Ok, let me start out with a little defensiveness: I know we dont HAVE to use Reverse Osmosis and I KNOW springwater works fine. That being said I HAVE reverse osmosis and I have minerals. What I don't have is the understanding... yet... hopefully...
So, I was doing a German hefe and added 5 grams of Burton water salts, 5 grams of Gypsum, and 5 grams of chalk to 5 gallons.
My observations: stirred into water, and heated to 170 for mash in (lowers to 153 on mixing with grains) . Then I heated another batch to 170 for sparge. (never boiled until adding hops)
I did everything as usual with past springwater batches. I noticed that a lot of the minerals that I added went to the bottom of the water holding tanks.
I also noticed my efficiency was waaaay low this time; around 43%. Last few batches I have been at 70%. I have to assume this time was the water, as everything else was the same. The PH of the strike water was 8.5, and upon mashing in it measured at 4.9 PH. (Digital PH meter). I forgot to test my TDS.
So here are the questions...
Do you have to boil water to get the minerals dissolved (or to bind)?
Does a higher mineral content of mash water/sparge water lower efficiency normally?
Does strike water PH matter? I know the grains will create the right PH usually if the minerals are correct.... right?
Thanks in advance, I've been reading through this forum and haven't found any definitive answers to these questions...
So, I was doing a German hefe and added 5 grams of Burton water salts, 5 grams of Gypsum, and 5 grams of chalk to 5 gallons.
My observations: stirred into water, and heated to 170 for mash in (lowers to 153 on mixing with grains) . Then I heated another batch to 170 for sparge. (never boiled until adding hops)
I did everything as usual with past springwater batches. I noticed that a lot of the minerals that I added went to the bottom of the water holding tanks.
I also noticed my efficiency was waaaay low this time; around 43%. Last few batches I have been at 70%. I have to assume this time was the water, as everything else was the same. The PH of the strike water was 8.5, and upon mashing in it measured at 4.9 PH. (Digital PH meter). I forgot to test my TDS.
So here are the questions...
Do you have to boil water to get the minerals dissolved (or to bind)?
Does a higher mineral content of mash water/sparge water lower efficiency normally?
Does strike water PH matter? I know the grains will create the right PH usually if the minerals are correct.... right?
Thanks in advance, I've been reading through this forum and haven't found any definitive answers to these questions...