Brun Water v1_16bsi

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Bru'n Water v. 1.16si Page 1 7/11/13 Bru'n Water Instructions Created by Martin Brungard, P.E. D.WRE ([email protected]) Getting Started Copyright © 2013 Martin Brungard. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without the express written permission of Martin Brungard is prohibited. Most water sources that have an acceptable taste can be used to brew beer. But to brew great beer, adjustment of brewing water may be needed. Bru'n Water is a brewing water analysis program that enables a brewer to successfully evaluate and modify their water supply to improve their beer. The program steps through the evaluation of a brewer's water supply, adjustment to a desired water profile, evaluation of potential mash pH, and adjustments to produce desirable mash pH. Homebrewing and Craftbrewing are unique in their need to frequently assess and adjust their brewing water to better suit their upcoming beer. This differs from the needs of production breweries that brew thousands of barrels of the same beer every year. Consistency is the key for production brewers and they have little need to evaluate or change their brewing water. Through trial and error and advanced laboratory analyses, production breweries typically know exactly what adjustments they need for their brewing water. Homebrewers and Craftbrewers rarely have the tools at their disposal to perfect their water and since they often change what beer they brew, a capable tool is helpful. This brewing tool is intended to aid those who want to get great results out of every batch. characteristics and ion concentrations. Of course, you want a water supply that is safe to drink and tastes good. Water that leaves black, brown, or red water staining may be an indication that the water will need additional treatment to be suitable for brewing. Water that has been softened by typical home water softeners (ion exchange) is not typically desirable for brewing due to elevated sodium or potassium content and low calcium and magnesium content. Brewers with softened water should obtain their brewing water from a point upstream of the softener for better brewing results. Hard water is not typically an obstacle to brewing good beer. However, alkalinity is a problem typical to many brewers. Ion exchange water softeners do not affect alkalinity sigificantly and the resulting water is often poorly suited to brewing. A comprehensive instruction on brewing water knowledge is included in this program to assist the Brewer in understanding brewing water chemistry. Select the Water Knowledge tab to view or visit the Bru'n Water Knowledge web site link below. Bru'n Water Knowledge This program steps the brewer through a set of spreadsheets to complete the water analysis and adjustment. If a Brewer's water source is relatively stable and its characteristics do not change, then it is likely that the Brewer will only visit sheets 1 and 2 (Water Report Input and Sparge Acidification) once. Sheets 3 and 4 (Water Adjustment and Mash Acidification) will be used for each new brewing session. The Brewer should work sequentially through sheets 1 through 4 to define and assess their brewing water chemistry. If the mash acidification results indicate that the water adjustments will not produce a desirable result, the Brewer may need to revisit the Water Adjustment page (Sheet 3) and adjust the dilution, mineral, or acid additions to achieve their desired mash pH.

