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**optimatored** · 06-16-2011, 12:50 PM

I have a double brew day coming up on Saturday: one IPA and one Porter. Based on reading through this thread again and using 100% Distilled, I plan to go with the following. Any comments? I will follow up after I taste the beer with how they turned out. I have no Sauermalz or a pH meter!! So im flying blind here.

For the Porter: 5.5Gal, 4.5gal Mash, 4gal Sparge
4gms of gypsum and 4gms CaCl2
Total Grain (lb): 12.75
Non-Roasted Spec. Grain: 1
Roasted Grain: 0.75
Beer Color (SRM): 29.2
I am having trouble not adding any Gypsum. So I split the CaCl2 and Gypsum.

For the IPA: 5.5Gal, 4.5gal Mash, 4gal Sparge
8gms of gypsum and 4gms CaCl2
Total Grain (lb): 13
Non-Roasted Spec. Grain: 1
Roasted Grain: 0
Beer Color (SRM): 9.7
I went with more Gypsum in hopes of pulling more bitterness.

Lastly, I remember reading somewhere that Na contributes to body and mouthfeel of a beer. Are there any cons to adding some NaCl?

**ajdelange** · 06-16-2011, 01:07 PM

My only comment is that this is a lot of salts but then these are beers that are traditionally brewed with high mineral content water. You do say you are looking for lots of hops so the high levels of gypsum may be appropriate for your brewing. You may, in fact, eventually find you want even more. I would recommend that you also try the recipes with less.

It is chloride that usually gets the credit for the enhancements you mention. In general the reasoning is that you might as well get it paired with beneficial calcium as opposed to, at best, "don't care" sodium but some beers definitely have a hint of saltiness to them. Remember that the goal of the Primer is to get you under control WRT pH. When it comes to the stylistic ions you are on your own!

**RonRock** · 06-16-2011, 01:15 PM

Where would a California Common (Anchor Steam Clone) fit into as far as water profile to start from? Seems like a couple choices from the baseline.

**optimatored** · 06-16-2011, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajdelange

My only comment is that this is a lot of salts but then these are beers that are traditionally brewed with high mineral content water. You do say you are looking for lots of hops so the high levels of gypsum may be appropriate for your brewing. You may, in fact, eventually find you want even more. I would recommend that you also try the recipes with less.

It is chloride that usually gets the credit for the enhancements you mention. In general the reasoning is that you might as well get it paired with beneficial calcium as opposed to, at best, "don't care" sodium but some beers definitely have a hint of saltiness to them. Remember that the goal of the Primer is to get you under control WRT pH. When it comes to the stylistic ions you are on your own!

Doh. My aim was more for 1 gram per gallon. Looks like fudged it.

For the IPA I was going to use 5 gypsum and 3 grams CaCl2. That seems for in line.

**RonRock** · 06-16-2011, 02:34 PM

I don't understand how you got to 5 & 3 for the IPA. I see that you are using a total of 14 gallons water.

I'm still struggling to get a handle on this. The way I read the primer for an IPA with 14 gallons water total, you would add 28 grams of Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) and 28 grams of Gypsum, as well as 2% Acid Malt. Based on RO water. And of course check and adjust the pH after the mash has settled in. What part am I missing?

**optimatored** · 06-16-2011, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonRock

I don't understand how you got to 5 & 3 for the IPA. I see that you are using a total of 14 gallons water.

I'm still struggling to get a handle on this. The way I read the primer for an IPA with 14 gallons water total, you would add 28 grams of Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) and 28 grams of Gypsum, as well as 2% Acid Malt. Based on RO water. And of course check and adjust the pH after the mash has settled in. What part am I missing?

I have 8.5 gallons of water per brew... so I went with 8 grams total. I cant measure to the half of a gram on my scale.

For a Burton beer it says to double the amounts and I am not ready to do so. So for the IPA I will go with 1 gram per gallon and split between gyp and CaCl2.

I came to my determination through reading through the primer. One member (I cant remember who) said they wanted for gypsum in their beer and that is what I had historically done for my water treatments (plus adding gobs of chalk and other salts). So I want to start over using this primer and build upon my water profiles.

I hope to get a pH meter and a pound or two of acid malt by my next brewing day. Then the real fun begins!

**RonRock** · 06-16-2011, 03:29 PM

OK I misread your first post. I missed that the 5.5 gallon is total, then you listed Mash and Sparge. Makes a little more sense now.

I've been doing my best to follow the guidelines, but so far I'm still not sure if I have been getting exactly what AJ suggests. But there is enough room with the addition amounts that so far my beer has improved. I have used 2% acid in all of my mash's since reading this, and my pH has always came in at 5.2-5.4.

Although with my next brew I'm going to mill the acid malt and just have it ready rather than have it in the grist to start. That way I can meter the mash and actually see the pH shift.

So even though I don't have a clear understanding, my beer is much better.

p-nut · 06-17-2011, 02:39 PM

ajdelange,

What mash thickness do you typically use? Do you use this thickness on all of your beers?

**emjay** · 06-20-2011, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saccharomyces

Since the book just recently came out, one word of caution if following his advice: the water where he lives has about 400ppm of bicarbonate, and about 100ppm of total hardness, which means RO with a 90% rejection rate (typical) will result in 40ppm of bicarb and 10ppm of total hardness. My water is considerably less alkaline, so at best I just need to cut my water with RO, and even then only if I'm doing a light lager. I've won plenty of awards for IPAs to stouts doing very little with my water other than filtering it and adding enough phosphoric acid to drop the pH into the butter zone.

Regardless of whether you use RO or go with tap, your goal should be to have as few salts in the resulting water as possible, and you should be consistent in how you treat your water from brew to brew. The numbers given in the OP as targets are fantastic advice... I think 90% of all grain brewers over-think their water, and their beers actually *suffer* as a result.

Where do you get your phosphoric acid? Star San?

**Saccharomyces** · 06-20-2011, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emjay

Where do you get your phosphoric acid? Star San?

Most homebrew supply shops should have both lactic acid and phosphoric acid. I use lactic acid for German beer styles which traditionally would use saurmalz, and phosphoric acid for everything else since it is flavorless.