IPA, EZ water and chloride to sulfate ratio...post fermentation

Well I brewed a ranger IPA clone a few weeks ago and I was planning on bottling it in the next couple of days. I brewed this without knowing my water profile....but now I do. I was smart enough to dilute my tap water 5 parts tap 2 parts RO at least.

Well I received my water profile and here is essentially what I brewed it with:

Ca: 12
mg: 3
sodium: 85
chloride: 34
sulfite:9

chloride to sulfate ration: 3.92

est ph 5.7

What's done is done.

Even though my ph was high, I mashed at a low temp of 152 decreasing to 150 for about 100 min. Is there a good chance that I avoided extracting tanins??

Will adjusting the chloride to sulfate ratio Post fermentation effect the flavor ions? According to the EZ water calc, I can add some gypsum to it to get out of the "very malty" class and into the "bitter" class. I understand that some minerals are needed for yeast and mash ph control but I am hoping that I can help this beer out. Its probably worth a shot, as my last beer had a very not smooth bitterness to it. So I was thinking of adding a little at bottling with my priming sugar!!

Any ideas, thanks

It should work. Just recognize that you can't always get away with changing the ratio if either chloride or sulfate is already high.

By the way, you wrote sulfite. Did you mean sulfate? There is a difference.

Also remember that if your sulfate on the water report is listed as SO4-S, as the Ward Labs reports are, you need to multiply that number by 3 to get the number you need for the water calculators.

Further, I would not worry over much about the chloride/sulfate ratio. I think it's more important to think about how much of each is appropriate to the style of beer you want.

Two more comments...First, if you are not using the 2.0 version of the EZ water calc do yourself a favor and download the newer version. It's much improved.

Second, if you really want to learn more and get more accurate results, download Martin's (mabrungard) spreadsheet at Bru'n Water.

He's put a lot of effort into this and it's really good. Even better is that on his website and in the spreadsheet itself is a ton if information about water for brewing, as well as detailed instructions.

Thanks guys. I am going to add a little gypsum when I bottle today, not much though. I have been messing with EZ water 2.0 and Bru'nwater for the last couple of days, so I think I am at least figuring things out for my next brew. Thanks

captainL said:

Thanks guys. I am going to add a little gypsum when I bottle today, not much though. I have been messing with EZ water 2.0 and Bru'nwater for the last couple of days, so I think I am at least figuring things out for my next brew. Thanks

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I wouldn't add gypsum at bottling. Taste the beer, and see if it's really missing it- I would doubt it.

I'm kind of torn. All my beers have had this overly malty flavor that I first thought was an "extract" twang. But my first AG has that same flavor. Now that I have my water report, I am realizing that my water has favored Very Malty beers. So, I'm hoping my first IPA that I plan on bottling tonight can be helped and maybe at least avoid that overly malty flavor. I am only going to add 3 grams of gypsum that will bring my chloride to 34 and sulfate to 71. I figure its worth a shot.