Guys: I don't post much here but I have a question for you. I have been brewing since 1999 and make a bunch of styles with my water but I can't seem to get a good, overall handle on something like a Czech Pils or other pale-colored beer and I assume it's the water. I have tried. God knows I have tried. I have gotten some tips from AJ but I think I need the whole thing... grain bill, hop schedule, mash schedule, water composition, etc. I can lager so that's not the issue. Here's a look at my source water:
Ca: 34
Mg: 12
Na: 13
Cl: 21
SO4: 27
Bicarbonate: 138
The bicarbonate is the problem. I have tried cutting my water with bulk RO from the grocery store or distilled. I try adding a bit of CaCl to get the chloride and calcium up. I end up with harsh-tasting beer or bland beer. I'm not sure if I should be looking at epsom salt, table salt or something else that I have not tried. I currently have 5 gallons of bulk RO water and 10 one-gallon bottles of distilled water. Would anyone care to take a stab at putting the whole enchilada together? I often make these with pilsner malt (Best Malz usually), some amount of either Vienna or Munich (both Weyermann), all noble hops (Saaz but not always... sometimes Hallertau, Hersbrucker, Mittelfruh, Tettnanger) and any number of yeast strains including but not limited to 800, 802, 2000, 2001, 2278, 830, 2124, 2782. I have a dedicated lager fridge, I oxygenate my wort well, I pitch into wort that is 50°, I do d-rests, I lager, etc. but I just can't seem to get the right balance. I know that bicarbonate and sulfates need to be low here. I know that chlorides can be a little high so that calcium numbers can be in the 40-50ppm range. I typically do single infusion mashes at 149° or so. I could do a Hochkurz mash 142x30 plus 158x60 but I typically stay away from decoction mashes. I have tried 2 or 3 times and ended up with subpar beer (my fault I'm sure). Anyone care to share their experience in this difficult style? Cheers Beerheads.
Ca: 34
Mg: 12
Na: 13
Cl: 21
SO4: 27
Bicarbonate: 138
The bicarbonate is the problem. I have tried cutting my water with bulk RO from the grocery store or distilled. I try adding a bit of CaCl to get the chloride and calcium up. I end up with harsh-tasting beer or bland beer. I'm not sure if I should be looking at epsom salt, table salt or something else that I have not tried. I currently have 5 gallons of bulk RO water and 10 one-gallon bottles of distilled water. Would anyone care to take a stab at putting the whole enchilada together? I often make these with pilsner malt (Best Malz usually), some amount of either Vienna or Munich (both Weyermann), all noble hops (Saaz but not always... sometimes Hallertau, Hersbrucker, Mittelfruh, Tettnanger) and any number of yeast strains including but not limited to 800, 802, 2000, 2001, 2278, 830, 2124, 2782. I have a dedicated lager fridge, I oxygenate my wort well, I pitch into wort that is 50°, I do d-rests, I lager, etc. but I just can't seem to get the right balance. I know that bicarbonate and sulfates need to be low here. I know that chlorides can be a little high so that calcium numbers can be in the 40-50ppm range. I typically do single infusion mashes at 149° or so. I could do a Hochkurz mash 142x30 plus 158x60 but I typically stay away from decoction mashes. I have tried 2 or 3 times and ended up with subpar beer (my fault I'm sure). Anyone care to share their experience in this difficult style? Cheers Beerheads.