Bru'n water: not sure how to hit water profile for this beer

I'm using Bru'n water 3.4 for a robust porter.  I'm using the Black Full profile and building my water from RO/deionized water.

I can adjust the salt additions to hit my "Mashing Water Profile" spot on, but need to add some alkalinity (NaHCO3 and Ca(OH)2) to get my pH to the proper range.  Since it's not good to add alkalinity to the sparge water (Bru'n water doesn't even allow it), the "Overall Finished Water Profile" ends up being low on sodium and calcium.  I've included a screenshot to show what I mean.

Is there any way to compensate for this? Should I try to hit my mash water profile as close as I can and not worry about the overall finished water? Or try to hit the overall finished water, and my mash pH, and not worry about hitting the other values for the mash water profile?

apples-to-oranges said:

I'm using Bru'n water 3.4 for a robust porter.  I'm using the Black Full profile and building my water from RO/deionized water.

I can adjust the salt additions to hit my "Mashing Water Profile" spot on, but need to add some alkalinity (NaHCO3 and Ca(OH)2) to get my pH to the proper range.  Since it's not good to add alkalinity to the sparge water (Bru'n water doesn't even allow it), the "Overall Finished Water Profile" ends up being low on sodium and calcium.  I've included a screenshot to show what I mean.

Is there any way to compensate for this? Should I try to hit my mash water profile as close as I can and not worry about the overall finished water? Or try to hit the overall finished water, and my mash pH, and not worry about hitting the other values for the mash water profile?

Click to expand...

I am actually working with this exact same profile right now trying to learn the new (to me) version (v3) and using an oatmeal stout recipe to learn on.  I am also trying to figure out why my sodium drops way off in the finished profile.  I am assuming that it gets bound up in the mash but oddly enough if you use NaCl the sodium level carries over to the finished profile.  So, where does the sodium in NaHCO3 get lost?  Weird...

By the way, I think you've done a really good job building up from distilled water.  In fact, we are extremely close on many of the same salt additions.  Also, I think you're smart in targeting a 5.5 mash pH for this style, I regularly brew an oatmeal stout and it's always best when my actual mash pH is 5.5-6.0.  The first time I made it, the mash pH settled at 5.2 and it was a terrible acidic, ashy, acrid mess of a homebrew that ended up down the drain.

Bru'n water won't add alkaline salts to the sparge water (since you don't want your sparge water pH to be too high), so if you're using NaHCO3 to increase your sodium it'll only have you add it to the mash water.  Which means once you sparge you're diluting the sodium and it will be low at the end.  If you add NaCl Bru'n water will have you add it to the mash and the sparge so you're not diluting the sodium when you add the sparge water.

From what I've read the only things that can affect the mash are calcium levels that are too low, and pH.  So I'm planning to just up my salts to hit the finished water.  This will give me higher than target levels at mash, but higher calcium shouldn't be a problem, and as long as I adjust it so my pH stays at 5.5 I think it should be fine.

apples-to-oranges said:

Bru'n water won't add alkaline salts to the sparge water (since you don't want your sparge water pH to be too high), so if you're using NaHCO3 to increase your sodium it'll only have you add it to the mash water.  Which means once you sparge you're diluting the sodium and it will be low at the end.  If you add NaCl Bru'n water will have you add it to the mash and the sparge so you're not diluting the sodium when you add the sparge water.

From what I've read the only things that can affect the mash are calcium levels that are too low, and pH.  So I'm planning to just up my salts to hit the finished water.  This will give me higher than target levels at mash, but higher calcium shouldn't be a problem, and as long as I adjust it so my pH stays at 5.5 I think it should be fine.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that makes sense with your thorough explanation.  At the advice of John Palmer, I don't even treat my sparge water since I'm using RO/distilled.  Instead, I add Bru'n Water's Sparge Additions to the kettle.

I am interested to hear an explanation on your original question.

Ryat66 said:

At the advice of John Palmer, I don't even treat my sparge water since I'm using RO/distilled.  Instead, I add Bru'n Water's Sparge Additions to the kettle.

I am interested to hear an explanation on your original question.

Click to expand...

Thanks Ryat66 .....for correcting my suggestion to add acid to the sparge water! It is a good question as to why the two different sodium additions do & don't carry through to the finish water  profile.
Maybe it a question of chemical reaction or a software issue. Good luck you are both on the right path because you are considering dilution and grain absorption.

My approach to increasing water hardness and alkalinity using Bru'n Water is to use two profiles. One is using RO as the primary water and diluting with my well water. The second is the opposite of the first. It gives me a full range of brewing beer various styles. I am fortunate to have a very fine tasting well water. I only go 100% RO with Czech Pilsner. I taste my base water and if it is too minerally, I have to change the direction in which I dilute.

Just another perspective!