Water Profiles

Hello,

I am new to Brewsmith and forums so bear with me

I hope to perform my first all grain soon and think I and pretty well set.  My goal is to eventually lager so if you are going to go I say go for the best!

My question is:

I am having trouble getting my local water report to tell me the mineral content etc.  So I bought some strips and it has helped but now I am trying to use the Brewsmith tool and am not sure how to enter the right amount of chems to match the desired water profile.  Of cousre, I am going for a hard one, Pilsener Czezh.  I actaully think I will get close using my own softened water but am worried about sodium. 

My main quation is how to use the tool?  Any help is appreciated.

Good Brewing!!

Jim

Yes I would say that your going doing a hard one,,,,get RO or DI,  to start with,,, you say you have soft water,,,well wouldnt bother with that only to sent it to wards labs to get it tested for future use 
Plug in Di or ro for the name put 0' cross the starting profile,,to down to enter style click,then,hit calb to closest comes up in grams there you have it,,,,, if my memory is correct,,,

Deer Park bottled water is very low mineral, similar to Plzen, CR. 

Long term, you can verify your local water with www.wardlab.com for about $17. 

How can I use BeerSmith to work out what I need to add to my water profile to get the profile of say Burton on Trent?

MaltLicker said:

Deer Park bottled water is very low mineral, similar to Plzen, CR. 

Long term, you can verify your local water with www.wardlab.com for about $17. 

Click to expand...

You will want: Ward Labs W-6 Household Mineral Test $16.50

Sodium
Calcium
Magnesium
Potassium
Carbonate
Bicarbonate
Chloride Sulfate
Nitrate
Electrical Conductivity
Est. Total Dissolved Solids
pH
Total Hardness (Lime)
Total Alkalinity

There is a book called beer captured in the book it has many profiles to plug into beer smith

dont use water from a water softener.  Start with RO water and build it from there