Building water for IPA this weekend

I am brewing a 7% ish IPA this weekend and I want to use either spring water like calistoga or similar or even distilled. What would I need to add and in what amounts to yield a good, high IBU IPA? Should I just go with the Burton pack and call it a day?

I think my water is causing some strange flavors and I want to see if they go away if I take it out of the equation.

I'd use the $0.35/gallon RO from the Glacier machine at the grocery store and about a gram of gypsum per gallon in the mash.

Awesome, thanks. Any other suggestions or additives?

Whirlfloc and yeast nutrient.

Yup, I always do those. Awesome. Any compensations i have to make in hops for proper utilization? Is it really a easy as just adding gypsum? If so, awesome!

It kind of depends on what you suspect is causing the off flavor. Do you think its off flavors in the water, or a wrong mineral profile?

Does your water taste funny to drink? My water tastes funny too, but a standard carbon undersink filter kills the off tastes pretty well for me. If you think its that...then I'd go the filter route.

But, if you think its minerals, it'd be interesting to get a water report.

Are you trying to make a traditional english IPA? England water is quite a bit different and contributes significantly to the flavor profile, including hops flavors.

So, if you think its minerals use store bought water, and add salts to regain the London water profile...using beersmith for the needed adjustments.

I don't think Gypsum is sufficient by itself for a London IPA. The sulfates are part of the profile, but you also need the calcium, carbonate, and maybe a little sodium. Gypsum and Bicarbonate would be closer, but again I'd use Beersmith to run the numbers for real. Burton water salts would also be close if you used store bought (RO or distilled) water.

I would in no way try to replicate a historic city water profile. You can if you want, but it's a lot of trouble to go through and probably counterproductive.

RO plus gypsum is fine for an IPA, but if you are after a gentler bittering, use a portion of calcium chloride instead of straight gypsum. Don't go overboard, and don't sweat it.

Ok thanks man. I have both calcclo and gypsum. Would you do half and half or ..?

I'm going west coast style IPA by the way.

The Pale Ale profile in Bru'n Water generally came from recommends by Mosher. It has proven to be an excellent profile for IPA's and PA's. It does include a modest amount of chloride and a heavy (but not excessive) dose of sulfate. Its not crazy high like a Burton water profile.

Should I also treat my sparge water with gypsum if using distilled or RO water?

ajf said:

I tried replicating the Burton water profile when I first tried brewing IPAs. It was a disaster.

Eventually, I bought Pale Ale by Terry Forster. He lists some recipies with suggested water profiles, and I have found that his suggestions have been very good.

For a 1.070 American IPA, he suggests Ca 150 - 200 ppm, SO4 300 - 400 ppm, and Cl2 30 ppm. Where a range is given, I tend to keep to the low end of the range.

-a.

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That's somewhat similar to McDole's water profile. I have shot way to the low end of it with around 100 ppm Ca, 250 ppm S04, around 50 Cl, and the rest whatever my water has already. The ales (PA, IPA, and JBA) with this water have turned out extremely well either because of or in spite of the water. Seems like an awful lot of S04 to me, but it seems to work.

Interesting. So far I haven't braved over about 100 ppm sulfate - I always wuss out at the last minute. Maybe for my next ipa I'll try something more like 250.

I've been brewing Pales with 300 ppm SO4 for over a decade. Plenty of ribbons for those beers.

Regarding the need to treat sparging water. No you don't have to treat it. but if you expect to have a certain water profile in the starting wort, you would have to make up for the lack of minerals in that sparging water somewhere. Some brewers add minerals directly to the kettle to not have to add to the sparging water.

I brew West Coast IPAs quite often and I've had the best luck with the following water profile for this style:

(I get this profile with additions of Gypsum & Calcium Chloride)

Ca - 120-200 ppm (I like more hardness for this style)
Na - 10-20 ppm (high sodium and high sulfate does not mix well)
Mg - 10-20 ppm (levels above 50 ppm can taste sour/bitter)
Sul - 150-300 ppm (stay at higher end if more bitterness desired)
Chl - 50-150 ppm (accentuates fullness of flavor)

Bicarbonate/Alkalinity - as low as possible
Hardness (Ca + Mg) - higher is better if I'm not mistaken


Martin (mabrungard) can add on this or correct if he wishes...

mabrungard said:

The Pale Ale profile in Bru'n Water generally came from recommends by Mosher. It has proven to be an excellent profile for IPA's and PA's. It does include a modest amount of chloride and a heavy (but not excessive) dose of sulfate. Its not crazy high like a Burton water profile.

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Agree. I got my first gold medal in IPA (and a 2nd place BOS) with an AIPA brewed with this water profile, and have used it for several ales since.