Brewing Salt Additions

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jdub
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Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:49 pm

Brewing Salt Additions

Post by jdub »

I am trying to decide what brewing software to purchase. I like Beer Tools but have one question. I found the water chemistry section in the recipe pull down, and I can find the different cities whose water they profile, but am unable to see where to make the additions and then see the result of those additions to my own water profile. Does the software this? Can someone give me the "blow by blow"?

Thanks, JW
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slothrob
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Water Chemistry

Post by slothrob »

THis is one of my favorite features of BeerToolsPro and one of the reasons I frequently recommend the software.

To add your water to the Water Chemistry Calculator: use the Browse>Water Profiles in the menubar to go to the Water Component Browser, select Water in the drop-down menu, then select and "Add" your city to send it to the calculator, or enter your city's water profile as a "New" profile, then Add it. Add Distilled Water, too, if you plan to dilute your tap water with distilled or RO water.

To add salts to the Water Chemistry Calculator: use the Browse>Water Profiles in the menubar to go to the Water Component Browser, select Mineral Salts in the drop-down menu, then select and "Add" the salts you want to use to send them to the calculator.

If you add your water and salts in an empty recipe, then make it your Default recipe, or save it as a template, all of the appropriate additions will be in the Water Calculator window every time you create a new recipe, or if you apply a Template. Alternately, you can use Save and Load to create a set of adjusted water profiles for different beers that you can retrieve for new recipes.

To formulate your water and calculate the RA: Check the box next to your water profile, highlight the water with a click and adjust the volume in the Quantity window. Similarly, check the boxes next to any salts you want to use, then highlight and adjust the amount in the Quantity window.

The total volume will show in the Totals window, adjusting that volume directly will scale all the salt additions to different water volumes.

There's also an explanation of this process in the BTP User Guide, available through the Help Menu. The user guide also points out that you have the option of saving salts in the inventory. By dragging the salts you wish to use into the recipe, they should be added into the Water Chemistry window when it opens.
BTP v2.0.* Windows XP
jdub
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Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:49 pm

thanks for the reply

Post by jdub »

Thanks for the help, and great directions! I was able to follow you perfectly. I had already gone as far as adding my city's flavor profile, I just need to choose the other option.

You mentioned making changes if one were to add RO water. I have two questions for you:

1) If I used half RO and half tap I would assume that my profile numbers would cut in half. Correct?

2) If one were to use all RO water, should they start with all 0's?

Best, Jason
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jawbox
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Post by jawbox »

you'll be close using all zeros i sent in my water to ward labs after running through my RO.

Here's the results pre and post RO filter, and note I have crap water for brewing.


Pre-Filter RO
Sodium 78 17
Calcium 95 <1
Magnesium 50 1
Total Hardness 446 4
CO3 <1 <1
HC03 378 28
Chloride 164 20
Sulphate 15 <1
Total Alkalinity 310 23

The only way to know for sure is sending it in for testing. Do a search for ward labs they have a household test that should give you everything you need to know for brewing. However, you might be able to get this info from your municipality

Jaw
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jdub
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RO Reply

Post by jdub »

Thanks! This is great info.
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