Once I get a handle on what adjustments need to be made, how do I divide the additives between the strike and the (batch) sparge? I was thinking that I would just add everything to the total volume and then split between strike and sparge. Or do most (or all) of the adjustments belong in the 60/90 minute mash?
If you’re using the additions to adjust the pH of the mash then obviously you need to be adding them to the mash and would just calculate the necessary additions based on the volume of strike water. If you’re adding just to support a flavor profile then you can just throw them in the kettle.
Agreed…that’s the way I do it.
OK, that sounds reasonable…
The flavor profile support is just the Cl:SO4 ratio and the Na & Cl?
This question is addressed in part 4 of JP’s & JZ’s “Watergasm”. Calculate for RA for the mash water but the sparge doesn’t need adjustments. Then add in the kettle for bitterness/maltiness targets if desired.
Yep
rofl. i think it was waterganza, and maybe waterpalooza once or twice. but i like watergasm. hehe.
I’d put it in the strike water, provided that your water is ok to begin with. If you have chloraminated water you might want to use a campden tablet in the water that you’ll sparge with too.
Check out this great free spreadsheet for water tweeking. It allows you to make additions to the mash and/or the sparge. You can use RO water for just the sparge, all kinds of other cool things. At the bottom is shows RA and Cl:SO4 ratio and has a guideline next to each which shows what that value corresponds to. In the case of RA the SRM (color) of your beer, in the case of Cl:SO4 it shows if the ratio is good for bitter or malty brews.