Is this water ok for a Vienna Lager?

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logdrum

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2014 Cleveland Water filtered through .5 micron carbon:

Na: 20 ppm
Ca: 38 ppm
Mg: 10 ppm
SO4: 10 ppm
Cl:31 ppm
HCO3: 105 ppm
CaCO3: 86 ppm

Thanks!
 
Hmmm. Since Great Lakes Brewing makes a pretty darn nice Vienna, you probably already knew the answer. Yes, with proper acidification, that water is a great starting point for light lagers.
 
An easy approach is to acidify the water to around mash pH using phosphoric or lactic acid. With alkalinity of 86 you will need a bit less than 86/50 = 1.72 mEq per liter treated. 10% phosphoric supplies about 1.1 mEq/cc and 88% lactic about 11.8. You don't need to hit mash pH precisely and because of this test strips should be good enough though a meter is preferred and you will really want a meter to check mash pH.

Having gotten the water into the ballpark you have zeroed out the alkalinity and can now treat the water, from the alkalinity perspective, as if it is RO. The only additional acid you need is for the grains. A couple of percent sauermalz or equivalent should do the job.
 
Ok, so let me recap: I'm going to bring the water down to pH 5.4 before mashing ( I have a meter to check it ) and additionally use 2-3% Sauermalt in the grain bill. Is this correct? This will be my first lager so I'm sailing in uncharted waters.


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So, like 70 ml of 10% phosphoric to 10 gal brewing liquor?


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10 gal is about 38 L and you need 1.72 mEq/L for a total of 65 mEq. With 10% phosphoric delivering 1.1 mEq/mL that comes to 65/1.1 = 59.4 mL. You will acutally need less, about 90% (~ 54 mL), as you don't have to overcome the water's entire alkalinity (wrt pH 4.5 or so) but only the alkalinity wrt 5.4.

Be aware as you add this that the pH will change slowly at first and then much faster as the pH approaches. So initially add 30 mL and then add the rest in small increments, stirring and checking as you go. If you overshoot just add more tap water. It isn't necessary to be spot on.

Yes, you will need the additional acid or sauermalz for the grain's alkalinity. Since you have the meter it is a great idea to make a mini-mash with the treated water and about a pound of the well mixed grist to see where you will come out in pH. Any change in acid is then scaled and applied to the full mash.
 
Thank you so much! BTW my original figures were off because I plugged imperial gal into my converter, d'oh!


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