[mattc]

whoops sorry , hokerer

[Kit B]

Brew it up...Your magnesium level is still lower than my tap water.

But, if you mix thouroughly & cut that up into like six equal portions for later brew sessions, I think you'll be happier with the results.
Just don't use that crazy scale, for your dividing into 6 portions.

[bluesman]

Mash by maxing out your tun in equal volumes between the mash and the sparge. Then top off your BK with water and extract to a prescribed OG. Increase hopping rate accordingly.

[mattc]

Now you got me thinking.....If I use distilled water and did a no-sparge ( adding all strike water at once), I would have:

Mash in with 9.8 gallons. I estimate minerals at this point:
 
CA = 459
MG = 38
NA = 0
Cl = 140
Sulfate = 308
RA = 398

That is alot more tolerable.

[mattc]

...ummm I think you just said that bluesman...sorry I should read before posting..

[bassriverbrewer]

I'd try using the distilled water it might cost a little more but will reduce the mineral load

[gmac]

So, what did you do?

[richardt]

Its a shame you weren't adding minerals to your mash water and not the grains.  I've never done it the way you are.  Water is cheap and a mistake is no big deal (unless you have to run out and buy more water).  

However, given chalk's poor solubility in hot water, you'd want to add the chalk addition directly to the mash (grains + mash water addition). 

I've done it both ways (adding brew salts to the liquor and adding brew salts to the mash).  I've noticed that, if I add the salts to the liquor, then there's considerable precipitate (which I presume to be chalk) at the bottom of the HLT and it doesn't get into the mash until the very end of the sparge.  At that point, it would be too late for it to perform its role as a mash buffer and pH adjuster.  Since then, I've gone the route of adding my brew salts to the mash.

[malzig]

Its a shame you weren't adding minerals to your mash water and not the grains.  I've never done it the way you are.  Water is cheap and a mistake is no big deal (unless you have to run out and buy more water).  

However, given chalk's poor solubility in hot water, you'd want to add the chalk addition directly to the mash (grains + mash water addition)

Right, but that poor solubility would have worked in his favor, this time.

[tubercle]

Tubercle don't dump nothing till is has been tasted.

[mattc]

I did end up dumping it without brewing it. I figure I am not gonna put all that time and effort into a beer that more than likely will turn out pretty bad or undrinkable. I just cant see brewing a beer I am not going to be happy with when I know it from the get-go.

as far as adding the salts, I believe if you do add them to the HLT, they will be lost because they wont dissolve in straight up water. If you add them to then tun itself, you can be sure that they WILL dissolve in the mash where they need to be. i take it a step further and add them directly to the crushed malt. I think that way the PH will be close from the beginning. JMO

[tubercle]

I just cant see brewing a beer I am not going to be happy with when I know it from the get-go.

 Chicken $h^t.

 Are you NostraDumbAss or something predicting the future and all of that?


Edit: Tubercle might be a little harsh here. But, how do you know. Might have invented a new "style". Or, are you one of those that only succumb to already established "styles"?

[Kaiser]

I see mattc's point. For me brewing time is a pretty valuable thing to and if I would know that the beer is likely ruined I would not brew it either.

It's like finding that your malt got wet and moldy. Would you brew with that on the off chance that it comes out fine?

Kai

[tubercle]

I see mattc's point. For me brewing time is a pretty valuable thing to and if I would know that the beer is likely ruined I would not brew it either.

It's like finding that your malt got wet and moldy. Would you brew with that on the off chance that it comes out fine?

Kai

 Valuable is right. In this case sunk time.

 Wouldn't brew with with wet and moldy grain but if the water was off, so what. Apparently perfection in brewing can only be obtained by having everything to the 0.00000000001  level of accuracy.


 Damn, live a little. Try a new sex position occasionally

 EDIT:

 OK, these comments are probably uncalled for but buy another bucket. Brew something else while this one is working. Just saying...

[mabrungard]

Matt,

Most of the salts will dissolve in the mashing water prior to adding the grain.  Of course the chalk isn't going to dissolve, but if the water is mixed and the chalk is in suspension, its just as good as adding directly to the mash.  Sorry to hear that you dumped your grain.