MrAverage
Well-Known Member
I understand that if I'm brewing a dark beer using soft water I will have to raise the bicarbonate level in the mash water to get the mash to the proper PH range.
I also understand that having a high bicarbonate level in my sparge water may lead to the extraction of tannins as the PH of the mash rises during the sparge. Accordingly, I understand that I should not add bicarbonate to my sparge water as I did with the mash water. Is this correct?
Questions:
- I have read conflicting advice about the relevance of this sparge concern when doing a batch sparge. Is this something to be concerned about or not if I'm doing a 2 part batch sparge?
- What did/do the brewers in places like London do? Did/do they mash with their water straight from the well with its relatively high bicarbonate content but then sparge with water that they treated to reduce bicarbonates? The reason that I ask is that I have been trying to emulate London water for a mild I'm planning (or other city's water depending on what I'm brewing) but I'm now getting the impression that this may not be a good strategy because the water that's good for the mash for a particular beer style may not be right for the sparge because of PH concerns. Needless to say, I'm a bit confused.
I also understand that having a high bicarbonate level in my sparge water may lead to the extraction of tannins as the PH of the mash rises during the sparge. Accordingly, I understand that I should not add bicarbonate to my sparge water as I did with the mash water. Is this correct?
Questions:
- I have read conflicting advice about the relevance of this sparge concern when doing a batch sparge. Is this something to be concerned about or not if I'm doing a 2 part batch sparge?
- What did/do the brewers in places like London do? Did/do they mash with their water straight from the well with its relatively high bicarbonate content but then sparge with water that they treated to reduce bicarbonates? The reason that I ask is that I have been trying to emulate London water for a mild I'm planning (or other city's water depending on what I'm brewing) but I'm now getting the impression that this may not be a good strategy because the water that's good for the mash for a particular beer style may not be right for the sparge because of PH concerns. Needless to say, I'm a bit confused.