Pale Ale - Sanity Check Please

[sbb]

I'll be making a Pale Ale this weekend based on Yooper's house Pale Ale recipe. I'm using the Bru'n Water spreadsheet, Pale Ale profile. Can someone review the attached screenshots for sanity checks?

The amount of lime and calculated final bicarbonate number gives me a little concern.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Why are you adding the lime?

Personally, I only ever add a bicarbonate source if I need to raise the mash pH. I'd suggest removing it and seeing where you pH sits. I don't buy into the idea of trying to hit a target profile - work out the salts you want for flavour, see where your pH estimate sits, then adjust to your target pH with acid or bicarbonate.

Edit: realised you're not using distilled water

 

[sbb]

If I remove the lime, the estimated pH is 5.3. I was adding the lime to get the bicarbonates up to raise that pH. Bad move?

 

[Gnomebrewer]

If I remove the lime, the estimated pH is 5.3. I was adding the lime to get the bicarbonates up to raise that pH. Bad move?

That is a good reason to add lime - don't add it just to match a profile.

I'd still leave it out though (a pH of 5.3 is good for a pale ale.....others might disagree).

 

[carvetop]

Not a water expert but your existing water looks like a great starting point, especially for lighter brews. The lime is unnecessary unless you want to experiment. A mash pH of 5.3 is ideal in my house. Dare I say, I go even lower for my pale ales.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Also, adding that amount of lime to the mash only won't make your overall bicarbonate level as high as the spreadsheet is showing (DON'T add lime to the sparge water).

The supporter version of Bru'n water (received after a small donation on the website) gives the profile for the mash water AND the overall water separately (assuming bicarbonates aren't added to the sparge).

 

[mabrungard]

Adding the lime to boost the mash pH a bit is not mandatory, but it does help express the bitterness. If you are having difficulty getting your bittering to agree with the calculated level, then its possible that an overly low pH is working against you. Conversely, if the bitterness tends to be harsh and excessive, then the pH is probably too high.

In the case of the pale ale profile with its high Ca and Mg content, those ions depress mash pH through the Residual Alkalinity effect. The tap water has fairly low alkalinity and I'm not surprised that a bit more alkalinity is needed.

Producing a 5.3 pH isn't the end of the world. It will still be plenty drinkable. If the hops and bittering don't come through as well as you would like, do plan for a slightly higher mash pH to help.

 

[Yooper]

I like a mash pH of about 5.4, but I don't like such a high sulfate level in a malty(ish) pale ale. I'd probably lose the pickling lime and consider removing the epsom salts as well, and have the sulfate at 150 ppm or so.

 

[sbb]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to follow Yooper's advice and see how that turns out. I'll adjust from there in the next batch.

As always appreciate the quick and thorough responses from all.