KernelCrush said:
I use another software, but I think if you select your water as Scott describes as your base profile, then select your target profile, then click 'save additions to target', then select the target as your water ingredient it will add your salt additions as calculated by Beersmith to your recipe automatically.
This is true (ish).
1. Scott described how to create your own "home" water profile.
2. KernelCrush described how to save a set of additions to "create" a particular profile from your water + salts. Although, he did leave out the step where you click the "calculate best additions" or whatever its called (right after loading your source water, and your target water, and before clicking "save additions to target"). That is the point where beersmith actually does the math on figuring out the right additions.
There are a couple of caveats to this, though.
1. The "calculate best additions" only works as long as you do not use two source waters. E.g. if you dilute with distilled water, this function doesn't properly take that into account. The salt additions will be too low, and wrong. I frequently dilute for blondes.
2. ....I had a really long diatribe about the need to separate the mash additions and boil additions....which Beersmith can't do. But, its just too long and messy.
3..... I also had a really long diatribe about replicating famous city water profiles, and the fallacy thereof. Again, it just gets too messy.
Both of the above diatribes would have pushed this post into the 3-4 page range. I've written both in the past....sorry, I guess I'm feeling lazy today. If you are messing with water, you should know why you are doing so. There are a few different reasons, and the goals aren't exactly identical, and sometimes are contradictory.
Anyway, my point is that while the water tool is kinda interesting, its too complicated and too simple at the same time. It doesn't help you manage your water chemistry in the ways that you should...if you are going to bother doing it at all. So, you are better off managing your salt additions using a third party tool....or just keeping it dead simple, and adding a tsp each of CaCl and CaSO4 to your mash (because almost everyone can use a little extra calcium for their yeasties). Equal parts CaCl / CaSO4 assures that you don't upset your base water Cl/SO4 ratio very much.