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Brewing water calculator

Transcript of Brun Water v1_16bsi

Bru'n Gard Water

0. InstructionsBru'n WaterCopyright 2013 Martin Brungard. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without the express written permission of Martin Brungard is prohibited.InstructionsCreated by Martin Brungard, P.E. D.WRE ([email protected])Most water sources that have an acceptable taste can be used to brew beer. But to brew great beer, adjustment of brewing water may be needed. Bru'n Water is a brewing water analysis program that enables a brewer to successfully evaluate and modify their water supply to improve their beer. The program steps through the evaluation of a brewer's water supply, adjustment to a desired water profile, evaluation of potential mash pH, and adjustments to produce desirable mash pH.Homebrewing and Craftbrewing are unique in their need to frequently assess and adjust their brewing water to better suit their upcoming beer. This differs from the needs of production breweries that brew thousands of barrels of the same beer every year. Consistency is the key for production brewers and they have little need to evaluate or change their brewing water. Through trial and error and advanced laboratory analyses, production breweries typically know exactly what adjustments they need for their brewing water. Homebrewers and Craftbrewers rarely have the tools at their disposal to perfect their water and since they often change what beer they brew, a capable tool is helpful. This brewing tool is intended to aid those who want to get great results out of every batch.Getting StartedThe first thing needed for brewing water analysis is to know your water supply characteristics and ion concentrations. Of course, you want a water supply that is safe to drink and tastes good. Water that leaves black, brown, or red water staining may be an indication that the water will need additional treatment to be suitable for brewing. Water that has been softened by typical home water softeners (ion exchange) is not typically desirable for brewing due to elevated sodium or potassium content and low calcium and magnesium content. Brewers with softened water should obtain their brewing water from a point upstream of the softener for better brewing results. Hard water is not typically an obstacle to brewing good beer. However, alkalinity is a problem typical to many brewers. Ion exchange water softeners do not affect alkalinity sigificantly and the resulting water is often poorly suited to brewing.A comprehensive instruction on brewing water knowledge is included in this program to assist the Brewer in understanding brewing water chemistry. Select the Water Knowledge tab to view or visit the Bru'n Water Knowledge web site link below.Bru'n Water KnowledgeThis program steps the brewer through a set of spreadsheets to complete the water analysis and adjustment. If a Brewer's water source is relatively stable and its characteristics do not change, then it is likely that the Brewer will only visit sheets 1 and 2 (Water Report Input and Sparge Acidification) once. Sheets 3 and 4 (Water Adjustment and Mash Acidification) will be used for each new brewing session. The Brewer should work sequentially through sheets 1 through 4 to define and assess their brewing water chemistry. If the mash acidification results indicate that the water adjustments will not produce a desirable result, the Brewer may need to revisit the Water Adjustment page (Sheet 3) and adjust the dilution, mineral, or acid additions to achieve their desired mash pH.Program Flow Summary 1. Input the Ion content of the existing water source on the Water Report Input sheet. 2. Check the Cation/Anion Balance on the Water Report Input sheet to confirm that the ion information input for the existing water is appropriate. If problems with the balance are found, double check the reported units for the inputs and convert any quantities that are not reported in straight ppm or mg/L units (not ppm as CaCO3). 3. Input the alkalinity of the existing water on the Sparge Acidification sheet and calculate the amount of acid needed to bring the Sparging Water pH and Alkalinity down to a proper level. 4. Select a desirable water profile for the brewing water on the Water Adjustment sheet and experiment with mineral and acid additions and/or water dilution that approximates the desired water profile. Adjust the mashing bicarbonate content to match the desired water profile that will serve as your first guess. The bicarbonate content of the mashing water may require refinement based on the acidity of the mashing grain bill. 5. Input the mashing grain bill on the Mash Acidification sheet along with the water volume of the mash and total batch of beer. 6. Check the resulting Estimated Mash pH on the Mash Acidification sheet. If the pH is lower than desired, increase the bicarbonate content of the mash water on the Water Adjustment sheet. If the pH is higher than desired, reduce the bicarbonate content. Adjust the mashing water ion concentrations until the desired mash pH is predicted. 7. A listing of the recommended Water Adjustments for mashing and sparging water is presented on the Adjustment Summary sheet. That sheet is configured for printing.If Reverse Osmosis (RO) or Distilled Water is the Brewer's primary water source, then Sheets 1 and 2 can be skipped and the Brewer can move directly to Sheets 3 and 4. Select either RO or Distilled from the Dilution Water Profile selection and set the dilution percentage to 100 percent. The water adjustments can then be properly entered to create the desired water profile.This program is unique in that it enables the evaluation of both brewing water alkalinity and mash acidity to more closely estimate and assess the mash water adjustments needed. The mash acidity is calculated from the actual grain bill used for each brewing session.The program is set up with color-coded cells to aid and direct the Brewer. Blue colored cells accept Brewer input. Yellow colored cells present calculated data and results. Many cells within each sheet contain informational comments that help the Brewer understand the inputs and results. Cells with comments have small Red mark in their right upper corner. Hover the cursor over cells to see the informational comments. Some cells will change their color to Green when inputs are within recommended tolerance.Features in this software require the use of Macros. Macros must be enabled in the software to access the drop-down selection information. If a security message from the spreadsheet software is displayed regarding macros, enable macros to run to gain full use of this program's features.When opening the program for the first time, the zoom on each of the sheets is set low (small) so that most Users can see the extent of the working area. Adjust the zoom setting on each sheet so that each sheet is enlarged and visible on your monitor. When the program is saved, your preferred zoom settings on each sheet will be saved. If text in some cells does not appear right, increasing the zoom can improve the appearance.The minimum water information needed includes: the water's pH and the water's Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Alkalinity, Sulfate, and Chloride concentrations. If the water pH is not known, it can generally be estimated as 8.0 without much error. If you are connected to a municipal water supply, you may be able to obtain this information from their water quality testing report. If that information is not readily available or if the water is from a private source, you may need to have the water tested for those parameters. A suite of tests such as the Household Mineral Test from Ward Labs (wardlab.com) is suitable ( Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Carbonate, Bicarbonate, Chloride, Sulfate, Nitrate, pH, Total Hardness, and Total Alkalinity). Only a small water sample is required for the testing. A White Labs yeast vial holds enough water for testing.MeasurementsMineral and acid additions must be measured and added accurately to achieve good brewing results. Since most of the minerals used for brewing water adjustment are powders, their density is affected by how tightly or loosely they are packed. Therefore, its not possible to provide an accurate mass of the mineral by using measuring spoons for mineral measurement. Measurement of dry powdered minerals with measuring spoons WILL NOT produce acceptable results under most conditions. The relatively small batch sizes of homebrewing means that mineral additions are frequently small and measuring minerals by means other than mass measure may leave the brewer with significant overdosing or underdosing.Brewers should obtain a scale with an accuracy of at least 0.1 grams to more accurately measure mineral and acid additions for typical homebrew sized batches. Craftbrewers that brew larger batches should have a scale with an accuracy of at least 1 gram to accurately measure their additions. Scales may be mechanical or digital, but their resolution should meet the recommendations above. An internet search for "digital scale 0.1" will reveal there are many scales available for under $30. A scale that can weigh at least 500 grams is recommended so the scale can be used for multiple uses including weighing hop additions. Higher scale capacity typically increases the cost of the scale, but the durability may also be improved.Liquid acid additions should also be measured accurately. An inexpensive measurement option for typical homebrew sized batches is to obtain a graduated medicine dropper from a drug store. A craftbrewer could consider obtaining a graduated cylinder or pipette for their larger acid additions.Some municipal water supplies get their water from several sources and the ionic content of the water may vary. That may require additional testing or analysis to ascertain. Contact the water utility to find out the water source variability. Water test kits may be used to provide the brewer with a quick assessment of the primary water quality parameters and are discussed below. Water test kits are recommended if the source and/or quality of the water supply varies.Aquarium test kits can provide reasonably accurate assessment of the primary brewing water quality parameters of calcium content (or hardness) and alkalinity (which is also termed 'carbonate hardness'). Aquarium test kits from manufacturers such as Aquarium Pharaceuticals, Elos, and Red Sea are available and can determine the concentration of these components. If better accuracy is desired, water testing kits from suppliers such as Hach and Lamotte are suggested. The hardness and alkalinity concentrations are the primary components that influence mash pH. The calcium kits may have names such as Calcium Test or General Hardness. The Alkalinity kits may have names such as Alkalinity/pH Test or Carbonate Hardness. Search the web for 'Aquarium Test Kits'. Colormetric kits that you add drops to are recommended since they are generally more sensitive than kits that use Test Strips.Aquarium test kits may report their results in terms of German degrees of Hardness, American Grains per Gallon, milliequivalents per liter, milligrams per liter, or parts per million. Results must be in milligrams per liter (mg/L) or parts per million (ppm) for use in this program. ppm and mg/L are generally equivalent. Conversion factors are provided below and some are included in the Conversion Calculator on the Water Report Input sheet.1 German degree Hardness = 17.85 ppm as CaCO3 = 7.14 ppm Ca 1 German degree Carbonate Hardness = 17.85 ppm Alkalinity as CaCO3 = 21.8 ppm HCO3 1 American degree Hardness = 1 grain per gallon = 17.1 ppm as CaCO3 = 6.86 ppm Ca 1 American degree Alkalinity = 1 grain per gallon = 17.1 ppm as CaCO3 = 20.8 ppm HCO3 1 mEq/L Hardness = 50 ppm Hardness as CaCO3 = 20 ppm Ca 1 mEq/L Alkalinity = 50 ppm Alkalinity as CaCO3 = 61 ppm HCO3Water Report InputWater testing results are entered on the Water Report Input sheet. The concentrations for each ion are entered in the Blue cells. Yellow cells display calculated results. Water reports typically present the ion concentrations as milligrams per liter (mg/L) or parts per million (ppm). These units are roughly equivalent and are used interchangably. This program includes helpful pop-up informational comments in some cells. Cells with a Red mark in the upper right cell corner will display the comment when the mouse cursor is hovered over that cell.If the Brewer's water report does not include information on minor ions such as potassium, flouride, iron, nitrate, or nitrite, enter zeros for those concentrations. The concentration of these ions is typically low and should only produce a minor error in the cation/anion ratio if they are entered as Zero.Metallic taste can be discerned in water by most people when the iron concentration exceeds 0.3 ppm or when manganese concentration exceeds 0.1 ppm. When metallic tastes are detected in beer or water, testing for these ions is recommended.Water testing reports can contain testing and reporting errors. Therefore, a review of the ionic balance between the positively-charged ions (Cations) and negatively-charged ions (Anions) is helpful. The Water Report Input sheet includes an Ion Balance calculator to provide you with a rapid evaluation of the water report results. The cation and anion totals should be nearly equivalent under most conditions. There can be some difference in the totals if there were errors in the testing or reporting or if there are other ions in the water that were not reported. The ion totals should generally be within about 0.5 milliequivalent per liter (meq/L) of each other to indicate acceptable testing results.A warning flag is shown on the sheet if the ions are not within acceptable balance. The Cation/Anion Difference cell will turn GREEN when the difference is less than 0.5 mEq/L. Be sure that the nitrate and sulfate concentrations were adjusted prior to entry if the water report was from Ward Labs. Be sure that concentrations that were reported in (as CaCO3) units have been converted to their true ion concentrations. Question the water report results with the water company or testing lab if the ions do not balance acceptably. Ignore that result if the ion totals are still within 0.5 meq/L of each other.The ion concentrations that were entered on the Water Report Input sheet are automatically entered in the Water Adjustment sheet. If the water source is fairly stable, the Brewer may not need to adjust this page in the future. Saving the program with those values on the Water Report Input sheet will speed the future use of the program.Proceed to the Sparge Acidification sheet to calculate the quantity of acid needed to properly adjust sparge water for brewing.Things to Check when your Water Report does not balanceWhen the reported water testing results do not indicate balanced ion concentrations, there are things the Brewer can check to evaluate what the potential errors are.If the water report gives either Total Hardness, Temporary Hardness, or Permanent Hardness results, compare the reported values from the water report to the values calculated on the Water Report Input sheet. If Total Hardness is incorrect, adjust either the calcium or magnesium content to better match the reported value. Magnesium is typically at lower concentration, so preferentially adjusting the calcium concentration is recommended.Some water reports may display ion concentrations in standard units such as (as CaCO3, as NO3-N, or as SO4-S). In that case, the reported concentration must be adjusted to the true result. Conversion factors for these ions are presented below. A Calculator with these Unit Conversions is provided at the bottom of the Water Report Input sheet.Ion Conversion Calcium (ppm as CaCO3): multiply by 0.401 to convert to (ppm) Calcium Magnesium (ppm as CaCO3): multiply by 0.243 to convert to (ppm) Magnesium Bicarbonate (ppm as CaCO3): multiply by 1.22 to convert to (ppm) Bicarbonate Carbonate (ppm as CaCO3): multiply by 0.60 to convert to (ppm) Carbonate Sulfate (ppm as SO4-S): multiply by 3.0 to convert to (ppm) Sulfate Nitrate (ppm as NO3-N): multiply by 4.43 to convert to (ppm) NitrateIf the water report includes Total Alkalinity but does not report the Bicarbonate or Carbonate concentrations, a calculator is included on the Water Report Input sheet to estimate those concentrations. Water pH does influence the relative amount of these ions, so the water pH must be entered. If the water report does not provide the pH, use a typical pH of 8.0 for the calculation.If the calculated Alkalinity value does not agree with the Alkalinity presented in the Water Report, adjust the Bicarbonate content on the Water Report Input sheet to better match the reported value. If the calculated Permanent Hardness value does not agree with the reported Permanent Hardness, it may indicate that the the chloride or sulfate content is incorrect.If any of these corrections produce a better ion balance, then the Brewer may elect to use these revised concentrations for their water profile instead of having another water test performed or asking for additional water testing information.Sparge Water AcidificationWARNING! Acids can seriously injure persons. All acid usage should be made with great care and proper storage, dosing, and protective equipment must be used.Acidification of brewing water to reduce alkalinity can be difficult without a good tool. The adjustment of sparge water pH is important for producing good brewing results. Proper pH and temperature of sparging water will help reduce tannin extraction. The recommended maximums for pH and temperature of sparge water to reduce tannin extraction are 6.0 and 170F, respectively.If only RO or Distilled Water is used for brewing, it may not be necessary to acidify the sparge water. Acidification