Are my CRS figures wrong?

[molehill]

First brewday has finally arrived.... with almost everything ready.

I still need a little advice on water treatment if somebody would be so kind:

Someone advised that I use my water hardness (279.5) from my water report and my CRS calculated out to 49.5.

I have just tested my tap water using the Salifert kit and calculated the following:

Reading in ml = 0.72 = 1.48 Alkalinity in meq/l x 2 = 2.96.

2.96 x 50 = 148 CACO3

Almost half of what it was using the hardness figour in the water report?

The other details on water report include:

Ca 96.1
Mg 9.57
Na 62.3
SO4 138

Total water volumn 35.5
Mash water volumn 8.5

Am I doing something wrong......I know water readings change quite significantly, but can someone please confirm my calculations.

Thanks

[Scotty]

Your water report is specific to one sample and can vary, like mine does on a daily basis.

Did you do they 2ml or 4ml test?

[molehill]

Hi Scotty,
The one shown above was a 2ml test.

I have just completed a 4ml test which resulted in a reading between .42 and .44 So I calculated it to fall around 3.12 (Alkalinity in meq/l) x 50 = 156 and a CRS 25.4.

The calculatoe also recommends adding:

Calcium sulphate to the mash = 1.07gms

Calcium sulphate to the boiler = 3.4gms
magnesium sulphate to the boiler = 0.15
Calcium chloride to the boiler = 2.38gms

How on earth are you able to measure off such small quantities accurately?

Thanks for your help.

[Eric]

The difference between theory and practice, you need only enough calcium, nothing else.
Your question puts this brewing lark into perspective.
Err on the safe side with CRS and do a test after treatment, allowing time for the reaction. Again you don't have to get it spot on.

[Aleman]

As Eric Says, Add 2/3rd of the required CRS, stir and do the test again . . .that then tells you how much more you require.

It's easier to add more CRS, rather than try and remove it if you add too much

[molehill]

Thank you gentlemen...... you have made an old man happy!

I will do as you say this evening.

I assume the way I did my calculations were right then?

Thanks

[oz11]

Err on the safe side with CRS and do a test after treatment, allowing time for the reaction.

How long should we allow for the reaction...5 minutes?Longer..?

Also, if treating water with campden tablets..should that be done before CRS, or is it CRS first then campden? Or does it not matter?

[Aleman]

No more than 5 minutes . . . Personally I treat with CT as I am filling the vessel . . . and then do water treatments . . . Although I think there was a post on here that said yo should do it the other way round.

[oz11]

Hmm..okay. I normally do CRS first then campden, so not a clear argument for changing then

Thanks very much.

[molehill]

Well my first brew went well yesterday and managed to get 23+ lt into the FV.

So many unanswered questions and still so much to learn.

1. Should I have added DWB (Murphy's) into the the water following the CRS?
2. Do you calculate the DWB quantities from the water report?
3. My pre-boil gravity reading was 1034 and after-boil 1041 ...... is this good or bad?
4. I batch sparged starting with 8.5lt. After 90 mins topped it up with 11.7lt stirred it and let it settle for 10 mins, ran it through until clear. Then ran it off and refilled with 15.3lt, let it settle for 10 mins then repeated the runnings and added to the boiler. All looked good and I toof the pre-boil reading at this stage.... right or wrong?
5. I went on a one day brewing course run by Paul Taylor from Murphys. He indicated that using Nottingham dry yeast..... a brew made on Saturday can be racked into the secondary fermenter on Wednesday and bottled on the following weekend? So based on this I plan to carry out the secondary fermentation next Wednesday or Thursday and bottle on Sunday.... but I guess this depends on how well the fermentation goes and gravity reading prior to bottling?

[Eric]

Glad to read all went well. So many questions, ah yes, great isn't it?

1. My salts get mixed into the grist and stirred well in the mash and often some gypsum is added to the boil.
2. A water report is often the only source of information. You decide how deeply you get involved once you've made a pint that just hits the spot.
3. Seems about 20% evapouration, fairly normal. You want a good continuous rolling boil that also evaporates unwanted volatiles. Gravity increases only because the wort is condensed and can if necessary be diluted.
4. Sounds fine, not sure if you did, but it's normal to also stir the second sparge.
5. Yes, Nottingham is popular for good reason, just as you were told and should find. If I want a typical decent pub pint of bitter or pale ale quickly, it's hard to overlook even with so much choice out there today.

Good luck.

[molehill]

Eric.... once again thank you for passing on some of your knowledge, it makes the next brew so much easier if you have those 'not sure I got that right' questions answered.

In answer to your assumptions.

1. I added the CRS into the water prior to heating with half a C.Tablet and recommended calcium sulphate into the dry grain. Followed by the recommended calcium sulphate and calcium chloride into the wort before the boiler was switched on.
3. Boiler behaved nicely and kept a continuous rolling boil throughout.
4. Yes I did stir in the second batch, let it settle out and ran several jugs back through until running clear. the first batch looked as clear and dark as any decent pint purchased in your local! The second sparging was weak in colour but ran slightly cloudy. The final wort after the boil was lovely and clear with good colour. I haven't tried to work out the IBU or EBC yet?

Thanks again