mash water to it. Allows it to dissolve over the course of time it takes to heat to strike temperature. If you do not have Bru'n Water, I certainly suggest investigating it. It makes things stupid easy.
Quote from: Visor on September 22, 2016, 09:36:49 amQuote from: HoosierBrew on September 22, 2016, 06:52:46 amAnd some local water supplies that are good for brewing aren't necessarily equally good at all points in the year. My $0.02 - use RO water to build on and verify its quality with a cheap TDS meter. No guesswork. I am leery of cheap TDS meters, and everything else cheap for that matter. The "cheap" TDS meter I recently bought says that store bought RO water and distilled water contains MORE dissolved solids that the river water from our municipal supply, something which the tests from Ward labs proves is not the case. Ya pay for what ya git, and hope ya git whatchya pay for.I can't speak to that, except that Martin(our resident water guru) says that a cheap TDS meter is fine to use, as we don't need to know TDS to the exact ppm, just be in the ballpark. All I know is that I (and many brewers here ) use a meter like this one with reliable results. https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1474559085&sr=1-1&keywords=ez+tds+meterAs for the store's water, there's no guarantee that their water was as advertised. And RO machines are susceptible to not being maintained, which drives up the TDS. Which is why I carry a meter.
Quote from: HoosierBrew on September 22, 2016, 06:52:46 amAnd some local water supplies that are good for brewing aren't necessarily equally good at all points in the year. My $0.02 - use RO water to build on and verify its quality with a cheap TDS meter. No guesswork. I am leery of cheap TDS meters, and everything else cheap for that matter. The "cheap" TDS meter I recently bought says that store bought RO water and distilled water contains MORE dissolved solids that the river water from our municipal supply, something which the tests from Ward labs proves is not the case. Ya pay for what ya git, and hope ya git whatchya pay for.
And some local water supplies that are good for brewing aren't necessarily equally good at all points in the year. My $0.02 - use RO water to build on and verify its quality with a cheap TDS meter. No guesswork.
You should see if the local grocery stores near you have them.Here you go.http://locator.glacierwater.com/locator/viewer/map.php?lat=&lng=&accuracy=&search=Denver+co&value=5
Quote from: fmader on September 22, 2016, 10:08:09 amI add my salts to the empty pot. Then I add my mash water to it. Allows it to dissolve over the course of time it takes to heat to strike temperature. If you do not have Bru'n Water, I certainly suggest investigating it. It makes things stupid easy.^^
Quote from: hopfenundmalz on September 22, 2016, 06:50:09 amYou should see if the local grocery stores near you have them.Here you go.http://locator.glacierwater.com/locator/viewer/map.php?lat=&lng=&accuracy=&search=Denver+co&value=5This locator is cool. Turns out the Whole Foods at the end of my street has a machine. So, for $10 worth of water I can drop $150 on craft beer and other stuff. I never get out of that store cheaply, which is why I try not to go in.
Quote from: HoosierBrew on September 22, 2016, 10:13:48 amQuote from: fmader on September 22, 2016, 10:08:09 amI add my salts to the empty pot. Then I add my mash water to it. Allows it to dissolve over the course of time it takes to heat to strike temperature. If you do not have Bru'n Water, I certainly suggest investigating it. It makes things stupid easy.^^Ill have to check it out. Little bit worried about figuring out water chemistry, but from what it seems, Bru'n water makes it easier. Does it help with mash PH or is that something you just have to monitor yourself during the mash?
Quote from: deadpoetic0077 on September 22, 2016, 11:58:51 amQuote from: HoosierBrew on September 22, 2016, 10:13:48 amQuote from: fmader on September 22, 2016, 10:08:09 amI add my salts to the empty pot. Then I add my mash water to it. Allows it to dissolve over the course of time it takes to heat to strike temperature. If you do not have Bru'n Water, I certainly suggest investigating it. It makes things stupid easy.Ill have to give it a try! Thanks! ^^Ill have to check it out. Little bit worried about figuring out water chemistry, but from what it seems, Bru'n water makes it easier. Does it help with mash PH or is that something you just have to monitor yourself during the mash?I was the same way. I was totally ignorant. Donate a handful of money and get the contributor version of Bru'n Water. Once you get it, you'll probably be overwhelmed, because it is probably the most elaborate speadsheet you'll ever encounter. Don't be. The cool thing is that it has instructions. Secondly, anybody on this thread that has experience with it, will help you out. It truly makes water chemistry simple. And by building your water profile to fit whatever beer style you want, your beer will be much better. Well worth the effort to learn.I really don't find it to add much more time to the whole brew cycle either. I way my salts out with my hops while I'm making my yeast starter.
Quote from: HoosierBrew on September 22, 2016, 10:13:48 amQuote from: fmader on September 22, 2016, 10:08:09 amI add my salts to the empty pot. Then I add my mash water to it. Allows it to dissolve over the course of time it takes to heat to strike temperature. If you do not have Bru'n Water, I certainly suggest investigating it. It makes things stupid easy.Ill have to give it a try! Thanks! ^^Ill have to check it out. Little bit worried about figuring out water chemistry, but from what it seems, Bru'n water makes it easier. Does it help with mash PH or is that something you just have to monitor yourself during the mash?
Quote from: fmader on September 22, 2016, 10:08:09 amI add my salts to the empty pot. Then I add my mash water to it. Allows it to dissolve over the course of time it takes to heat to strike temperature. If you do not have Bru'n Water, I certainly suggest investigating it. It makes things stupid easy.Ill have to give it a try! Thanks! ^^