of sparge water is performed only to reduce the sparge water alkalinity to low levels. pH targets for acidification are only indicators of low alkalinity. Alkalinity reduction is the real goal of acidification. If the starting water alkalinity is less than about 25 ppm, then acidification may not be necessary.With pH and Alkalinity information on the Existing Water, the proper amount of acid can be calculated without significant trial and error. The Sparge Acidification sheet is intended only for sparge water adjustments and should not be used for mashing water adjustment. A separate acidification (alkalinity adjustment) tool is provided at the bottom of the Water Adjustment sheet for mash water adjustment.Enter the water Alkalinity and the Starting Water pH in the Sparge Acidification sheet. If the alkalinity is not known but the bicarbonate content is known, the Water Report Input sheet calculates and displays the alkalinity of the existing water. If the Brewer will be diluting the existing water with distilled or RO water, the resulting alkalinity of the diluted water is provided at the right end of the Diluted Water Profile line on the Water Adjustment sheet. The Brewer can visit the Water Adjustment sheet anytime after the Water Report Input is complete. The Alkalinity value from the Water Report Input sheet is NOT automatically entered on the Sparge Acidification sheet by the program. That value is left as a manual entry since the sparging water may use the existing water or less mineralized water such as RO or DI water.If the Starting Water pH is not known, the Brewer can assume a relatively neutral pH between 7 and 8 without much impact to the results. The Desired Water pH is also entered here. The Desired Water pH for sparge water generally ranges between 5.5 and 6.0. The resulting Alkalinity of the sparging water can be used to help guide the degree of acidification. Reducing sparge water alkalinity to about 25 ppm (as CaCO3) should be sufficient. Vary the Desired Water pH value until the alkalinity target is achieved.Enter the volume of water that will be adjusted with this acid addition. Enter the volume as Liters. A conversion to Gallons is provided for those using US units, but the volume must be entered as Liters in the blue cell. If the water source is consistent, the volume of acid needed for sparge acidification will only vary with the sparge water volume. Standardizing the water volume to 1 liter may be helpful. If the water volume is set to 1 Liter, the sparge water acid amount on the Adjustment Summary sheet will automatically multiply the acid addition by the number of Liters of sparge water input on the Water Adjustment sheet.Use the drop-down box to select the type of acid used for acidification. Typical solid and liquid acids used in brewing and wine-making are provided in the selection box. If the acid is a liquid, enter the numerical strength reported for the acid and select the strength parameter (% = Percentage, N = Normality, M = Molarity). When entering acid percentage, enter as a whole number. For example: enter 88% as 88 and not 0.88. When using solid acids, the strength parameter setting is not used.The Output section reports the quantity of the specified acid needed to bring the water to the desired pH. If the specified acid is a solid form, then use the Solid Acid Required quantity. If the specified acid is a liquid form, then use the Liquid Acid Required quantity. A conversion from milliliters (mL) to teaspoons (tsp) is provided for User convenience.An accurate scale should be used for measuring solid acid additions and an accurate volume measure such as a graduated cylinder, pipette, or graduated dropper should be used for liquid additions. Care and proper protective gear must be used when working with acid since it can cause serious physical harm. Measure carefully and use instruments such as graduated pipettes or droppers to transfer acid. If the Brewer has a calibrated pH meter or test strips available, add about 3/4 of the calculated acid amount and mix the water thoroughly prior to checking the pH. Add the remainder of the acid incrementally while checking the water pH to make sure the pH isn't overshot. Once the performance of the Existing Water and the acid are confirmed to hit the Target pH, acid additions for future brewing sessions can typically be added all at once. Use caution when using pH strips since there is evidence that the typical strips used by homebrewers measure about 0.2 to 0.3 units lower than actually present in the mash. pH measurement with a calibrated meter is recommended. If using pH strips, a pH reading that is about 0.2 units above your targeted pH should be considered good.Variation in the water source pH or alkalinity can cause the pH target to be missed. Decarbonation of the water during heating or boiling can also reduce water hardness and alkalinity and cause the calculated acid addition to drop the pH too far. The Brewer should be aware of this possibility and measure their actual pH's when possible.When Sulfuric acid is used, the concentration of added sulfate ions is provided in the Output. When Hydrochloric acid is used, the concentration of added chloride ions is provided in the Output. The sulfate and chloride results calculated on this page are not included in the Water Adjustment results. The brewer can either include these results manually in the adjusted water profile, or the type and amount of acid (in mL per liter units) indicated on the Sparge Acidification sheet can be entered into the acid calculator on the Water Adjustment sheet and the ions will then be included in the Finished Water profile.All acids used for acidification should be identified as Food-Grade chemicals. This is particularly important for the acids since acids can easily dissolve and contain heavy metals that are hazardous to health.Proceed to the Water Adjustment sheet to calculate the mineral and acid additions to create the desired mashing water profile.Water AdjustmentAfter entering the Water Report information, water adjustment can be properly estimated for the Existing Water. The Existing Water Profile was automatically entered into the Water Adjustment sheet from the Water Report Input sheet. If the Existing Water Profile is not shown or is not correct, correct the entries on the Water Report Input sheet.A Desired Water Profile can be input in the Water Adjustment sheet from either a selection of historical world brewing center water profiles or one that generally fits the intended beer style. The sheet includes typical minerals and acids that can be used to adjust the water ion content.A wide range of target water profiles are available in the drop-down selector box to suit a variety of beer styles. These water profiles have been thoroughly researched and represent accurate and balanced ion concentrations for either the brewing center location or the beer style. Unfortunately, water profiles previously published in both print and electronic resources have had serious errors in ion content and ionic balance and cannot always be considered accurate or appropriate. The water profiles presented in this program provide the Brewer with the best information available.Brewer's should use caution in the use of historical water profiles. Although the water profiles are accurate, that does not mean that the brewers in those locations used that water without modification. For example, brewers performed operations such as Decarbonation by Boiling to reduce hardness and alkalinity and used acid rests and saurermalt (acid malt) or saurergut (soured wort) to reduce high alkalinity. Profiles with high bicarbonate concentrations are likely to have been treated by those means prior to mashing when light-colored beers were brewed. Brewers should approach these profiles with a focus on the mash pH they produce with their proposed grain bill and be ready to adjust the mashing water alkalinity if the water does not produce a desirable mash pH.Some historical water profiles that are suitable for Decarbonation by Boiling are provided in the water choices with their estimated ionic content. These profiles may be useful for brewing lighter-colored beers that may have been brewed in these cities. Boiling a water with high Temporary Hardness can be expected to reduce the bicarbonate content to between 60 and 80 ppm. For the purpose of these estimates, the upper end of the bicarbonate range (80 ppm)(indicating less effective decarbonation) was used to estimate the post-boiling water that those historic brewers might have been able to attain. The decarbonation process causes calcium carbonate to precipitate from the water, reducing the concentrations of both calcium and bicarbonate. The concentrations of the other water profile ions remain as in the original water profiles. See the Water Knowledge sheet for more information on Decarbonation.The water profiles include recommendations based on the color of the beer to be produced. In general, the residual alkalinity (RA) should increase as the beer color increases. For the Brewer's convenience, a description of the color range for the color descriptors used in the provided water profiles is provided below and on the Water Adjustment sheet.Beer Color Descriptors Yellow: SRM < 6 Amber: SRM between 7 and 17 Brown: SRM between 18 and 30 Black: SRM > 31The Brewer should typically start with a water profile that covers their intended beer color. Water profiles should be considered approximate and variation to meet the brewer's taste is acceptable. It may be necessary to revise the selected mineral profile if the Mash Acidification sheet indicates that a problem will be produced with the proposed grain bill. WHEN THE MASH ACIDIFICATION RESULTS INDICATE A DESIRABLE MASH pH WILL NOT BE ACHIEVED, ADJUSTMENT OF THE WATER'S RESIDUAL ALKALINITY (hardness and/or alkalinity) AWAY FROM THE TARGET VALUE MAY BE NECESSARY. Since the water profiles do not represent what the actual grist used was or what the brewers in that historic location had to do to use their water (acid rest, boiling, etc.), the Brewer should rely more on the results of the Mash Acidification analysis rather than using the recommendation provided by the water profiles. An appropriate mash pH result shown on the Mash Acidification sheet should be the Brewer's primary goal.Add Minerals in the Water Additions section of the sheet to increase the appropriate ion concentrations. The Yellow cells in the Table show which ions each mineral will increase. For instance, adding Gypsum will add Calcium and Sulfate. Review the Target Water Adjustment and Actual Water Adjustment cells for each ion. For the Minerals the Brewer has on hand, add those minerals on a trial and error basis until acceptable agreement between Target and Actual adjustments is achieved. For most ions, the Target and Actual cells will turn Green when the concentrations are close enough.Alkalinity is adjusted by increasing or decreasing the bicarbonate (HCO3) concentration. Add chalk, baking soda, or pickling lime to increase alkalinity. Add acid or dilute with distilled or RO water to reduce alkalinity.Since Pickling Lime is a strong caustic, ADD PICKLING LIME ONLY TO THE MASH. DO NOT ADD TO WATER ONLY OR THE WATER pH WILL INCREASE EXCESSIVELY. Use great care when using Pickling Lime and measure carefully.Customizing Water Profiles: If the Brewer desires to adjust the ion concentrations or names of the supplied water profiles, the water profile table is located at the bottom of the Water Adjustment sheet (scroll down) and it can be adjusted by the Brewer. Be sure to verify that the Cation and Anion totals match when adjustments to a water profile are entered. The Cation and Anion cells will turn Green when the ion totals are within 0.1 of each other.The variation of Bitter, Balanced, and Malty water profiles generally reflect the relative content of sulfate (SO4) and chloride (Cl) in the water profile. Select the water profile that generally meets your taste goal. As an example, a hoppy American style may benefit from a bitter water profile while a sweeter German style may benefit from a malty water profile. The concept of this sulfate/chloride ratio was modified from the Handbook of Brewing, Priest & Stewart, 2006 and the water chapter by David Taylor. This concept assumes that chloride accentuates malt and sweetness and sulfate accentuates dryness and bitterness. Therefore, the ratio of these ions is used as a indicator of the sweetness or bitterness perception of the finished beer. The following table describes the flavor perception and sulfate/chloride ratio that may promote that perception. Although this ratio has merit, the brewer should strive to keep both the chloride and sulfate concentrations below 100 ppm in most cases. In strongly bittered profiles such as Burton or Pale Ale profiles, the sulfate concentration may exceed 100 ppm, but the chloride concentration should be kept below 100 ppm.Very Bitter: SO4/Cl is greater than 2.0 Bitter: SO4/Cl is between 2.0 and 1.3 Balanced: SO4/Cl is between 1.3 and 0.75 Malty: SO4/Cl is between 0.75 and 0.5 Very Malty: SO4/Cl is less than 0.5The Brewer should recognize that the Sulfate/Chloride ratio only improves the perception of bitterness or maltiness in the beer, but the actual bittering compounds added to the wort (hops, roast, spice, etc) are the primary components in the bittering balance of the beer. The Brewer should evaluate the bittering contribution of those components through other brewing guides. If malty beer is desired, the bittering level should be reduced and conversely if bitter beer is desired, the bittering level should be increased. The Sulfate/Chloride Ratio does not change the bittering level in the beer.After selecting the Desired Water Profile, the sheet enables the evaluation of adding various minerals to the starting water. The Water Adjustment sheet is used to calculate the mineral adjustments for either mashing or sparging water. Minerals for mashing water should be added to the mash water prior to mashing. Minerals for sparging water can be added to the sparging water prior to sparging or can be added directly to the kettle prior to the boil.If the Existing Water Profile has ion concentrations that are higher than the Desired Water Profile, then dilution with distilled water (DI) or reverse osmosis (RO) water can be used to reduce the concentrations. To help identify when ion concentrations in the Existing Water are higher than the Desired Water Profile, cells within the Target Water Adjustment line will be colored RED. If the difference between the Existing and Desired ion concentrations are small, the Brewer may decide to ignore the need to dilute the existing water to reduce the existing concentrations. The Brewer should avoid adding minerals that add to the over-target ions.If dilution is desired, select the type of dilution water from the drop-down box and dial up the percentage of dilution water added to the existing water until the RED cells in the Target Water Adjustment line return to YELLOW or GREEN color. Distilled water is typically available in bottles or jugs and it typically contains virtually no ionic content. Commercial water vending machines such as those in grocery stores typically provide RO water. RO water does contain low concentrations of ions. A typical RO water profile is included in this sheet. A conversion from percent dilution to either ounces of dilution water per gallon or pints of dilution water per gallon is shown for convenience.If only the bicarbonate (HCO3) concentration of the water supply is too high and the other ions are not too high, then acidification may be preferred for bicarbonate reduction instead of dilution. An Acidification Calculator is provided at the bottom of the Mineral Addition section that shows the bicarbonate reduction provided by acid addition. Acids typically used for brewing use are provided in the drop-down box. Select the acid type and enter the numerical strength and adjust the acid strength parameter that is reported for the acid (% = Percentage, N = Normality, M = Molarity). The calculator indicates the bicarbonate consumed (-HCO3) by the acid addition. It also indicates the sulfate added when using Sulfuric Acid or the chloride added when using Hydrochloric Acid. These ion additions are included in the Actual Water Adjustment. Care must be exercised when working with acid since they can cause serious physical harm. Measure carefully and use instruments such as graduated pipettes or droppers to transfer acid.The bicarbonate contributions shown for Baking Soda, Chalk, and Pickling Lime in the Water Additions area represent their equivalent bicarbonate alkalinity contributions. Baking Soda and Pickling Lime will easily dissolve in water or the mash. Since Chalk has limited solubility in water or in the mash, special measures will be required to dissolve the Chalk and produce its expected bicarbonate and alkalinity contribution.To effectively use Chalk, the Chalk has to be mixed with water in a sealed container and then pressurized with Carbon Dioxide (CO2). The CO2 dissolves the Chalk in the water, changing the water from cloudy to clear. This process is not quick and requires planning and preparation. Therefore, using Chalk to add alkalinity to mash water is not recommended unless the Brewer is going to perform these measures. Another option for using Chalk is to perform the calculations for Chalk addition with Bru'n Water and then double the quantity of Chalk actually added to the mash. This is a very inexact method, but its better than nothing when other alkalinity increasing minerals are unavailable.If the Desired Water Profile has a significantly lower than desired bicarbonate (HCO3) concentration (Alkalinity), then a preferred method to add bicarbonate is to add Pickling Lime or Baking Soda since Chalk is difficult to dissolve in water or the mash. When