Hey All-
So, I have been pondering my next brew and am curious of something. Up till now, I have been using bottled water from the grocery store. I use either filtered or spring water, generally spring, bottled water. Normally, I will add gypsum to the wort boil, with the additon of chalk or kosher salt based on the style requirements (see appendix in "Beer Captured" or "Clone Brews"). I should point out that I rarely add much minerals aside from gypsum. I don't want to use my city water, even if I boil it. I have yet to buy/install an inline water filter as I live in an apartment, so that will come in the future.
My question is I am starting to embark down the road of minimashes and all grain. For these types of brew, I have been adding gypsum and others during the wort boil, not prior to the mash water. Do the enzymes necessary for breaking down amino acids and/or converting starch to sugar require any of these minerals that I am adding to the wort boil? Is there enough of what the enzymes need in the base malts? If not, it doesn't seem logical to add the gypsum and other minerals at a concentration needed for 5 gallons to the lower volume of the mash. I am going to continue to use bottled water until I get an inline water filter. Also, should I be using spring water or some other type of bottled water (reverse osmosis)? Does anybody know if bottled spring water contains much minerals?
All info on this would be appreciated.
So, I have been pondering my next brew and am curious of something. Up till now, I have been using bottled water from the grocery store. I use either filtered or spring water, generally spring, bottled water. Normally, I will add gypsum to the wort boil, with the additon of chalk or kosher salt based on the style requirements (see appendix in "Beer Captured" or "Clone Brews"). I should point out that I rarely add much minerals aside from gypsum. I don't want to use my city water, even if I boil it. I have yet to buy/install an inline water filter as I live in an apartment, so that will come in the future.
My question is I am starting to embark down the road of minimashes and all grain. For these types of brew, I have been adding gypsum and others during the wort boil, not prior to the mash water. Do the enzymes necessary for breaking down amino acids and/or converting starch to sugar require any of these minerals that I am adding to the wort boil? Is there enough of what the enzymes need in the base malts? If not, it doesn't seem logical to add the gypsum and other minerals at a concentration needed for 5 gallons to the lower volume of the mash. I am going to continue to use bottled water until I get an inline water filter. Also, should I be using spring water or some other type of bottled water (reverse osmosis)? Does anybody know if bottled spring water contains much minerals?
All info on this would be appreciated.
