Water Build for 59.8 SRM Porter

bootney · 04-21-2011, 11:23 PM

I am trying to build water from scratch for a 10 gallon porter batch. It has 20# of base malt and 7.75# of roasted malts and the SRM is 59.8.

Using the EZ Water Calc it's telling me I need roughly 23.1 grams of Baking Soda, which boosts sodium levels beyond desirable amounts. Any suggestions out there on ways to boost the pH on this batch without going overboard on the Baking Soda? As a side note I would prefer to avoid the use of chalk due to its decreased ability to dissolve in water.

Thanks in advance.

a10t2 · 04-21-2011, 11:34 PM

I would add:
0.75 g/gal calcium chloride
1.0 g/gal baking soda
1.0 g/gal chalk

That gives:
Ca 160 ppm
Na 72 ppm
Cl 95 ppm
HCO3 350 ppm

And an RA of ~170 ppm CaCO3. The sodium is getting borderline too high but I think it should be OK.

Edit: I assumed you meant you were starting with distilled or RO water. If not then obviously you'd need to know the starting water profile before you could determine what needed to be added.

bootney · 04-22-2011, 12:12 PM

Have you used chalk in the past? If so, did you just add it, or did you use acid/pressure to get it to dissolve?

mabrungard · 04-22-2011, 12:41 PM

Modest sodium levels are good for dark beers since it helps round the flavors. Exceeding 50 ppm is well beyond modest. Baking soda is not the only option, but you're not using the right tool to know that. Pickling lime is the best option for adding alkalinity and Bru'n Water is the tool you need to understand how to use it.

Chalk is an option for increasing alkalinity. But as noted above, its a poor and unreliable approach. Unless you're dissolving the chalk into solution with CO2, you won't really know if the intended alkalinity is actually added to the brewing water.

The recommedation to add calcium chloride is counterproductive since it reduces RA. If your chloride levels are currently acceptable, then avoiding that addition would be a good approach.

Bru'n Water is a little daunting to the first time user since instead of a single, simplified sheet, there are multiple sheets that step the brewer through their water adjustment process. But, once you understand the program flow and all the checks, balances, and guidance it provides, you'll probably find its very useful.

bootney · 04-22-2011, 01:22 PM

Thanks for the suggestion on Bru'n Water. I'll give it a go when I get home, and let you know what I come up with.

bootney · 04-22-2011, 09:55 PM

mabrungard,

Is there a how to on this Bru'n Water? I read through the intro and it left me scratching my head.

mabrungard · 04-23-2011, 05:30 PM

Brewing water chemistry is not a simple subject, so Bru'n Water can't make it totally simple. The problem is that some water programs don't take the time to help brewers from doing stupid things to their water.

Gordon Strong (multi-time AHA homebrewer of the year) just published an expert brewing book. I just received my copy yesterday and immediately paged to the water section. His take away point is for brewers not to mess too much with their water. Without guidance and a true understanding of brewing water chemistry, those other programs will easily allow brewers to hang themselves by adding too much 'stuff' to their water. Bru'n Water helps the brewer to avoid that and that means that you actually HAVE TO read the instructions and understand what you're doing.

There is a reader's digest summary of what you're going to have to do with the program on the first page of the instructions. Look for Program Flow Summary on the Instruction sheet.

Sorry it couldn't be simpler. I'm always open to ideas that can make it simpler, but its not that complicated as is.

bootney · 04-23-2011, 05:48 PM

I got my copy of Brewing Better Beer, I just haven't gotten through it yet.

I agree that water chemistry is a complicated task, and have had some success using the EZ water calculator on lower SRM batches but see that it has it's limitations with darker beers.

The one thing I've learned that less is more for sure when building water. I'll just have to sit down with the Bru'n Water and hammer it out. I appreciate your assistance.

**ajdelange** · 04-23-2011, 06:25 PM

Haven't seen Gordon's book but know from correspondence with him that he is of the less is better and KISS school (to which I am actually a relatively recent convert).

I've tried to capture the KISS aspect of all this in the Primer in the Stickies here. You might want to have a look at that - only take you 5 minutes if that.

**remilard** · 04-25-2011, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajdelange

Haven't seen Gordon's book but know from correspondence with him that he is of the less is better and KISS school (to which I am actually a relatively recent convert).

I've tried to capture the KISS aspect of all this in the Primer in the Stickies here. You might want to have a look at that - only take you 5 minutes if that.

I'd say the advice in Gordon's book is extremely similar to the sticky.

He probably is a little more bullish on sulfate than you, as he brews more American and English ales, but he echos the no sulfate with noble hops mantra.