alkalinity needs to be added to the mash water, Pickling Lime or Baking Soda will provide more certain results. Care should be exercised when adding Baking Soda since the Sodium concentration should typically not exceed 100 ppm for good brewing results. ONLY MASH WATER EVER NEEDS ITS BICARBONATE CONCENTRATION INCREASED. SPARGE WATER NEVER NEEDS BICARBONATE ADDED.A variety of minerals used for water chemistry adjustment are included in the spreadsheet. Vary the mineral amounts and compare the Target Water Adjustment and Actual Water Adjustment results to find the combination of minerals that best approximate the Desired Water Profile. The Target and Actual adjustment cells will turn GREEN when the values are within 10 ppm of each other. The Brewer should not be too concerned with a difference greater than 10 ppm, but that is a reasonable target range. In general, the Brewer should use a lower than targeted concentration when they have difficulty in finding the correct combination of minerals to add to meet the targeted concentrations.The Finished Water Profile line shows the water profile that will result when you perform the proposed dilution and mineral or acid additions. This water profile is automatically entered into the Mash Acidification sheet in order to assess the resulting mash pH.All minerals and acids used for water adjustment should be identified as Food-Grade chemicals. This is particularly important for the acids used for water adjustment since acids can easily dissolve and contain heavy metals that are hazardous to health. Table Salt used for water adjustment should be NON-IODIZED to avoid poisoning the brewing yeast. Homebrewers are encouraged to use a scale with an accuracy of at least 0.1 gram to measure mineral additions. Craftbrewers can use scales with 1 gram accuracy since their batch size is larger. Volume measures such as teaspoon or tablespoon can be significantly less accurate than weight measures. Inexpensive scales with good accuracy are available.All Mash Water mineral and acid additions should be added to the mash in order to create the desired water profile and produce the desired mash pH. These additions should not be added directly to the boil kettle unless adding them to the mash would be detrimental to mash pH. A calculator is provided on the Water Adjustment sheet to convert the gram/Liter or mL/Liter additions for the minerals and acid to their Total Additions (grams or mL) by multiplying by the Liters of water to be treated. Enter the Water Amount to Treat in the Total Additions column.Mineral and acid additions to Sparge Water can also be calculated on the Water Adjustment sheet. The sparge additions should not include the alkalinity increasing minerals (Baking Soda, Chalk, & Pickling Lime) since alkalinity is not needed or desirable in the sparge water.If the Brewer desires the same calcium concentration in the sparge water as the mash water when Chalk and/or Pickling Lime are deleted from the sparge water, an automatic addition of gypsum and calcium chloride can be included to make up for those deleted minerals. A check box is provided next to the Sparge Water Additions column to include or omit those gypsum and calcium chloride additions for Sparge Water. The additional gypsum and calcium chloride additions are calculated to keep the Brewer's desired SO4/Cl ratio in the Sparge Water. If the Brewer's raw water already has high calcium content (>100 ppm), the Brewer may consider turning off this calcium addition for the sparge water. If Baking Soda is used for the mash water it can and should be deleted from the sparging water since sodium is not particularly beneficial to beer flavor.Sparge Water mineral additions can be added directly to the Sparge Water or can be reserved and added directly to the boil kettle. Acid additions calculated on the Sparge Acidification sheet must be added to the Sparge Water. If Hydrochloric or Sulfuric acids are used to acidify the sparge water, their chloride or sulfate ion contributions can be included on the Water Adjustment sheet by taking the mL per Liter acid addition calculated on the Sparge Acidification sheet and entering it on the Water Adjustment sheet. Make sure the water volume on the Sparge Acidification sheet is 1 Liter so that the acid addition shown on that sheet is provided at a mL per Liter rate. Adjust the acid strength parameters on the Water Adjustment sheet to the same settings as on the Sparge Acidification sheet.Proceed to the Mash Acidification sheet to assess if the proposed water profile will produce an acceptable mash pH. Use only the mashing water profile in the Mash Acidification analysis since the sparge water profile has had its alkalinity reduced and is only used after mashing is complete.Special Consideration for Extract Brewers:Brewers using Malt Extract for their brewing can still benefit from Water Adjustments. Most particularly when using either highly mineralized or alkaline water or when using RO or Distilled Water.When using highly mineralized or alkaline water, the water can impart poor flavor to the beer. Using highly alkaline water may increase the pH of the resulting wort and create a coarser and rougher flavored beer. If the water has high ion concentrations, dilution with RO or Distilled Water is appropriate. The Dilution Calculator on the Water Adjustment sheet can help the Brewer assess how much dilution will be needed to produce a desirable water profile. If the water has high alkalinity, the Sparge Water Acidification Calculator can be used to reduce water alkalinity to under 50 ppm which should allow the wort and resulting beer to reach desirable pH. The Water Profiles on the Water Adjustment sheet are appropriate goals for Extract Brewers.When brewing with RO or Distilled Water and Malt Extracts, the Extract should provide most of the minerals needed for proper fermentation performance. But the ion balance in the Malt Extract is typically moderate. If the Brewer desires a specific flavor profile, additional Sulfate or Chloride containing minerals can be added to the brewing water. The Water Adjustment sheet can help the Brewer assess how much of these minerals should be added to the brewing water.Mash AcidificationThe Mash Acidification sheet allows the Brewer to assess the acidity produced by the grain during the mash. That result is compared with the alkalinity produced by the adjusted mashing water to estimate the Net Acidity of the mash which drives the mash pH. This analysis is performed using only the mashing water profile and not the acidified sparge water profile.In the past, rough correlations between beer color and appropriate Residual Alkalinity (RA) have been proposed. Due to the non-linear relationships between grain color and its acidity, a good correlation cannot definitively be made between RA and beer color. This Mash Acidification calculator was developed to provide brewers with a more accurate assessment of beer color, alkalinity, and the resulting Net Acidity that drives the mash pH.Begin by entering the volume of water used for mashing at the top of the sheet. Also enter the volume of the beer that will be produced by the batch at the top of the sheet. The mashing water volume is needed to determine the Net Alkalinity provided by the mashing water. The total volume of the beer batch is needed to enable the estimation of the finished beer color.Enter each grain used in the mash grist in the spreadsheet. The grain names can be entered to help identify each component, but the grain names are not necessary. Enter the Weight of each grain in either kilograms or grams. Enter the Color of each grain in Lovibond color units. If the grain is listed in EBC color units, there is a Conversion Tool at the bottom of the sheet to provide the Lovibond units.For each grain, use the drop-down box to signify what type of grain is on that line (Base Malt, Crystal Malt, Roast Malt, or Acid Malt). This selection is important since each category of malt has differing acidity versus grain color characteristics.Special Note: It appears that base malts from Rahr Malting may be pre-acidified by that company and they may provide more acidity than expected for similar base malts. This may produce a mash pH lower than expected or calculated by this program.After the grain information is entered, the Total Weight of the grist and its Water to Grist Ratio are provided at the bottom of the sheet. Compare the calculated total weight to your recipe total to verify the grain entries are correct.Water to Grist Ratio is an indication of how thick the mash is. A thick grist may have a water to grist ratio of around 2 liters per kilogram while a thin grist may be up to 4 liters per kilogram. The typical range is 2.5 to 3 liters per kilogram although thinner grists may have advantages. Since the water used for mashing typically contains alkalinity, a thinner grist will have more milliequivalents (mEq) of alkalinity than a thick grist. More alkalinity consumes more of the grain acidity and the mash pH will likely be higher with a thin mash than a thick mash. Therefore, it may be necessary to further reduce the water alkalinity to provide appropriate mash pH when the mash is thinned. Adjusting the Water to Grist Ratio can be used to adjust the mash pH.The Estimated Color of the beer (in SRM units) is provided at the bottom of the sheet for comparison with the Brewer's brewing software results (Promash, Beersmith, etc.). Note that the batch volume affects this calculation and must be the same of the brewing software's input in order to see agreement. The Morey equation is used in the color calculation.At the bottom of the Mash Acidification sheet, a drop-down box allows the brewer to toggle between the brewer's Existing Water (unadjusted) and the Adjusted Water (Finished) calculated on the Water Water Adjustment sheet. Typically, the box should be left on the Adjusted Water setting, but the Brewer can use the other setting to see what the Net Mash Acidity would be without water adjustment.The results of the analyses are sumarized as the Net Water Alkalinity, Total Mash Acidity, and Net Mash Acidity. For proper pH drop during mashing, the Net Mash Acidity is typically between 0 and 25 mEq. This should produce an appropriate pH drop into the desired mashing range (5.2 to 5.8 when measured at room temperature) or (4.9 to 5.5 when measured at mash temperature). If the net mash acidity does not fall within this range, minor adjustment to the water alkalinity through either mineral or acid adustment should be performed. A message is displayed if the Net Mash Acidity falls well outside the preferred range. BE SURE THAT ALL THE CORRECT GRAIN TYPE SELECTIONS ARE MADE FOR EACH GRAIN LISTING. IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE RESULTS!Mash pH can be checked about 5 minutes after combining the water and grist. But for more accurate results, the mash pH should be checked at around 15 minutes after combining the water and grist. Note: pH strips reportedly indicate the mash pH is about 0.2 to 0.3 units lower than actual. A calibrated pH meter is the recommended measurement source.The mash pH prediction should only be considered a good approximation. The Brewer can expect that the predicted mash pH will typically be within 0.2 units from the room-temperature mash pH. The algorithm used to estimate the mash pH was produced through the evaluation of actual mashs and resulting pH. That algorithm will be modified based on the results of Brewer's reports. A copy of this program that includes the Brewer's input data along with their measured room-temperature mash pH can be sent to the program author for inclusion in this study and refinement.Characteristics of wort from the mash can be altered slightly through adjustment of the mash pH. The Extract and Fermentability of the wort can be enhanced by adjusting the wort pH toward the low end of the range. Conversely, the Body and Mouthfeel of the wort can be enhanced by adjusting the wort pH toward the high end of the range (from Malting and Brewing Science, 1981). The Brewer should consider these results when adjusting the mashing water alkalinity. Lower mash pH = higher fermentability and less body, Higher mash pH = lower fermentability and more body. The mash pH should be kept within the desired pH range.Mash pH can also alter the flavor perception of the beer. Lower mash pH can produce a sharper and tarter flavor perception. Higher mash pH can produce a rounder and fuller flavor perception.To produce the mash pH effects mentioned above, the Brewer should target the pH range between 5.3 and 5.5. Target a mash pH of 5.3 for the lower mash ph and target a mash pH of 5.5 for the higher mash pH.Revisit the Water Adjustment sheet if the Net Mash Acidity did not fall within the recommended range or if the Predicted Mash pH did not meet the Brewer's target pH range. The Water Adjustment sheet provides tools to adjust these components. Recheck the Mash Acidification sheet after readjusting the water profile. It may take a few trips to the Water Adjustment sheet to produce the result the Brewer is seeking.If more acidity is needed, a recommended alternative is to decrease the water alkalinity by reducing the bicarbonate content by adding more acid or reducing any Baking Soda, Chalk, or Pickling Lime additions. If less acidity is needed, decrease any acid addition or increase the bicarbonate content to the mash water to consume more grain acidity. If dilution was used to produce the Adjusted Water, reducing the dilution percentage can typically increase the bicarbonate content since most drinking water has alkalinity.The Mash Acidification analysis provides a better assessment of where the mash pH will end at. This enables the Brewer to better adjust their water or mashing conditions to produce the beer characteristics they prefer or require.Adjustment SummaryThe Adjustment Summary sheet provides the Brewer with a concise report of the Starting and Finished Water characteristics and the Mineral and Acid adjustments recommended to produce the Finished Water. It is intended to provide a single sheet that can be used as a quick reference during brewing.Recommended ranges for the various ions are shown on the sheet to provide the Brewer with a quick check of their proposed brewing water profile. All of the information shown on the Adjustment Summary is input or calculated on the other sheets within Bru'n Water. No inputs are performed on the Adjustment Summary sheet. Be sure that water volumes are properly entered on the Sparge Acidification and Water Adjustment sheets. The water volume input on the Sparge Acidification sheet can be entered as either 1 Liter or the total sparge volume. The water volumes on the Water Adjustment sheet should reflect the total volumes of water to be used for mashing and for sparging.The sheet includes information on the total mineral and acid quantities needed for both the mashing and sparging water. The estimated mash pH is also shown. The mash pH cell changes color to signal how the estimated pH compares to the optimum range (5.3 to 5.5). The cell is Green when the estimated pH is within that range and Orange when just outside that range. The cell turns Red when the estimated pH falls outside the recommended range of 5.2 to 5.8.A reproduction of A.J. DeLange's Residual Alkalinity chart is provided on the sheet to show where the Brewer's Finished Water Profile plots on the chart. The chart includes an overlay of several historic brewing waters so that the Brewer can compare their result with those waters. The water parameters plotted for those historic brewing waters are for the raw and unadjusted water and may not represent the treated water those Brewers used in those locations. Use the chart for comparison only. Do not use the chart to guide your brewing water adjustments.AcknowledgementsThe Author thanks A.J. DeLange for producing and publishing outstanding resources on mash chemistry and acidification and serving as a continuing resource to the brewing community. The Author also thanks Kai Troester for the grain acidity information used in this program and his service to the brewing community.About the AuthorMartin Brungard is a civil and environmental engineer with over 28 years of professional experience. His practice area focuses on water resources engineering and he has been named a Diplomate of Water Resources Engineering by the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers. His engineering practice includes providing engineering consulting services to municipalities and major and craft brewers across the United States. He has been homebrewing since 1999, is a member of the American Homebrewers Association, and has attained the rank of National Judge from the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). Comments and concerns regarding this program may be sent to the author at the link [email protected] the development of Bru'n WaterUsers that value the use and development of Bru'n Water can support the continued development and show support by donating through their PayPal account. Although Bru'n Water is freeware, to assist the team in continuing the improvement of this program and to indicate your approval and support, donations through PayPal are welcome. A donation is truely welcome from those that find this program and water knowledge useful. Use the email address [email protected] to forward comments about the program and to direct donations to the development team. For those with a PayPal account, a link to PayPal is provided below. Use the SEND MONEY tool and select the PERSONAL tab to direct a GIFT amount to the developers.Link to Bru'n Water Page to donate via PayPalTHE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR HOLDERS INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, OR ANY SPECIAL INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.Bru'n Water v. 1.16si7/11/13

