Help with water adjustments

[Beer-lord]

I'm over my head and just wanting to touch working with water now that I feel comfy with yeast. I have gotten the info from the local water board and put it into EZ Water. It looks as though only the Calcium needs to be increased but I don't see where EZ Water tells me how much to add to meet what is needed.
Example.....Ca is 41 and it suggests 50-150. How do I know how much calcium Sulftate to add?

I plan on joining the local club and get some help in the next month or so.

[Beer-lord]

I think I got it figured out. I'm going to try adding some of what I picked up today in tomorrows Mosaic IPA and see if I can make the hops shine a bit more.

[John Sand]

Let us know how it works out. I entered my water report into Brewer's Friend water calculator. It showed slightly high in alkaline. But I know a brewer who works in the water authority who declares it good, and I believe that most Long Island breweries use straight tap-water

[bucknut]

I'm at work so I don't have the program here with me, but after adding your starting water #'s and then your grain info, then I start adding salts. With my water I always have to adjust the ph down so I will add salts/latic acid til I get within all the "recommended" ranges and my ph is where I want it. I also find the page from John Plamer always helpful when trying to figure out my water adjustments .Linky

[Beer-lord]

I think I have this figured out for tomorrow's batch but this week I'm calling my water board to ask them for updated info and may have them cone out to test my water for me in the near future.
The info on this forum and mt LHBS has been very helpful. My beer has nene fine with just 5.2 but I espn to kick it up a notch.

[MadBrewer]

Which Calcium source to add depends on what you are starting with and what you are trying to get out of the beer. So if this is a hoppy beer, then yes generally some Gypsum would help bring out the hops. Unless you already have a high Sulfate level compared to your Chloride levels in which you can be adding dryness and a harsher bitterness to the beer. Just start with small additions, at least 50ppm Calcium into the mash is a good start. Calcium drives everything on from there.

If you have been using the 5.2 with decent results that's great but I think you will be more pleased with your own water treatment. The 5.2 is just buffers that help resist the change in mash ph no matter what you are brewing or the water you are starting with. I have never used it, I'm not sure how it works but you are also adding a lot of extras to your beer that are impacting flavor. Typically Sodium, so this is going to change the flavor and perspective of the malt and hops in all your beers brewed with the 5.2.

I usually add little Gypsum only for hoppy beers, and Calcium Chloride for most beers, especially for malty beers to get at least 50ppm Calcium into the mash. See how the flavors are with that alone and you can go from there next time. Do you have a way to check mash ph while you are at it, that really makes the biggest impact, it's one of the easiest and best things you can do for your beer.

Let us know how it goes and what you think of your water with the Gypsum addition. Should bring out the hops for sure.

[Beer-lord]

Thanks, we'll know if a month or so but I still plan on contacting my local water board and the brewers that work there for some advice.
I do have some ph strips but may by a meter if I can find one cheap enough somewhere.

[Beer-lord]

I asked my water department to send me a water report. Again, I was helped by a very nice person who also brews (and I hope to see at my first meeting soon).
He sent me the attached. Can't say I'm 100% sure what I need to do but I'll figure it out as I go along.