Adjusting water after fermentation and pre-dry hopping

[rafaelpinto]

Hey guys,

Im finally aware that my water profile is way far from what it should be. Im a hoppy guy and my water only enchances the malt aspect. It has a chloride/sulfate rate of 3.6:1. However, both the compounds are pretty low (0,11:0,03).

So I am buying some of both (calcium chloride and calcium sulfate) and shoot for a 100ppm:300ppm rate.

QUESTION IS: can I do this adjustment after fermentation is done? Ive got a 5gal brew fermenting right now and would like to dry hop it. Will it benefit the hop aroma extracted?

 

[ajdelange]

Im finally aware that my water profile is way far from what it should be. Im a hoppy guy and my water only enchances the malt aspect. It has a chloride/sulfate rate of 3.6:1. However, both the compounds are pretty low (0,11:0,03).

Chloride at 0,11 mg/L isn't enhancing anything nor is 0,03 mg/L sulfate.

So I am buying some of both (calcium chloride and calcium sulfate) and shoot for a 100ppm:300ppm rate.

Good idea. Use these next time you brew.

QUESTION IS: can I do this adjustment after fermentation is done? Ive got a 5gal brew fermenting right now and would like to dry hop it. Will it benefit the hop aroma extracted?

Yes, actually you can. In fact this is a good way to determine how much of either or both of these salts you want to use next time you brew. I don't think adding them after fermentation is going to give you exactly the same result as if you use them in the brewing liquor but the technique works well enough to make it a valuable means of adjusting salt additions.

I am not sure that adding sulfate enhances hop aroma and flavor perception. Bitterness yes, the others I'm not sure. Perhaps someone with more experience of dry hopping (and that's anyone who has ever done it) will respond.

 

[brewfun]

QUESTION IS: can I do this adjustment after fermentation is done? Ive got a 5gal brew fermenting right now and would like to dry hop it. Will it benefit the hop aroma extracted?

At my first read of AJ's response, I wanted to say, "wait! Whay??" But then I remembered a reasonably large brewery that high gravity brews and then uses deaerated, acidified and sulfate enhanced water to make their pilsner taste crisper.

Minerals added post fermentation change perceptions. "Benefit" is a somewhat relative term. Like nearly everything in brewing, "it depends."

Sulfate can enhance the perception (sharpness) of bitternes, but it can also create a minerally, harsh, dusty perception that's neither bitter nor pleasant. With oxygen, the harsh effect can be amplified and aromatics reduced.

Anecdotally (through decades of personal and pro brewing) I've found that hop aromatics transfer best when the ethanol is clean, the malt bill is simple and oxidation is basically eliminated. A pH of 4.2 helps as does a controlled temperature of 65F, with short contact times of 4 to 7 days. The ideal conditions are almost always about 6 to 10 days in, when there is still a little more attenuation to go.

Removal of yeast can be beneficial, but it depends on how deep it is. This is mostly about the hops burying themselves in the yeast cake, not any interaction.

Like everything else in brewing it isn't precise, but you can't be sloppy.

 

[rafaelpinto]

Thanks a lot for the reply, guys.

So the salts wont help with aroma. Is there anything I can add that will?

 

[ajdelange]

To the water? No. Obviously adding dry hops or hops essential oil will.

 

[rafaelpinto]

To the water? No. Obviously adding dry hops or hops essential oil will.

Yes, obviously. The thing is that I have used extreme amouts of hops both on late hopping, hop stand and dry hopping with no awesome results.