Gypsum and Calcium Chloride Question

[vindee]

I'm planning on brewing an African Amber clone which I will be using a British Ale yeast. I have read where you could or should add a tsp of gypsum and 1 tsp calcium chloride to your water.
Would this be necessary or beneficial?
I have attached a water report since I'm not yet experienced enough to adjust water on my own so I was looking for opinions.
Thanks
Steve

I can't seem to down size the PDF enough to attach it so this is the link to the PDF http://www.ci.bonney-lake.wa.us/Use...rks/2012_WaterReport.pdf#page=2&zoom=90,0,792

 

[Pie_Man]

If you're going to mess around with your water, I would recommend getting a water report from a lab, like Ward's lab. If you're in a local homebrew club, someone in your club may already have one. The report you provided is not very specific and leaves out several things. I would recommend reading the water primer, listening to some podcasts about water. Brew Strong did a four part water show a few years back. If you want to keep things simple, I would recommend Palmer's EZ water spreadsheet. Bru'N water is an alternative spreadsheet, but a little more advanced and confusing to figure out at first.

I don't think a teaspoon of gypsum and CaCl will harm your beer given your base water. Try to figure out what it is you're accomplishing with the salt additions. If you're happy with the beers you are currently making and you are unsure what the additions are accomplishing, you may just want to leave things alone.

 

[vindee]

Thanks Pie Man,
That's what I'm trying to figure out is whether I need to mess with it or not. I don't think the taste of my beer is a concern right now but increasing my efficiency is more of a problem. I know PH plays a roll there but just wondering about the other additions I could make.
Steve

 

[chitowngator]

I did a bunch of reading on water pH and adjustments about a year ago. If I had to cliff note them for you, you add either to bring up your calcium level if it's low to give the beer "crispness." Otherwise you're just using it to adjust your SO4/Cl ratio to emphasize the hops or malt in the beer. A higher ratio, ie more gypsum, is good in a hoppy beer where a low ratio, ie more CaCl, is good in a malty beer. You really need to know the concentration of minerals in the water and I didn't see any of that information in the link (I didn't look too hard though).

My Lake Michigan water is pretty soft, low in chlorine and has some SO4. I need more calcium so I generally add 2 parts CaCl / 1 part CaSO4 to bring up the calcium and even out the SO4. If you get water from a well or aquifer, the water is typically hard and already have a lot of minerals. You may need to cut it with RO water to bring it down.

 

[acidrain]

Definitely get a lab report from Ward Labs.
You'll never know where you're at without one.
Once you get that, enter the numbers into spread sheet like Brewer's Friend: http://www.brewersfriend.com/mash-chemistry-and-brewing-water-calculator/