Water calc??

[Clint]

Hello all
As Strange Steve's water calc is no longer...what's everyone using?
I've tried some others but I'm struggling to get any where near what I have been adding etc..

 

[marshbrewer]

I'm using the built in one in Brewfather; it's a shame Steve's isn't up anymore, as it would be good to compare results. The forum one doesn't have phosphoric acid as an option so I can't use that unfortunately.

 

[MmmBeer]

Hello all
As Strange Steve's water calc is no longer...what's everyone using?
I've tried some others but I'm struggling to get any where near what I have been adding etc..

I'm in the same boat, I got used to Strange Steve's calculator and can't seem to get on with the others. I have been cheating and copying treatment quantities from previous similar beers. I will be brewing again soon, might just try doing the calculation manually and seeing where that gets me.

On a related matter, has anyone seen any posts from Strange Steve recently?

 

[trueblue]

If your a member of Jim's forum Graham Wheelers calculator is available on there

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I'm using Bru'n Water - it's a little fiddly but I trust the results, if you know what I mean

 

[marshbrewer]

Can it handle phosphoric acid? Might give it a spin if it does

 

[trueblue]

I'm using Bru'n Water - it's a little fiddly but I trust the results, if you know what I mean

Bru'n Water is very American orientated. They tend to have their own ideas for the parameters of British beers that are a lot different to what we tend to go by.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Bru'n Water is very American orientated. They tend to have their own ideas for the parameters of British beers that are a lot different to what we tend to go by.

Yes; however you can put in whatever profile you like, and just ignore its warnings about the levels of chloride and sulphate :-)

 

[foxy]

Brewers Friend is a good calculator John Palmer's calculations.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Brewers friend works for me.

 

[user 18729]

Yes; however you can put in whatever profile you like, and just ignore its warnings about the levels of chloride and sulphate :-)

Exactly this The formulas are spot on and as TETB has mentioned, you can simply add your own target profiles.

 

[mentaldental]

I have used Bru'n Water for years. As commented above it is "fiddly" to use but it gives "trusty" results. I was a bit confused about it being very "American" but I assume that is related to the preset water profiles, which I don't use.

What it does do well is control the alkalinity of your liquor, which is the key parameter, and hence the mash pH.

Once you get the hang of it (and that takes a bit of effort) it is an outstanding app.

The author is an American homebrewer and water engineer. He also runs a company supplying water services to the brewing industry. The backup and support is excellent and the Bru'n Water Facebook group is useful too.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I have used Bru'n Water for years. As commented above it is "fiddly" to use but it gives "trusty" results. I was a bit confused about it being very "American" but I assume that is related to the preset water profiles, which I don't use.

What it does do well is control the alkalinity of your liquor, which is the key parameter, and hence the mash pH.

Once you get the hang of it (and that takes a bit of effort) it is an outstanding app.

The author is an American homebrewer and water engineer. He also runs a company supplying water services to the brewing industry. The backup and support is excellent and the Bru'n Water Facebook group is useful too.

Community dentist? Brewers friend does allow own profiles and as said above you can ignore warnings if the result is what you want.

Now that I've stepped in with that I will have another look at Bru'n Water although not on facebook so that support option nil for me.

Could have another go at reading Water I suppose but it's a bit dry!

 

[peebee]

I use "Bru'n Water" but also "Mash-made-easy", a freebie by this character: @Argentum . They are very different, but "Mash-made-easy" is more up-to-date and supported very enthusiastically by the (American) author. Both have their oddities that you need to get used to.

All calculators should come up with the same results for adding non-alkaline salts (e.g. not sodium bicarbonate) but can differ with pH predictions. At the moment, for me, "Bru'n Water" gets closer, but that should change with my wappy water supply (presently it is at least being fairly stable). I have Graham Wheeler's profiles keyed into Bru'n Water. It is worth remembering your water supply might work better with a different calculator than the one you are using.

The good thing about calculators is you don't need detailed knowledge of "alkalinity". "Alkalinity" is an important concept to understand if you are building your own calculator or calculating additions using just a standard calculator (or slide-rule, pen & paper, etc.). If "Alkalinity" is over your head (hardly an uncommon thing) just use a water calculator and have it figure out additions to get the right mash pH. Or wing it, or do nothing, most* water will settle to a correct mash pH though you may be limited to best results for just a type of beer.


* Most? At the moment mine settles out at <pH 5.0 . It doesn't seem to fall into the "most" category.

 

[Argentum]

Brewers Friend is a good calculator John Palmer's calculations.

I always thought Brewer's Friend was maintained by Kai Troester (Braukaiser), and was based upon his research and equations/formulas. A moderator here should know, and be able to set the record straight, as this forum has ties to Brewer's Friend.

 

[thegrantickle]

+1 for Bru'n'water

 

[sifty]

I use a tweaked version of the metric EZ Water Calculator spreadsheet
I added a converter to EBC as it uses Lovibond, plus it uses choride:sulphate rather than the other way round, so I added some cells to fix that with the result linked to Palmer's descriptions (1.5-2.0 = slightly bitter, 4.0-9.0 = very bitter etc).

Pretty sure the Brewfather app uses same system as numbers line up pretty much exactly...

 

[Argentum]

Increasing Sulfate does not make beer more bitter. If anything, it 'perhaps' makes beer seem drier. One would need to experiment whereby to see if it changes the perception of hop bitterness. And then one would need to experiment whereby to determine if chloride suppresses the perception of hop bitterness.

IMHO, there is no such thing as a sulfate to chloride ratio. A ratio would imply that one somehow negates or balances the other.

If you add too much salt to a recipe by mistake, does adding too much pepper reduce the salt?

Is 10 mg/L Sulfate and 10 mg/L Chloride the flavor equivalent of 100 mg/L Sulfate and 100 mg/L Chloride?

 

[sifty]

Is 10 mg/L Sulfate and 10 mg/L Chloride the flavor equivalent of 100 mg/L Sulfate and 100 mg/L Chloride?

Well, no.
But who is saying that? The ratio is used in conjunction with recommended levels/additions to your base water profile. Palmer is quite clear that maximising sulfate and chloride leads to harsh flavours, and that 30:30 is not the same as 300:300ppm...

 

[Argentum]

Who says that recommended water mineralization levels (also known as "Water Profiles") have the magic to transform beer from bad to good, or even from one style to another? Is there magic in the ratio or the minerals that comprise it? Again, much experimentation and blind tasting study would be required whereby to establish both the validity and credibility of the magic. Otherwise it is merely an example of perpetuating a myth via repetition. Say it often enough, and find enough parrots to blindly perpetuate it, and with time and repetition it somehow becomes the truth. That only works for religion. Not science.