Cannot Achieve correct Mash ph

[rogerm]

I live in a soft water area (Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 2). I called United Utilities and was given a figure for the total alkalinity of my watre as 61.25 ppm (mg/l). I have put this in to the Liquor Treatment Calculator for bitter along with the following taken from United Utilities Water Quality Detail, Calcium 28.8, Magnesium 6.99 and sodium 10.6. The result to treat 30 litres is given as 13gm Calcium Sulphate, 3.84gm Calcium Chloride, 0.92gm Magnesium Sulphate and 2.24gm of Sodium Chloride, giving a total of 20 grams.

I have apportioned this to my mash water volume of 12.5 litres and added 8.5 grams, the remaining 11.5 grams I intended to add to the boil water which would finish at 25 litres.

My mash ph is 5.9 and even after adding all the treatment salts (20 gram) it still around a ph 5.7 (tested with ph strips). My target is a ph of 5.3

What am I doing wrong?

[Aleman]

Did you reduce your alkalinity with CRS or boiling before mashing?

Although your alkalinity is low compared to others it is still higher than recommended for Pale Ales (25mg/L), and alkalinity is much more effective at keeping the mash pH higher than calcium is at reducing it.

What is the recipe, so that we get some sort of idea about what dark grains are included.

[rogerm]

Thanks for your reply,

No, I have not treated the water with either CRS or boiling as I read living in a soft water area it was not needed - but maybe I am wrong.

The recipe I have used is from the Grahame Wheeler British Real Ale Book and is for the Timothy Taylor Landlord recipe page 184. Its is for 25 litres. I enter this in to the Beersmith software -

Pale Malt 4620 grams
Black Malt 33

Start of Boil
East Kent Goldings 33 grams adjusted with an alpha acid of 5.5% to 34 grams
Styrian Goldings 33 grams adjusted with alpha acid of 3.3% to 45 grams

End of Boil
Styrian Goldings 30 grams (adjusted)
Irish Moss 0.33 gm

I am not a chemist and although I understand the definition of ph the rest I find quite confusing.

Thanks

[Scooby]

Maybe your water is not as soft as you think. Read 'Soft water' in GW's book

follow GW's 'water treatment basics' of boiling and then treat as previously. BTW you need to add salts to the total volume of water used in the brewing process.

[rogerm]

Thanks for the replies.
I did not realise that alalinity and hard/soft water are separate issues and that I have alkaline soft water - I will try your recommndations.
I am assuming that the Calcium Chloride, Mag Sulphate and Sod Chloride as shown in the calculator will still need to be added in the quantities shown in my earlier post - or am I being too precise
This also probably explains why with a high ph my beers although ok have been rather slow to clear.