&C&"Arial,Bold"&12Bru'n Water&Lv. 1.16si&CPage &P&R7/11/[email protected] to Bru'n Water Page to donate via PayPalBru'n Water KnowledgeLink to Bru'n Water Page to donate via PayPal

1. Water Report InputBru'n WaterLink to Bru'n Water website for updates and to donateWater Report InputHover cursor over cells w/ red triangles to display helpful commentsCationsEnter Ion Concentrations from Water Report (mg/L or ppm)AnionsCalcium (Ca)0.01.0Bicarbonate (HCO3)Magnesium (Mg)0.00.0Carbonate (CO3)Sodium (Na)0.00.0Sulfate (SO4)multiply lab result by 3 if lab reports as SO4-SPotassium (K)0.00.0Chloride (Cl)Iron (Fe)0.00.0Nitrate (NO3)multiply lab result by 4.43 if lab reports as NO3-N0.0Nitrite (NO2)0.0Fluoride (F)If water report provides only Total Alkalinity (as CaCO3), use the calculator below to estimate the Bicarbonate and Carbonate concentrations. Insert the estimated results in the table above.Reported Total Alkalinity (as CaCO3) (mg/L or ppm)Reported or Measured Water pHEstimated Bicarbonate Concentration (ppm)Estimated Carbonate Concentration (ppm)1.08.01.20.0Ion Balance ResultsTotal Cations (meq/L)0.000.02Cation/Anion DifferenceTotal Anions (meq/L)0.020Hardness and Alkalinity ResultsTotal Hardness, as CaCO3, (ppm)01Alkalinity (ppm as CaCO3)Permanent Hardness, as CaCO3, (ppm)00RA Effective Hardness, (ppm as CaCO3)Temporary Hardness, as CaCO3, (ppm)01Residual Alkalinity (RA), (ppm as CaCO3)Ion Concentration Conversion CalculatorInput Reporting UnitInputOutputOutput Reporting UnitCalcium (ppm as CaCO3)0.00.0Calcium (ppm)Magnesium (ppm as CaCO3)0.00.0Magnesium (ppm)Bicarbonate (ppm as CaCO3)0.00.0Bicarbonate (ppm)Carbonate (ppm as CaCO3)0.00.0Carbonate (ppm)Sulfate (ppm as SO4-S)0.00.0Sulfate (ppm)Nitrate (ppm as NO3-N)0.00.0Nitrate (ppm)German Hardness (GH) (degrees)0.00.0Calcium (ppm)Karbonate Hardness (KH) (degrees)0.00.0Bicarbonate (ppm)Hardness (meq/L) or (mval)0.00.0Calcium (ppm)Alkalinity (meq/L) or (mval)0.00.0Bicarbonate (ppm)Copyright 2013 Martin Brungard. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without the express written permission of Martin Brungard is prohibited.

