Residual Alkalinity

[SeniorChief]

I am brewing a Passion Fruit Wheat Ale tomorrow and want to improve it by adjusting the water profile. In following the Book "Water, a Comprehensive guide for Brewers" table 19 it says that the RA should be -60-0 and no matter what I adjust, my RA (using the EZ water Calc) is -221. If I get the RA within an acceptable range then the other ratio's are out of balance. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can get my RA within an acceptable range and not throw off the others? I am using 3 oz of Acidic malt to get the PH to 5.56 but this raises the RA. I take it out and the RA is close but the PH is too hi. If you have any ideas I would love to hear them. I am using Primo Water from Wal-Mart. My tap water isn't the best for brewing.

Starting Water (ppm):
Ca: 6
Mg: 1
Na: 2
Cl: 10
SO4: 3
CaCO3: 5

Mash / Sparge Vol (gal): 4.5 / 4.1
RO or distilled %: 0% / 0%

Total Grain (lb): 10.0

Adjustments (grams) Mash / Boil Kettle:
CaSO4: 1 / 0.911111111
CaCl2: 5 / 4.555555556
MgSO4: 5 / 4.555555556
NaHCO3: 0 / 0
CaCO3: 0 / 0
Lactic Acid (ml): 0
Sauermalz (oz): 3

Mash Water / Total water (ppm):
Ca: 99 / 99
Mg: 28 / 28
Na: 2 / 2
Cl: 152 / 152
SO4: 150 / 150
Cl to SO4 Ratio: 1.01 / 1.01

Alkalinity (CaCO3): -134
RA: -221
Estimated pH: 5.56
(room temp)

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

if the alkalinity is too high no matter what you try you'll need to dilute with distilled water and build up other salts, in the calculators there is a form for it, here as well.

doesn't look like thats the case here you will just have to try some more settings, I personally wouldnt add magnetism to any water, its not needed in most cases

 

[SeniorChief]

Thanks, I will readjust. The PH is 5.73. What do you think is more important, The correct PH or RA?

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

In ra what's important is,either hard or soft tasting water if your brewing a,competition with a true style than both are important but just for your self well that's up to your taste buds, you can lower ph with acids easily

 

[Nosybear]

pH is the most important to your mash but you control it via RA. The only direct control over mash pH you have is through adding acids or bases to the mash.

Adding magnesium via epsom salts is a good way to add sulfate without affecting RA too much - magnesium has about 1/5th the effect on RA as calcium. But that's about the only reason to add it.