BYO/Chris Colby's Chemistry Lesson

I want to brew a Blonde Ale. The chemicals in my water report are all in the acceptable range except the bicarbs are 227 ppm. After searching the forum and reading the related articles, and reading Chris Colby's BYO magazine article it appears that trying to mix my water with distilled water and all that other stuff is not necessary if you use PH 5.2 in the mash, which I always have.

Is my take right on the above and will the high bicarbs affect the overall quality of the beer if used untreated for sparging?

Thanks for the info.

thebull said:

Thanks for the info.

Click to expand...

Hey, no problem. If I could just add to what everyone else said in this thread D)...

Seriously, based on Beersmith's water profiles of cities around the world, I don't think it's a big deal. Munich's is 200ppm, Burton is 300, Dortmund is 550, and Edinburgh is 225. The beers from those areas run a fairly broad range of styles in regards to hoppiness vs. maltiness. I say make sure your pH is right, brew with your water the way it is and see what happens. You can tweak it on your next batch if you really think it's necessary.

I've never taken a serious look at my water profile and guess I don't really care. I figure it just makes whatever I brew unique to me or my area. Putting Valdosta on the map, yo!

I just buy spring or drinking water from the local grocery store and use 5.2 stabalizer. Hit 74% on my first batch.

To respond to the OP. Adding 5.2 will assure you of a proper pH, but it doesn't address other water issues. I have high carbonates and this can lead to a harsh bitterness, particularly in lighter styles. I adjust my tap water, rather than buying water. All of the other salts (Chloride, sulfate, etc) all contribute to the flavor of the end product. If you like it, don't worry about it. If you have any issues (like me with carbonates) than read up on it and decide how you want to deal with it.

As mentioned above, 225 ppm isn't going to be that out of line with most beer styles or water sources from Munich, London or Scotland. If you're over 300ppm you've got issues or if you're looking to put together a Bud Light, you're probably going to need to dilute with RO water, precipitate by boiling or add some acid. I'd throw in some 5.2 for peace of mind and sally forth.

Personally, my approach is to 'play the ball where it lies'. If you water is too wacked out for a certain style (usually this is problematic when doing delicate stuff like a Pils) then avoid it or for those styles, just get some bottled water, etc.