What salt and acid to buy

[poptarts]

I'm trying to step up my game and get into treating my water. I Just ordered a test from WardLabs. Is there a general rule of acids and salts I can just go ahead and buy to get me started, sorta like a DIY water starter kit. I have no LHBS so I would like to buy them and get them in the mail sooner than later.
Thanks for the help.

 

[cluckk]

I use Lactic Acid, Epsom Salt, and Calcium Chloride and Canning Salt depending upon the profile I am going to use. I looked up Laramie's water quality report, but the latest one I found was from 2011 and seemed to only cover contaminants.

When you get you report post the results and we'll be able to help you better.

 

[Kingbogart]

I too will be doing this soon, I found the information (I think) for 2013, but as you said it's basically the contaminants

http://www.cityoflaramie.org/DocumentCenter/View/5362

 

[GeneticBrew]

There is no rule of thumb, generally you would either start with RO/DI water and build from there or get a water report and use that as a base perhaps diluting it with RO/DI.

I keep some of each on hand, as they are rather common and easy to obtain.

Also, be sure to have a scale that can accurately measure the small amounts required.

Some common water salts are:

Calcium Chloride
Calcium Sulfate (Gypsum)
Magnesium Chloride
Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt)
Sodium Chloride (Table Salt - Use Canning Salt as it does not have Iodine)
Calcium Hydroxide (Pickling Lime - Canning Section of grocery store)
Calcium Carbonate (Chalk)
Sodium BiCarbonate (Baking Soda)

 

[poptarts]

Is a 8oz bottle of 10% Phosphoric Acid enough to get you started? I feel like that isnt a lot since its only 10% but maybe a little goes a long way?

 

[GeneticBrew]

Is a 8oz bottle of 10% Phosphoric Acid enough to get you started? I feel like that isnt a lot since its only 10% but maybe a little goes a long way?

Yes, 8oz of 10% will get you started. A lot of folks use 85% solutions.

How accurate are the instruments you will use to measure?

Do you plan on using a water calculator that can account for various acid types at different concentrations?

 

[poptarts]

I was just going to use
Bru-N-Water
Small Scale
and a syringe maybe 10cc depending on what I can find

 

[GeneticBrew]

I was just going to use
Bru-N-Water
Small Scale
and a syringe maybe 10cc depending on what I can find

Perhaps consider using a graduated pipette, instead of the syringe.

 

[poptarts]

I like that idea

 

[JonM]

I grabbed a plastic 1 mL pipette at a science/surplus shop for less than $1. It's graduated into .25 mL measurements, so it's perfect for this.

 

[poptarts]

Got my bottle from WL today, will be sending it out tomorrow should have results by Friday i would imagine.

 

[poptarts]

http://i.imgur.com/DfGYi2S.png
Got my water report doesn't look too bad.
15ml of acid seems like alot though is this correct for this beer? I have 10% phosphoric acid

 

[Yooper]

It's a lot harder to navigate than EZ water, but I'd really suggest trying Bru'nwater. First, the water info in there is outstanding- and even if you don't use the spreadsheet, he has pages on what each ion does, and why. It's definitely worth the price (free!) plus some. What he has that you will want to look at is the "sparge water acidification" tool. You will want to acidify your sparge water with the amount of alkalinity you have.

If you want just a spreadsheet, try brewersfriend.com. It's free, and Kai Troester (braukaiser) came up with it.

I've used all three, and each time the EZ water predicted wrong, while the other two matched each other and my actual mash pH.

Anyway, what are you making? Your water does look pretty nice. I assume with the calcium chloride addition, it's a malty beer.

15 ml of lactic acid is alot- but you have 10% phosphoric acid, and that's fine! I routinely use 1 ml per gallon of phosphoric in my sparge water.

 

[poptarts]

Cool, Yea I'm going for light and malty. I have bru n water and I plan on plugging it in there before brew day as well. The 15ml of acid just caught me off guard a bit but the PH of our water is pretty high to begin with and that really is only like a tbs so I guess I should be good to go.
Thanks for the help