Gnomebrewer
Well-Known Member
Firstly....my apologies for the long post. I hope someone has the patience to read it.
After a few years and over 100 batches brewed, I've decided to progress from using the guidelines in the "Brewing Water Chemistry Primer" to using a water calculator and making some more precise decisions. The primer has given me really good results (including a few firsts in local competitions), but I feel that I could get even better (and more consistent) beer by making the change.
So, I've spend many hours over the past few days with four calculators (Bru'n water; EZ water; Brewers friend; and Palmers RA calculator/nomograph). They all give quite different results (a pH variation of about 0.3) so my intention is to brew a few batches and see which is closest for my system, then donate to that calculator and continue using it.
I brew with rainwater in a very clean part of the world (Tasmania, Australia), which can be considered close to a blank slate. I've measured it's pH a few times, with results between 6.6 and 6.9 (using a calibrated TPS pH cube).
The first brew I'm planning to use the calculators for is a simple English bitter:
12L of mash water, 4.1kg of ale malt, 0.25kg of medium crystal, 0.06kg of carafa 3 (for colour; colour about 9SRM). I would like to use 3g of gypsum and 2g of Calcium chloride in the mash (possibly). With these additions, I get the following estimates:
BW: pH = 5.3; EZ: pH = 5.64; BF: pH = 5.50; Palmer: need to increase RA by at least 60.
So, BF says I'm good, BW and Palmer say I need to add alkalinity, EZ says I need to add acid.
What are thoughts on where I should start? (note: I'll have HCl on hand to reduce pH if needed, and bicarb soda to increase pH, but I'd rather not do so once I've already mashed in).
Should I start with some bicarb in the mash?
Should I remove the salts entirely from the mash (as per Martin's sticky about soft water brewing)? Is calcium needed in the mash? Palmer's RA calculator still says I'd need some alkalinity.
Should I add some acid malt? This would match the stickied primer
Should I stick with the gypsum and CaCl2 in the mash?
I've ready a lot of reports that BW and BF are more accurate than EZ, but most are using hard water. Does anyone have experience comparing calculators with very soft water?
After a few years and over 100 batches brewed, I've decided to progress from using the guidelines in the "Brewing Water Chemistry Primer" to using a water calculator and making some more precise decisions. The primer has given me really good results (including a few firsts in local competitions), but I feel that I could get even better (and more consistent) beer by making the change.
So, I've spend many hours over the past few days with four calculators (Bru'n water; EZ water; Brewers friend; and Palmers RA calculator/nomograph). They all give quite different results (a pH variation of about 0.3) so my intention is to brew a few batches and see which is closest for my system, then donate to that calculator and continue using it.
I brew with rainwater in a very clean part of the world (Tasmania, Australia), which can be considered close to a blank slate. I've measured it's pH a few times, with results between 6.6 and 6.9 (using a calibrated TPS pH cube).
The first brew I'm planning to use the calculators for is a simple English bitter:
12L of mash water, 4.1kg of ale malt, 0.25kg of medium crystal, 0.06kg of carafa 3 (for colour; colour about 9SRM). I would like to use 3g of gypsum and 2g of Calcium chloride in the mash (possibly). With these additions, I get the following estimates:
BW: pH = 5.3; EZ: pH = 5.64; BF: pH = 5.50; Palmer: need to increase RA by at least 60.
So, BF says I'm good, BW and Palmer say I need to add alkalinity, EZ says I need to add acid.
What are thoughts on where I should start? (note: I'll have HCl on hand to reduce pH if needed, and bicarb soda to increase pH, but I'd rather not do so once I've already mashed in).
Should I start with some bicarb in the mash?
Should I remove the salts entirely from the mash (as per Martin's sticky about soft water brewing)? Is calcium needed in the mash? Palmer's RA calculator still says I'd need some alkalinity.
Should I add some acid malt? This would match the stickied primer
Should I stick with the gypsum and CaCl2 in the mash?
I've ready a lot of reports that BW and BF are more accurate than EZ, but most are using hard water. Does anyone have experience comparing calculators with very soft water?
A bit different to QLD.
