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GroovePuppy · 03-16-2009, 11:13 PM

Switched to AG using the stovetop method a few brews back. I also started using John Palmers spreadsheet to calculate mineral additions to get my residual alkalinity dialed in for each brew. The trouble is I just realized I've been using the numbers from my local water report then taking the water from a refrigerator filter.

So my first two batches turned out fine but they were slightly bitter/hoppy brews anyway so the sulphate/chloride balance being higher on the sulphate side probably didn't matter too much. Just tried a Nut Brown though and it tastes like it was made with sparkling mineral water, you know the kind of salty taste you get. Maybe it's still green after three weeks in the bottle. The flavor is generally OK but I think the excess sulphate to chloride may have screwed with it.

John Palmers "Is my beer ruined" chapter doesn't list anything that would explain it. Any opinions?

Edit: BTW, my Sodium is 11ppm. http://www.ci.windsor.ca.us/DocumentView.asp?DID=961

HotbreakHotel · 03-17-2009, 12:21 AM

11 ppms of sodium is really low. What else did you put in it?

GroovePuppy · 03-17-2009, 04:02 AM

Code:

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal      
Boil Size: 5.72 gal
Estimated OG: 1.044 SG
Estimated Color: 16.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 22.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount        Item                                      Type         % or IBU      
6 lbs 4.0 oz  Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)            Grain        75.21 %       
1 lbs         Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM)     Grain        12.03 %       
12.0 oz       Victory Malt (25.0 SRM)                   Grain        9.03 %        
5.0 oz        Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)                Grain        3.73 %        
0.75 oz       Challenger [6.30 %]  (60 min)             Hops         18.0 IBU      
1.25 oz       Goldings, East Kent [4.50 %]  (5 min)     Hops         4.3 IBU       
0.13 tsp      Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 min)          Misc                       
0.25 tsp      Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 min)                Misc                       
0.33 tsp      Baking Soda (Mash 60.0 min)               Misc                       
1 Pkgs        British Ale (Wyeast Labs #1098) [Starter 1Yeast-Ale                  


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 8.31 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Full Body, No Mash Out
Step Time     Name               Description                         Step Temp     
45 min        Mash In            Add 12.00 qt of water at 168.8 F    158.0 F       


Notes:
------
1:37 Mash water @ 174F.
1:50 Mash in @ 159F.
2:50 Sparge water @ 175F. Mash complete @ 156F.
2:55 Sparge grains @ 169F.
3:05 Out of sparge. 6.25G @ 1.035 = 74% efficiency.
3:30 Boil start, Challenger in.
4:15 Added Goldings and Irish Moss.
4:20 Chiller in.
4:30 Chiller on.
4:50 70F.
5:17 Pitched yeast @ 70F. 1.043 SG, collected 5.1G.

2/7 Moved to secondary. Gravity @ 1.013.
2/21 Gravity @ 1.014.
2/22 Bottled 48 bottles.

Actually, I rechecked the John Palmer spreadsheet, and even if my filter took out all the Chlorine it still left the Chloride/Sulphate ratio as 17/16ppm, which should be balanced. The final mash Sodium level with additions was 43ppm, still pretty low.

I carbonated to 2.5 vols which may be a little high. Maybe that's what I'm getting. The beer also tastes a little thin. I didn't top up in secondary and the FG was slightly high, as was the mash temp, so that surprises me too.

Edit: My other ppms were

Calcium 175
Magnesium 22

plus alkalinity as CaCO3 was 249