&LBru'n WaterV.1.16si&R7/11/13Total Hardness = ((Ca/20)+(Mg/12.15))*50Input data into blue cells only. Calculated data shown in yellow cells.Permanent Hardness = Total Hardness - AlkalinityRA Effective Hardness = Ca hardness + half of Mg HardnessAlkalinity is usually reported "as CaCO3" in ppm or mg/L. Use Total Alkalinity (M or (Methyl Orange) alkalinity) if there is choice between Total or Carbonate Alkalinity (M or P) alkalinity.The ideal range for pale grists is in the range of -50 to +50. A darker grist may handle higher RA conditions. This is provided for information only. Use the Mash Acidity analysis to determine the proper RA and mash conditions.This result should be close to 0. A difference of less than 0.1 is good. If the difference is greater than 0.5 meq/L, begin to question the reported concentrations.This reports the total Cation content calculated from the water report.This reports the total Anion content calculated from the water report.If pH is unknown, ENTER 8Enter this result in the Bicarbonate cell above.Enter this result in the Carbonate cell above.Temporary Hardness = AlkalinitySome laboratories cater to agricultural clients and those clients are more interested in the total Sulfur content. They report in terms of 'Sulfate as Sulphur which is denoted 'SO4-S". The Brewer needs to convert that result to its true sulfate concentration by multiplying the SO4-S result by 3.Some laboratories cater to agricultural clients and those clients are more interested in the total Nitrogen content. They report in terms of 'Nitrate as Nitrogen which is denoted 'NO3-N". The Brewer needs to convert that result to its true nitrate concentration by multiplying the NO3-N result by 4.43.Use this calculator to convert water report results that are given in (as CaCO3), (SO4-S), or (NO3-N) units into their actual ion concentrations in ppm for use in the Water Report Input section above.Calcium content can vary depending on the water source. Calcium content is sometimes reported (as CaCO3) and must be converted to (ppm) by multiplying by 0.401 for use in this program.

If hardness and calcium values are provided in the water report, check the Hardness results shown below and compare to the Hardness shown in the water report. If they don't closely agree, there may be an error in the input units. Use the calculator below to try converting the calcium concentration to the proper ppm units.Magnesium is typically low in most drinking water and is almost always at lower concentration than Calcium. Magnesium is sometimes reported (as CaCo3) and must be converted to (ppm) by multiplying by 0.243 for use in this program.

If hardness and magnesium values are given in the water report, check the Hardness results shown below and compare to the Hardness shown in the water report. If they don't closely agree, there may be an error in the input units. Use the calculator below to try converting the magnesium concentration to proper ppm units.Sodium content in drinking water is highly variable. Low to moderate sodium is an important factor in producing good beer. This is a component that should not be ignored.Potassium is typically low in most drinking water. If the Potassium content is unknown, enter Zero. This is a water component that can be ignored for most water sources.Iron is typically at low concentration ( 2.0Bitter: 2.0Balanced: 1.3Malty: 0.75Very Malty: 0.5Residual Alkalinity provides an indication of potential mash pH. Pale beers need low RA while dark beers need higher RA.This water profile is entered on the Water Report Input sheet.This is the water profile desired to brew the beer.Water used to dilute the existing water supplyZero dilution means that no Distilled, RO, or Chalk water is mixed with the existing water. When the existing water ion concentrations are too high for Desired Water Profile, select the type of dilution water you are using (RO or Distilled) and increase the dilution percentage until the excessive ion concentration is sufficiently reduced.Adjust mineral additions (below) until Actual Water Adjustments are near the Target Water Adjustment values. The cell color will change to GREEN when the Actual and Target values are within 5 ppm to provide you with a quick visual indicator.If any Target Water Adjustments are negative, the cell shading will be RED. Dilution of the existing water may be necessary to reduce that ion concentration to create the Desired Water Profile. If the adjustment is less than about 20 ppm, it may be feasible to ignore the need to dilute to correct the value(s).Add acid to mash to reduce bicarbonate concentration. Use Food-Grade acid only.Acid Strength is typically stated as Percent (%), Molarity (M), or Normality (N)Milliliters of dilution water used to make each Liter of brewing waterLiters of dilution water used to make each Hectoliter of brewing waterAdd food-grade minerals to adjust ion content of waterGrams of mineral added to each Liter of waterMilliliters of acid added to each Liter of waterChalk has limited solubility (about 50 mg/L) in water and wort making it less suitable for adding alkalinityPickling Lime (aka Slaked Lime) is highly effective at adding alkalinity to water and wort and increasing pH. This is a strong caustic and must be handled carefully.ADD PICKLING LIME IN THE MASH ONLY. DO NOT ADD TO WATER ALONE SINCE THE pH MAY INCREASE TOO HIGH.MgCL is not commonly used for water adjustments, but some water profiles require its use.CaCl is highly soluble and effective at adding calcium without adding sulfate.Baking Soda is effective at adding alkalinity, but limit its use to keep the sodium content below 150 ppm.Use only non-iodized table salt. Keep sodium content below 150 ppm.Use Epsom Salt sparily to keep Mg content below 30 ppm for most beers.Gypsum is highly soluble and well suited for enhancing bitterness perception to finished beer.Use this calculator to amend your water to produce a desired water profile.This is an equivalent bicarbonate concentrationThis is an equivalent bicarbonate concentrationUse the acid amount calculated on the Sparge Acidification sheet. Do not use the acid amount shown for the mash to adjust sparge water.Do not add Alkalinity containing minerals to the sparge water.Do not add Alkalinity containing minerals to the sparge water.Do not add Alkalinity containing minerals to the sparge water.Check this box to automatically add Gypsum and CaCl2 to Sparge Water additions to supplement Calcium concentration when Chalk or Pickling Lime are deleted from Sparge Water. This is desirable if the Brewer's water has Calcium content below 40 ppm. The added Gypsum and CaCl2 quantities maintain the Brewer's desired Sulfate/Chloride ratio.This is the resulting profile of the Existing Water diluted with the proposed percentage of Dilution Water.This is the water profile the results from the mineral additions to the Existing or Diluted Water Profiles. This is the finished water used for brewing.Calcium content should typically fall in the range of 40 to 100 ppm. Lower calcium content may not provide for the desirable precipitation of trub and oxalates from wort. High oxalates may lead to beerstone formation. Calcium also aids in yeast floculation and beer clarification.

Calcium should not typically exceed 100 ppm unless it has to be added to provide a desirable anion like sulfate to the water.Magnesium is a yeast nutrient, but can be astringent at high concentrations. Preferred range is 0 to 30 ppm. Malt typically add sufficient magnesium to wort to provide for proper yeast health and flocculationSodium accentuates beer flavor and roundness at moderate concentrations. Preferred range is 0 to 150 ppm, but should be less than 100 ppm if sulfate content is high. Keeping sodium below 50 ppm is desirable for most beers.Sulfate provides a sharper, dryer, fuller edge to highly hopped beers. The preferred range is 0 to 350 ppm, but the concentration should not exceed 150 ppm unless the beer is highly hopped.Chloride accentuates fullness and sweetness. The preferred range is 10 to 100 ppm, but the upper limit should be reduced to avoid harshness if the water has high sulfate concentration.Bicarbonate is an alkaline buffer that limits pH reduction during mashing. It is generally undesirable in beer, but is needed to balance the acidity of dark malts and crystal malts used in some beers.A minimum of 40 ppm calcium is needed for good yeast health and flocculation performance although lower concentrations can produce good beer (ie Pilsen) if the mash is decocted. 50 ppm calcium is a commonly recommended minimum concentration.

This cell turns GREEN when the calcium content exceeds 40 ppm.Magnesium is generally only desirable at concentrations less than 30 ppm. It is not necessary to add magnesium unless it is desired to enhance bitterness perception.

This cell turns GREEN when magnesium is less than 30 ppm and turns RED above 50 ppmSodium does not have an ideal range but should typically be below 100 ppm and never above 150 ppm for most beers. Low sodium is typically desirable for beer.

This cell turns RED if sodium is above 150 ppm or sodium and sulfate are above 100 ppm. This cell turns ORANGE when sodium is above 100 ppm and turns GREEN when below 100 ppm.Sulfate does not have an ideal range, but should generally be below 150 ppm unless the beer is highly hopped. A maximum concentration of 350 ppm is recommended to avoid 'sulfury' aromas in the finished beer although much higher concentrations may be preferred by some tasters.

This cell turns ORANGE when sulfate is greater than 100 ppm and GREEN when below 100 ppm.Chloride should not exceed 100 ppm for most cases and should be less than 100 ppm when sulfate is greater than 100 ppm.

