Building water from RO only

[pensphreak]

My local water is so bad, that I've decided to move to using 100% RO water and building my water profile manually. Before I do this, I wanted to make sure I'm doing it right (using the EZ water spreadsheet)


Recipe (4 SRM):
1 lbs 14.0 oz Cane (Beet) Sugar (0.0 SRM)
13 lbs 12.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM)

Water: 6.2gal mash, 4.3gal sparge
Water additions:
Gypsum: 2g mash, 1.4g sparge
CaCl: 2.75g mash, 1.9g sparge
Epsom: 0.25g mash, 0.2g sparge
Baking Soda: 1.25g mash, 0.9g sparge

This should result in the following water profile:
Ca: 64, Mg: 1, Na: 18, Cl: 71, SO4: 64

Estimated pH: 5.69, RA: -6





Another recipe (15.6 SRM):
9 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
2 lbs 4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM)
2 lbs 4.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM)

Water: 5gal mash, 5.2gal sparge
Water additions:
Gypsum: 0.25g mash, 0.3g sparge
CaCl: 2.75g mash, 2.9g sparge
Epsom: 3.0g mash, 3.1g sparge
Baking Soda: 3.75g mash, 3.9g sparge
Chalk: 0.75g mash, 0.8g sparge

This should result in the following water profile:
Ca: 59, Mg: 15, Na: 55, Cl: 71, SO4: 70

Estimated pH: 5.68, RA: 87




Did I do this right? I want to get away from adding any of my tap water or the 5.2 stabilizer.

 

[Yooper]

I'd definitely recommend skipping the baking soda and probably the epsom salts in the first, and definitely skip the chalk and baking soda in the second! Yuck! I can't imagine one situation where you will want to increase the alkalinity using RO water.

For most beers, using RO water with a teaspoon of calcium chloride is all you'll need. Don't add salts to the sparge water- 100% RO was is fine for sparging. For the tripel (I assume that's what you're making in the first recipe), just use the CaCl2. For the second grain bill, I'd do the same but if you want to enhance hops bitterness you could add a little gypsum.

In water chemisty, more is usually not better! Think of what each salt would bring to the water, and why you would need it. Adding alkalinity is not needed. You probably have more issues with a high pH rather than a too-low pH.

 

[pensphreak]

So assuming my RO water is more or less 0 for everything, are you saying I shouldn't try to hit the recommended levels of each element?

 

[Bmorebrew]

I would say if you are interested in building a water profile from the ground up using RO, read this first: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewing-water-chemistry-primer-198460/. And pay special attention to anything ajdelange says, he really knows what he's talking about.

I would second the concept that keeping it simple is by far a better choice. Adding complex combinations of salts will be much more likely to get you into trouble than helping you, not to mention become a major PITA with each passing brew.

And no RO water is not 0 for everything, it depends on the concentrations of ions in your feed and the efficiency of your unit. Close to 0, but not DI water.

 

[pensphreak]

I'd definitely recommend skipping the baking soda and probably the epsom salts in the first, and definitely skip the chalk and baking soda in the second! Yuck! I can't imagine one situation where you will want to increase the alkalinity using RO water.

For most beers, using RO water with a teaspoon of calcium chloride is all you'll need. Don't add salts to the sparge water- 100% RO was is fine for sparging. For the tripel (I assume that's what you're making in the first recipe), just use the CaCl2. For the second grain bill, I'd do the same but if you want to enhance hops bitterness you could add a little gypsum.

In water chemisty, more is usually not better! Think of what each salt would bring to the water, and why you would need it. Adding alkalinity is not needed. You probably have more issues with a high pH rather than a too-low pH.

Wouldn't only adding CaCl to my RO cause everything else to be 'too low'. I mean, I've always read that the Cl:SO4 ratio determines (in part) the perceived bitterness of the beer. So only adding Cl would screw with that?

 

[Yooper]

Wouldn't only adding CaCl to my RO cause everything else to be 'too low'. I mean, I've always read that the Cl:SO4 ratio determines (in part) the perceived bitterness of the beer. So only adding Cl would screw with that?

No. First, the malt already has plenty of magnesium so there is no way it can be "too low".. The Cl:So4 ratio isn't really that important, and most often more isn't better. What you CAN do is if you want to enhance hops bitterness and like the taste of a higher sulfate, you can add 5 grams and see how you like it. With the CaCl2, you're adding calcium also, so your calcium level will rise. You don't need sodium, either, so no need to add NaCl. You won't need to raise the pH so forget the baking soda, chalk, etc.

I've been "studying" ajdelange's and mabrungard's posts on the subject, and I've learned more in the last 6 months than I ever knew before! Take a look in the "brewing science" forum and read a bit on the water chemistry threads, particularly the primer. I've found that using straight RO water makes pretty good beer, and adding a wee bit of CaCl2 makes great beer, for almost all styles. My IPAs are fuller and better, just by adding a little CaCl2 and a bit of CaS04, far less than the "recommended" ipa profiles. The Cl:S04 ratio shows "balanced" usually and that still makes an awesome IPA!

My tap water is pretty good, but with high bicarb so I've now been using my tapwater diluted with RO water. I'm adding far less salts than I ever thought possible, and making better beer than ever!