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Water Profile Tool, Base Profile

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mmgerecke

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Hello, New to the forum and reaching out for some advice. I am starting to take on water profiles and have a question about the tool. What's unclear to me is the volume for the base profile. Is it looking for total volume, or preboil volume.

To control PH in the mash, I am using small amounts of Lactic Acid, so I am just concerned about making salt adjustments in the boil. My theory is that I would just need to treat the preboil volume because of this, but looking for some help.

Thanks
 
mmgerecke said:
What's unclear to me is the volume for the base profile. Is it looking for total volume, or preboil volume.
...
My theory is that I would just need to treat the preboil volume because of this, but looking for some help.
Click to expand...

BeerSmith is assuming a treatment profile for your total water. Insofar as giving you a full list of minerals to use, it's fine. You can then use a standard ratio of 1/3 in the mash, 2/3 in the boil.

HOWEVER!! The water profile tool has limitations that are documented all throughout this forum.

The link that ihikeut cited is a more specialized tool for dynamically honing in your treatment, based on your local water and recipe.

There is a growing homebrew myth that brewing water MUST be treated and that the treatment MUST be precise. It aint so. A certain amount of treatment can be beneficial for mash quality and taste, but there is a huge range of acceptability.

I have a very "hard" mineral profile that rivals Dortmund and Burton. I treat my paler beers with acidulated malt to get the pH I want, based on the water I get most of the year.

I take a dissolved solids reading before each batch as a nominal guide to what the city is sending me. That reading alone doesn't tell me anything, except that when it rises, I know I am being sent more ground water. Through past analysis I know what the ground water typically has in it. Over a certain amount, a small amount of phosphoric acid is used to adjust pH.

I don't treat my sparge water, at all. This flys in the face of a lot of online advice, but the last runnings of my mash are seldom above 5.6.
 
Thank you both for your replies. I will be sure to check out that link. Seems to be a fairly common resource among home brewers. Cheers!
 
brewfun said:
mmgerecke said:
What's unclear to me is the volume for the base profile. Is it looking for total volume, or preboil volume.
...
My theory is that I would just need to treat the preboil volume because of this, but looking for some help.
Click to expand...

BeerSmith is assuming a treatment profile for your total water. Insofar as giving you a full list of minerals to use, it's fine. You can then use a standard ratio of 1/3 in the mash, 2/3 in the boil.

HOWEVER!! The water profile tool has limitations that are documented all throughout this forum.

The link that ihikeut cited is a more specialized tool for dynamically honing in your treatment, based on your local water and recipe.

There is a growing homebrew myth that brewing water MUST be treated and that the treatment MUST be precise. It aint so. A certain amount of treatment can be beneficial for mash quality and taste, but there is a huge range of acceptability.

I have a very "hard" mineral profile that rivals Dortmund and Burton. I treat my paler beers with acidulated malt to get the pH I want, based on the water I get most of the year.

I take a dissolved solids reading before each batch as a nominal guide to what the city is sending me. That reading alone doesn't tell me anything, except that when it rises, I know I am being sent more ground water. Through past analysis I know what the ground water typically has in it. Over a certain amount, a small amount of phosphoric acid is used to adjust pH.

I don't treat my sparge water, at all. This flys in the face of a lot of online advice, but the last runnings of my mash are seldom above 5.6.
Click to expand...

Its funny, I probably have some of the blame for that myth.  At least here.  I think people look at how I describe my methods and think they are incredibly complicated.  The truth is, I spend most of the brew day with my feet propped up enjoying the spring air, sunshine, and birds chirping. 

I used to fuss over it a lot.  But, enough experience calculating, measuring, adjusting, etc...and I've come full circle.  I know what's going to happen, and the measurements just confirm my expectations.  I dont' think I made a single pH ADJUSTMENT all year last year.  Just take a measurement and "yep, that's what I expected." 



I also don't treat my sparge water
 
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