This cell turns RED when both chloride and sulfate are above 100 ppm. This cell turns GREEN when chloride is less than 100 ppm.Bicarbonate does not have an ideal range. It is needed only to the extent required to produce the appropriate mash pH.

The Bicarbonate cells DO NOT turn Green since there is not an ideal bicarbonate concentration.

The Target Bicarbonate Adjustment should be considered the intial guess for the proper Bicarbonate content. The results of the Mash Acidification should be used to fine-tune the final Bicarbonate level for the Mash Water.The Bicarbonate concentration shown here includes the contribution of Carbonate. Therefore, this value may differ somewhat from the Bicarbonate concentration that was originally input on the Water Report Input sheet.Link to Bru'n Water website for updates and to donate

4. Mash AcidificationBru'n WaterLink to Bru'n Water website for updates and to donateMash Acidification CalculatorHover cursor over cells w/ red triangles to display helpful comments1Base MaltGrain AcidityMash Water Volume (Liters)10.00Batch Wort Volume (Liters)20.0010202Crystal MaltGrainsGrain TypeQuantity (Kg)Quantity (g)Color (Lovibond)Malt Color Units (MCU)Acidity Contribution (mEq/L)12343Roast Malt2 Row Pale Malt5.00024.20.610.623.2220.95104.744Acid MaltMunich0.00070.00.010.000.000.000.00Crystal 40L0.000400.00.020.000.000.000.00Special B0.0001200.00.020.000.000.000.00Carafa0.0004500.00.030.000.000.000.000.00000.00.020.000.000.000.000.00000.00.030.000.000.000.000.00000.00.010.000.000.000.000.00000.00.010.000.000.000.000.00000.00.010.000.000.000.000.00000.00.010.000.000.000.000.00000.00.010.000.000.000.000.00000.00.010.000.000.000.000.00000.00.010.000.000.000.000.00000.00.010.000.000.000.000.00000.00.010.000.000.000.00Total Grist Weight (Kg)5.00Total MCU4.2Water to Grist Ratio (L/Kg)2.00Est. Beer Color (SRM)4.0Mash Acidity ResultsWater used for MashNet Water Alkalinity (mEq/L)0.02Total Mash Acidity (mEq/L)0.6EBC Color Conversion Tool20EBC --> (Lovibond)8.0Net Mash Acidity (mEq/L)0.61Existing Water0.016570836Estimated Room-Temperature Mash pH5.62Adjusted Water0.0165708360Copyright 2013 Martin Brungard. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without the express written permission of Martin Brungard is prohibited.

&LBru'n WaterV.1.16si&R7/11/13List grist grain components in Kg and/or g. Include the Color rating.Enter Malt Color in Lovibond (L) units. A tool to convert EBC color to Lovibond is provided at the bottom of this sheet.Base malts include: Pilsner, Lager, 2-row, 6-row, Pale, Munich, Vienna, Mild, Wheat, Oat, & flaked grains.

Crystal malts include those with Cara or Crystal prefixes such as Carapils, CaraMunich, or Crystal 60L. Also includes Aromatic, Biscuit, Special B, Melanoidin, but not Carafa.

Roast malts include: Carafa malts, Roast Barley, Chocolate, & Black malts.

Acid malt is a specialty malt infused with 2 to 3 % Lactic AcidGrain quantity can be entered as decimal kilograms and/or grams. It all adds up in the end. Check total grist weight to confirm that it matches your recipe weight.Enter the volume of water to be used for mashing. This quantity is important for assessing the buffering content (Alkalinity mEq) of the water.Enter the intended post boil volume of the batch. This is needed to properly estimate the Beer Color.Use this tool to convert grain color that is reported in EBC units to Lovibond units.Typically set to the Adjusted Water setting, but can be used to quickly see what the affect on the mash would be if the Existing water were used.Net Mash Acidity = Total Mash Acidity - Net Water Alkalinity.Beer Color is calculated using the Morey formulaThe Net Water Alkalinity includes the effect of calcium and magnesium upon Residual Alkalinity. Net Water Alkalinity may be negative.This is the summation of the acidity contribution of each grain listed above.This mash pH estimate is for the early stage of mashing (say less than 20 minutes after mashing in). The mash pH typically rises a tenth or two as the duration increases.

The acceptable pH range is 5.2 to 5.8 when measured at room temperature.

The optimum mash pH range is reportedly 5.3 to 5.5 (Malting and Brewing Science, 1981)Use this calculator to review if the Adjusted Water profile (from Water Adjustment sheet) will produce an acceptable mash pH.This ratio typically falls between 2 and 4.Link to Bru'n Water website for updates and to donate

5. Adjustment SummaryBru'n WaterWater Adjustment SummaryHover cursor over cells w/ red triangles to display helpful commentsCalcium (ppm)Magnesium (ppm)Sodium (ppm)Sulfate (ppm)Chloride (ppm)Bicarbonate (ppm)Existing Water Profile000001Finished Water Profile000001Recommended Ranges50 to 1500 to 300 to 1500 to 3500 to 100as neededMash ParametersBatch Volume (Liters)20.00Hardness (ppm as CaCO3)0RA (ppm as CaCO3)1Estimated Mash pH5.6Alkalinity (ppm as CaCO3)1SO4/Cl Ratio0.00AdditionsMash Water Volume (L)10.00Sparge Water Volume (L)10.00Mash Water AdditionsSparge Water AdditionsMineral(grams)(grams)Gypsum (CaSO4)0.00.0Epsom Salt (MgSO4)0.00.0Canning Salt (NaCl)0.00.0Baking Soda (NaHCO3)0.0Not RecommendedCalcium Chloride (CaCl2)0.00.0Chalk (CaCO3)0.0Not RecommendedPickling Lime (Ca(OH)2)0.0Not RecommendedMagnesium Chloride (MgCl2)0.00.0Acid(mL)(mL)Lactic88.00%0.00.0RA Hard0.0Alk1RA chart150015045528012501255412801000100631280750757162805005080028025025800252000800227-25880800204-501750800179-752630800153-1003500800128

&LBru'n Water v. 1.16si&R7/11/13

5. Adjustment Summary

ViennaLondonDussel-dorfPilsenDortmundBrusselsEdinburghMunichDublinBurtonRA = -100RA = -75RA = -50RA = -25RA = 0RA = 25RA = 50RA = 125RA = 100RA = 75Kohlbach's Residual Alkalinity(from A.J. DeLange)KolnHow this Water Profile compares to Historic Brewing Profiles(See Red Dot)Starting Water ConditionHardness (Calcium + 0.5 Magnesium), (mg/L) as CaCO3Alkalinity, (mg/L) as CaCO3

