My local water looks to be very soft. It averages 19.7 ppm total hardness. It looks like that puts me in the neighborhood of Pilsen as far as style. I am having trouble understanding how that impacts my all grain brewing. In other words pilsners are fine but what if anything do I need to do when brewing pale ales or stouts? will just adding say burton salts do the trick?
Longmont Water
- Thread starter jackwhite
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shushikiary
Well-Known Member
There is a very nice primer in the brewing science section for water additions.
It's pretty simple, and the hardness isnt everything that matters, it's more the alkalinity and what makes up the hardness that is the real issue (they have a larger impact on mash ph).
Here, it's just best to read the primer: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewing-water-chemistry-primer-198460/
As AJ would say, do the above, but test with a ph meter during your mash (wait at least 15 minutes into the mash to let the PH settle and cool the sample to room temp) and have it guide you more than anything that is said. I've found in my own thornton water around here that 2% acid malt gets me too low, but 1% makes me hit the target just right, however 3% for a pilsner got us very close going to move to 2.5% or so to hit the target (there is a lot of different numbers thrown out, I usually shoot for 5.4 - 5.5 ph at room temp).
It's pretty simple, and the hardness isnt everything that matters, it's more the alkalinity and what makes up the hardness that is the real issue (they have a larger impact on mash ph).
Here, it's just best to read the primer: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewing-water-chemistry-primer-198460/
As AJ would say, do the above, but test with a ph meter during your mash (wait at least 15 minutes into the mash to let the PH settle and cool the sample to room temp) and have it guide you more than anything that is said. I've found in my own thornton water around here that 2% acid malt gets me too low, but 1% makes me hit the target just right, however 3% for a pilsner got us very close going to move to 2.5% or so to hit the target (there is a lot of different numbers thrown out, I usually shoot for 5.4 - 5.5 ph at room temp).
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jackwhite
Well-Known Member
Thanks yea i read in a bit and it managed to take a real simple explanation into a really complicated one.
Every damn time I turn around I need to get more toys. Always more toys!
I also think at some point I need to pick a simple recipe and start brewing it with little changes each time and find what works in my environment. It seems from what i read that's how stouts pales pilseners etc developed. Go with the pour as it where.
charliec
Active Member
I'd love some beer brew'd with water from the Big Thompson river!
Turlian
Well-Known Member
I'm also in Longmont, but have just been doing extracts (which have been excellent using tap water). I'd be interested to hear your test results.
Just head east from where you are to the CA/AZ border and get some water from the Colorado River. Most of the water that flows in the Big Thompson comes from the Colorado.
charliec
Active Member
I spend my yearly vacations in Estes Park (RMNP) nothing is as refreshing as water from those mountains.
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jackwhite
Well-Known Member
We have basically distilled water. When i talked to the water guy he wasn't sure but said the disolved calcium was 5.4. Right now though the all grains i have done have been tasting good but having low efficiency. Its been 73% for a blonde i just did to 50% or less. I need to get ph tester and just start checking my mashes to see where i a falling. My calcs have indicated a mash ph of 5.8. Trying hard not to get too stressed about all these numbers. Hell People have been brewing for centuries without knowing anything about ph. I like pale ales and they fall in the middle. Add some specialty malts and my water should be perfect.
I have 12 lbs of MO for a smash and this is what stressing me a bit. I think I might and some small amounts of salts but otherwise I will just brew away and see what pours.
