This is the year I get a water profile done on my tap water. I know that there are different ways of treating water for summer and winter. Does anyone go as far as to get multiple water profiles done in the same year? Also, any general recommendations for when to get a best ballpark water profile would be? I'll contact my water co tomorrow morning.
I don't treat different for seasons.. our water is mostly collected water above ground, and doesn't change with the seasons. I use a charcoal filter on an RV hose, and I get some great tasting water from it. Very soft, and I normally have to only make some major changes when I'm brewing something real pale.. As for a "everything fits".. I"m sure there's one out there, and one of the calcultors for water will be able to tell you what to add each time for a same baseline water. I change mine based on hoppy/crisp bitterness.. soft for saisons, and sours, and if I've got a bunch of dark grains going in. I do have a generic water profile I work with, though, thanks to getting my water tested by Ward Labs. Was well worth the money, IMO.
When I asked for a water report from the city I asked for 2 years worth of data, broken down by month, for this exact reason. However, because they pre-treat/soften the water before sending it out the variation was so minimal as to be completely negligible.
Aren't most stout water profiles pretty hard? I figure I'm so far away from where they treat the water that I wouldn't even be in the ballpark by the time I draw it out of the tap.
Hard water, if referring to "permanent" hardness, for a stout will tend to take the mash pH too low, because the grains themselves contribute acidity, and the Calcium/Magnesium in the water combined with phosphates from the malt, releasing H+ ions, which reduces pH further. If referring to "temporary" hardness, which includes bicarbonates as well as the Ca/Mg, then the bicarbonates (think of the "total alkalinity" number from a water report) buffer against pH change. Shorter answer: It depends on the type of hardness.
I get the gist of water profiles, but not the temporary vs permanent profiles. What's a good way to calculate what goes into the mash tun vs what ends up in the boil? I should be buying Water soon.
I have a pack of filters and UV in my water line to make beer and drink. Just did the profile once and got all the gear for that.
There really isn't a good way. I believe all the calculators just assume that everything makes it into the kettle, which we know is not true. But you can still use them to make better beer, if you're willing to accept that the models are lying to you, and that our expectations have evolved to accept (adjust for) the lies.