Water KnowledgeBru'n WaterLink to Bru'n Water website for updates and to donateLink to the On-Line Version of Water KnowledgeProvides more figures and improved layoutWater Knowledgeby Martin BrungardThis page provides basic knowledge that is useful for understanding brewing water chemistry. Water is the most basic building block in brewing. Beer can contain up to 97 percent water, so it is by far the largest component in beer. A variety of ions and chemicals can be dissolved in water. Although water is seemingly simple, its ionic components can drastically affect a finished beers quality and perception. Those effects may range from dramatic to barely perceptible. The following sections discuss how aspects of water affect the brewing process and the quality and perception of beer.Water SourcesThe source of water has a direct affect on its suitability for brewing. Some brewers rely on municipal water supplies for their water while other brewers may have private wells, springs, rain barrels, or other local sources for their brewing water. The water source can also have substantial effect on its quality and variability.Municipal sources in the United States typically treat and verify that their water is safe to drink. Municipal water companies typically rely on surface water sources (rivers, lakes, and reservoirs) and/or groundwater sources (springs and wells) for their water source. A variety of processes can affect the quantity and quality of water from these sources through the year. For instance, large volumes of snow melt or rainfall can provide softer water to a surface water source while that surface water can become more mineralized from groundwater inflow at other times of the year. Additionally, the municipal water source might vary between a variety of surface and groundwater sources as they are consumed through any dry weather periods.Most municipalities are required to disinfect their drinking water and provide a disinfection residual in their distribution system (piping). Halogenated (typically chlorinated) compounds are frequently used to provide disinfection. If the raw water is unfit for drinking due to hardness or other excessive mineralization, the municipality may treat the water to reduce hardness or mineralization prior to delivering it through their distribution piping.Differing ionic content of brewing water can affect mashing performance and flavor perceptions in the finished beer. Ions in water come primarily from the soil and rock minerals that the water contacts as it flows through the environment. In areas where the soil and rock are less soluble, the degree of mineralization of the water may be lower. However, when the soil and rock are more soluble, significant concentrations of ions may dissolve into the water. The effect of these dissolved ions on brewing is presented in the following sections.Wells draw groundwater from underground aquifers. Where these aquifers are isolated from lakes, rivers, marshes, and salt water, their groundwater quality tends to be more consistent throughout the year. Wells that are not isolated from lakes and rivers may be subject to the same water quality variability of the lake or river. Like surface water sources, the mineralization of groundwater is affected by the type of soil or rock that the groundwater flows through. Groundwater flowing through limestone and gypsum formations typically has more hardness ions than groundwater flowing through granite or sandstone.Wells draw groundwater from underground aquifers. Where these aquifers are isolated from lakes, rivers, marshes, and salt water, their groundwater quality tends to be more consistent throughout the year. Wells that are not isolated from lakes and rivers may be subject to the same water quality variability of the lake or river. Like surface water sources, the mineralization of groundwater is affected by the type of soil or rock that the groundwater flows through. Groundwater flowing through limestone and gypsum typically has more hardness minerals than groundwater flowing through granite or sandstone.Springs provide another source of groundwater. As with the sources listed above, understanding the quality of spring water is still important. The taste and ion content of the water must be suitable for brewing and the water should be free of chemical and microbe contamination. Landfills, waste dumps, and wastewater facilities are examples of facilities that might impact a spring source. A spring water source is not a guarantee that the water is safe to drink or suitable for brewing.Rivers, lakes, and reservoirs may have additional variability in their water quality due to natural algae and microbes that may create strong taste and odor in water during warmer weather. These taste and odor components can make it past some municipal water treatment methods and leave the water with undesirable taste and aroma that may persist into the finished beer.When presented with a water source with poor brewing qualities, additional water treatment by the brewer may help correct the waters faults for brewing usage. Water treatment alternatives such as water distillation, reverse osmosis, carbon filtration, lime softening, water boiling, mineral addition, or acid addition may improve the brewing quality of a water source. Understanding the source of water and its limitations and variability can help maintain the quality and consistency of a brewers product.Minerals and Brewing ChemistryMinerals dissolved in brewing water produce an important effect on the overall chemistry of the brewing process. The ions from these minerals alter the waters pH, Hardness, Alkalinity, Residual Alkalinity, and Mineral Content. These interrelated components are the most important factors in defining the suitability of water for brewing. Adjustments to any one factor can have an effect on the others. A discussion of each factor is presented below.pHpH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution and is related to the concentration of hydrogen (H+) ions in a solution. A very small percentage of the water molecules (H2O) naturally split into hydrogen (H+) protons and hydroxyl (-OH) ions. A neutral pH of 7.0 indicates a balanced population of those ions in pure water (at 25C). Acidic solutions have a pH of between 0 and 7 while Basic solutions have a pH between 7 and 14. The pH of typical municipal water supplies generally lies between 6.5 and 8.5, but may exceed those bounds since pH is not regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act that governs drinking water quality in the U.S. .The pH of the raw water used in brewing has only modest impact on the brewing process. The primary interest to brewing is the pH of the wort during mashing. Factors such as water alkalinity and mash grist composition have greater effect on mashing pH than the starting pH of the raw water.The pH of the mash influences a number of factors in brewing including; fermentability, color, clarity, and taste of the wort and beer. A slightly acidic mash pH of between 5.2 and 5.8 (measured at room-temperature) improves the enzymatic processes during mashing. The lower end of that range produces more fermentable wort and thinner body. The lower end of that range also produces better extraction efficiency, lighter color, better hot break formation, and the beer is less prone to form haze. The upper end of that range produces less fermentable wort and more body (Briggs et. al., 1981). Tailoring the mash pH helps a brewer create the wort character desired for the finished beer. In most cases, narrowing the target mash pH range to between 5.3 and 5.5 is recommended.Minor increases in wort or beer pH can create problems in the finished beer. Increased wort and beer pH makes the beers bittering perception more coarse and less favorable. The isomerization of alpha acids during the boil is increased slightly as wort pH increases, which may add to the coarseness. Increased pH in wort and the finished beer slows the reduction and removal of diacetyl from beer during maturation. During mashing, a pH greater than 6.0 can leach harsh-tasting silicates, tannins, and polyphenols from the grain into the wort (Briggs et. al., 1981). Adjusting sparge water pH to between 5.5 and 6.0 helps avoid raising the mash pH above 6.0 during sparging.The pH of the mash varies with temperature. There are two components to the variation of mash pH with temperature. The first is a chemical change caused by the change in the energy in the water that makes it easier to split hydrogen protons from acidic molecules in the mash. The second component is due to the change in electrical response of the pH meter probe electrodes with temperature. These two factors produce a mash pH that measures about 0.2 to 0.3 units lower at 150F than at room temperature. Therefore, it is important to standardize the temperature at which mash pH is measured. All pH readings presented on this page assume measurement at room-temperature [between 20C and 25C (68F to 77F)].Brewers should note that Automatic Temperature Compensating (ATC) pH meters only compensate for the response of the pH meter's electrode at varying temperature. That feature does not compensate for the actual pH shift produced chemically in the mash as mentioned above. All mash pH measurement should be performed at room-temperature. ATC-equipped pH meters are not necessary for brewing use since it is important to cool the sample to room temperature to avoid the chemical mash pH variation.SPECIAL NOTE: Five Star 5.2 Stabilizer is indicated by its manufacturer to "lock in your mash and kettle water at a pH of 5.2 regardless of the starting pH of your water". Evidence by homebrewers indicates that this product does not produce a mash pH in the preferred room-temperature range of 5.3 to 5.5. That evidence shows this product does produce some pH moderation in waters with high Residual Alkalinity. But, the mash pH tends to center around 5.8 (room-temperature measurement). While 5.8 pH is acceptable, it is at the upper end of the desirable range. The evidence also shows that in waters with low Residual Alkalinity, this product shows no effect on pH. Since Five Star 5.2 Stabilizer is a compound with high sodium content, its use will elevate the sodium concentration in the brewing water. High sodium content is undesirable from a taste standpoint in beer. Proper acidification of mashing and sparging water will produce more acceptable brewing results for most brewers than the use of 5.2 Stabilizer.SPECIAL NOTE: pH meters require calibration between uses or at regular intervals to verify their measurement accuracy. Meter calibration using pH 4 and pH 7 reference solutions is recommended. Those solutions have limited shelf life and should be replaced within a year after opening. Refrigerating the reference solutions may improve their shelf life, but the solutions should be warmed to their reference temperature (typically 20C to 25C) prior to calibration use. The glass electrode used in many pH probes is typically filled with a potassium chloride solution. The pH probe should be stored in a similar potassium solution (storage solution) to improve the probes lifespan. A pH meter with a resolution of 0.05 standard units or better is helpful in assessing when a pH reading has stabilized and that reading can be recorded.SPECIAL NOTE: pH strips typically used by homebrewers are reported to mis-report mash pH by about 0.2 to 0.3 units lower than actual. Homebrewers should use caution when using pH strips. Without another means of pH verification, Brewers are advised to accept a pH strip reading that is about 0.2 units above their targeted pH to avoid undershooting the mash pH. A pH strip reading of about 5.6 to 5.7 should indicate an appropriate room-temperature mash pH of around 5.3 to 5.5. pH measurement by a calibrated pH meter is preferred.HardnessHardness in water is primarily due to the calcium and magnesium content of drinking water. High concentration of calcium or magnesium ions produces hard water and low concentration of those ions produce soft water. Water Hardness can be either Temporary or Permanent. Total Hardness is the sum of Temporary and Permanent Hardness.A common misperception among brewers is that hardness in brewing water is not desirable. A more valid way to evaluate brewing water suitability is summarized below.Hardness --> GoodAlkalinity --> BadThe hardness of water does not indicate its suitability for brewing. As illustrated in the sections below, both very soft water and very hard water can be utilized for brewing as long as the appropriate alkalinity is provided for mashing. Since there is a minimum calcium content desired in brewing water, moderately hard to hard water is typically desirable for brewing. Soft water may not be desirable for brewing without calcium addition. Although the statement above indicates otherwise, an appropriate level of alkalinity is desirable in brewing water. The problem is that many water supplies have alkalinity higher than desirable for brewing.Water hardness varies regionally. .Much of the Western and Midwestern U.S. has high hardness while coastal or mountainous regions may have lower hardness. Groundwater hardness may or may not mimic the surface water hardness shown below, but drinking water aquifers tend to cover regional areas and have somewhat consistent water quality.Water Hardness can be either Temporary or Permanent. These forms of hardness are discussed below.Temporary Hardness results when calcium or magnesium are paired with carbonate and bicarbonate in the water. Temporary Hardness can be reduced by boiling treatment and by treatment through lime softening.Permanent Hardness results when calcium or magnesium are paired with anions such as chloride and sulfate that cannot be driven off by boiling the water. Enhanced softening processes are required to reduce permanent hardness in water.Total Hardness is the sum of Temporary Hardness and Permanent Hardness in the water.AlkalinityAlkalinity is related to pH, but is not a direct measure of it. Alkalinity is a measure of the "buffering" capacity of a solution and its ability to neutralize strong acid and resist pH change. Alkalinity is defined as the amount of strong acid required to lower the pH of a sample of the water to a specified pH (typically 4.3). Alkalinity is generally due to the carbonate (CO3), bicarbonate (HCO3), and hydroxyl (OH) content of the water. Higher alkalinity water requires more acid to change the pH. Alkalinitys effect on brewing can be evaluated through the concept of Residual Alkalinity.Like hardness, alkalinity tends to vary on a regional basis. .Much of the U.S. has relatively high alkalinity in surface waters. Of the regions with reduced alkalinity, many are mountainous or are regions without carbonate rock near surface.Residual AlkalinityResidual Alkalinity (RA) is a result of both Water Hardness and Alkalinity that relates potential mashing pH conditions. RA was described in the 1940s by Paul Kohlbach. He showed that during mashing, calcium and magnesium in the brewing water react with phosphatic compounds in the malt to produce acids that neutralize the waters alkalinity. This interaction between the brewing waters hardness and alkalinity is expressed by RA. RA is an indicator that is specific to brewing and is an important factor in defining the suitability of brewing water. RA is calculated with the following equation.With RA, a brewer can better understand the interplay of alkalinity and water hardness and its effect on mashing chemistry and performance. .RA can be adjusted by either hardness adjustment or alkalinity adjustment as illustrated in the chart above. For instance, Burtonizing the brewing water by adding Gypsum and/or Epsom Salt is an example of reducing RA by increasing the water hardness. Adding acid to the water is an example of reducing RA by reducing alkalinity. Decarbonating water by boi