How to improve this recipe (kamikaze knitting club)

[Cheshire Cat]

The first profile on the list is our water, I’ve called it Appleton because that’s where we live. I got the profile off the United Utilities website.
PS
check the profile quarterly as they change and take an average reading.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

You need a water profile of your own water first then input it into a water treatment calculator and just add chemicals to the required levels although as you said it is not quite straight forward if you have some sectors already higher than the amount required.
I am no expert so I will let one of the more accomplished water treatment aficionados explain it better

If a mineral value of your water is higher that that for your brew then you need to dilute it with RO or bottled water.

 

[foxy]

Oh wow I see now why it’s a rabbit hole cheers

Water treatment can be a rabbit hole but it is only if the brewer makes it so.
Basically my water treatment varies little if at all, there are three ways, the hard way, the easy way and no way.
No way is if you have a water so out of balance with the mineral deposits it becomes nigh impossible to adjust.
The hard way is adjusting between each style, from different parts of the world, who knows what water adjustment goes on to make those beers?
The easy way is only put in the mash the fermentables in the grist, leave the none fermentables out. You can cold steep none fermentables overnight, or hot steep at 77C for 20 minutes. By only putting the base malt and fermentable adjunct in the mash the salt additions will vary little. I am lucky here our water is probably as close to RO water as you could get so my additions really only change between what pH I am after.
So the easy way is to add the none fermentables at mash out the ideal temperature of 77C and for 20 mins. If you decide on which calculator you are going to use there should be a box to tick against the grain for, late addition / mash.
This way whether it is a stout or a bitter there will be little variation if any to the salts added.

Even though the specialty grains are known as none fermentable they aren't really devoid of fermentable sugars, more in the lighter to virtually none in the darker.

 

[Monkhouse]

Thanks for the reply foxy. I’ve got a 3 vessel system, HLT, mash tun and boiler, I’m unable to set mash out temp etc for me that would mean adding extra hot liquor to the mash to gain this increase in temp.
Out of interest where abouts do you live to get such a good water supply?

 

[foxy]

I live in Melbourne Australia.
You can still steep the non fermentable grains in a vacuum flask, it is a broad window 70 to 77C around 77 is the better. Then add the steeped liquor to the boil, making sure you allow for the steeped liquor in your water volume. I know someone who didn't once.

 

[Monkhouse]

Thanks foxy you’ve given me much food for thought, I shall ponder this info whilst I put my saison on to boil- 1st time adding orange zest to a beer