silverhammer

Recipes 

Hi everyone,
I've got very soft water, and I'm wondering what adjustments I should make when brewing a stout. I've made quite a few stouts without any adjustments and they've turned out good but not amazing, I'm looking to step it up and make great beer.

Here's my water report, I live in Vancouver, B.C
Calcium - 1.4 ppm
Magnesium - 0.2 ppm
Sodium - 1.8 ppm
Sulphate - 1.0 ppm
Chloride - 1.8 ppm
Bicarbonate - 4.6 ppm
PH - 6.7

samc

Recipes 

Read the primer thread in the sticky section. I'd simply think about just adding some Calcium Chloride based on the recommendations in that thread.

mabrungard

Recipes 

Calcium chloride will be a good addition, but alkalinity is likely to be needed to help moderate the mash pH. Given this water is so lightly mineralized, there is some room for options.

An easy way to increase alkalinity is with baking soda, but you have to be aware of where the sodium concentration is ending up. I like a bit of sodium in my beers. Keep it below about 25 ppm to avoid overdoing it. That amount of sodium limits the amount of bicarbonate you'll be able to add to about 70 ppm. That may not be enough, but then again, it might be OK depending on your grist.

The next best option for adding alkalinity is pickling lime. The problem with it is that its very strong and requires careful measurement and dosing. If you can handle that, then its a welcome option for adding alkalinity.

The last option for adding alkalinity is to use chalk. Its fickle since it doesn't dissolve fully and provide all of its alkalinity potential without going to special measures. Those measures involve introducing an acid to get the chalk to fully dissolve. A work around measure is to assume that the chalk adds only half of its potential alkalinity (bicarbonate content). That is what EZ Water assumes in its calculations. Bru'n Water assumes that the full alkalinity is added, so a brewer that doesn't perform the extra dissolving steps would add twice as much chalk as indicated in Bru'n Water's Water Adjustment sheet.

AJ's advice to not add alkalinity until you're sure the mash needs it is valid. But in this case, I can confidently state that you'll need the alkalinity. Adding the alkalinity will keep the wort pH higher. As with all mashes, the sweet spot for room-temperature mash pH is about 5.3 to 5.5. I think that aiming to the high end of the range provides a slightly fuller and rounder beer. The slightly elevated pH helps reduce fermentability slightly which I find welcome in darker beers.

Brewers will find a wide selection of balanced and proven water profiles that are based on the beer color in Bru'n Water. Those profiles have relatively low mineral content to avoid overdosing the beer and making Alka Seltzer beer.

Enjoy!

__________________
Martin Brungard, P.E. D.WRE
Carmel, IN
BJCP National
Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI)
Brewing Water Information at:
https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/

ajdelange

Recipes 

Getting the mash pH correct can move you closer to great beer. If that is your goal it is essential that you obtain and use a pH meter. In the last stout I did (Irish) the mash pH came in at 5.62. That is livable but for great beer you want it closer to 5.4 - 5.5. I had to add acid to this mash to get close to 5.5. This happens every time I brew Irish stout though the mash usually comes in at 5.55 and I usually call that close enough. So I am not as confident as Martin that alakali will be needed and that's why I use a meter and beat the drum so vigorously.

silverhammer

Recipes 

Thanks everyone! I'll look at getting a PH meter soon