Water profile minus ph stabilizer - can I calculate?

[codyds]

I have my full water report from Ward laboratories. I decided to do this as a first step toward better managing my water for brewing. But likely screwed up - I sent in not straight tap water, but instead used water after I had done my normal process. That process is filtering, campden tablet (1/2 tab for 10 gal of water) and ph 5.2 stabilizer (2 TBSP for 10gal of water).

After getting my water profile report and doing some reading, it is pretty obvious that I want to ditch the ph stabilizer. Is there anyway I could understand what my profile below would look like by removing it? Or should I just bite the bullet and get a new water profile report - minus filter, campden, and stabilizer?

pH 6.0
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 427
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.71
Cations / Anions, me/L 10.3 / 1.5

ppm
Sodium, Na - 216
Potassium, K - 7
Calcium, Ca - 11.7
Magnesium, Mg - 2
Total Hardness, CaCO3 - 38
Nitrate, NO3-N - 0.1 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S - 11
Chloride, Cl - 5
Carbonate, CO3 - (not detected)
Bicarbonate, HCO3 - 45
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 - 37
Total Phosphorus, P - 231.70
Total Iron, Fe - 0.01

 

[Kevin58]

Oh, please stop using 5.2 stabilizer. It does nothing and is a waste of money.

 

[codyds]

Oh, please stop using 5.2 stabilizer. It does nothing and is a waste of money.

I 100% am, just trying to figure out if anybody knows how to calculate what my profile would be if I remove it or if I just need a new test.

 

[Kevin58]

Open the water profile tool and open a base profile. It doesn't matter which one because you will be over writing this with your custom information. Change all the values using your own water report.
Click the Save Totals As button and a new window pops up.
The new values should be there but you still need to add a name... "My Base Water" for example.
Click OK and now this is your base water profile.

To use the tool in a recipe you are creating start by opening the water tab.
Click Add Water in the top section and select My Base Water (or whatever you named it).
Next look down to the next section and select Match a Target Profile.
A pop up window opens in which you can manually add profile values - but there is another button named Choose Target Profile you can click.
This will take you to the list of default profiles you can select from.
Choose the one that best matches the beer you are making.
Let's say you are making a dark beer and you want it to be full bodied... you could select the profile named Brown Full.
Click OK then click OK again and now your base water plus all the additions you need to add are listed as ingredients in your recipe design tab.

That's the very basic version but it will get you started.

 

[Oginme]

I 100% am, just trying to figure out if anybody knows how to calculate what my profile would be if I remove it or if I just need a new test.

Use the method Kevin58 outlines above. Realize that this is based upon a model and is only an estimate. If you want to actually know what your mash pH is, you really need to measure it.

 

[GigaFemto]

I 100% am, just trying to figure out if anybody knows how to calculate what my profile would be if I remove it or if I just need a new test.

In order to figure out the profile without the 5.2 stabilizer you would have to know what is in it, and they don't tell you. Just get a new test done with your real base water. If you filter the water, send in a filtered sample. I would skip the campden and add it later in BeerSmith, but if you always use the same amount you could add it before sending in the sample.

--GF

 

[codyds]

For those following along at home - I ordered a new test. Decided to go totally back to base: no filter, no campden, no "stabilizer". Results below. Previous additions (besides filter) was 1/2 tab per 10 gal and "stabilizer" per recommended dose.

New Results
pH 8.2
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 53
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.09
Cations / Anions, me/L 0.9 / 0.7

ppm
Sodium, Na - 5
Potassium, K - 4
Calcium, Ca - 8.7
Magnesium, Mg - 2
Total Hardness, CaCO3 - 31
Nitrate, NO3-N - 0.2 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S - 3
Chloride, Cl - 5
Carbonate, CO3 - < 1.0
Bicarbonate, HCO3 - 25
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 - 21
Total Phosphorus, P - 0.02
Total Iron, Fe - < 0.01

 

[GigaFemto]

That looks like pretty clean water, low in everything. I wouldn't see any need to filter this unless there is something in particular you are worried about that doesn't show up on the report. With this water you can build any mineral profile you want for any style of beer.

--GF

 

[codyds]

Agree! I brewed my last batch without the stabilizer but without knowing these numbers or doing any additional treatment and it was amazing the change in the flavor. The stabilizer was definitely giving me a strange sweet/sour flavor, I'm assuming from the high sodium content? Either way, I feel like I'm on the right path now.

Thanks everyone for your feedback.