RO water biuld for tomorrows IPA

[rtracer]

Hi guys, looking for some input for my water profile.

6 gallon batch
10 gallons starting BAIB full volume mash

5.5 lbs Pale 2 row
5.5 lbs Pilsner
2 lbs Golden Promise
1 lb white wheat
.5 lbs crystal 40
4 oz acidulated malt

Using EZwater spreadsheet -100% RO water I kept all starting profiles to 0

I've come up with
14 g Gypsum(seems like a lot?)
3 g Calc. Cholr
6 g Epsom
2 g baking soda(to bring up up my sodium?)

All this comes out to
5.48 estimated mash PH
Ca-106
Mg-15
Sodium-14
Chloride-38
Sulfate-268

It also says CHloride/Sulfate ratio is 0.14 with a footnote that says "Below .77 may enhance bitterness)??

Everything I have input is off others recommended water profiles, because in reality I have no idea what any of this means

 

[beskone]

That's pretty close, using Bru'n Water I came up with

17G Gypsum

2.5G Cal Chloride

3G Epsom Salt

2G Baking Soda

Est Mash PH 5.47

Cal: 132.5 MG: 7.8 Sodium: 122.5 Sulfate: 289.4 Chloride 46.2

Pretty much bang on for the Pale Ale profile with the high sulfate to chloride ratio I prefer in my IPA's

 

[ajdelange]

Hi guys, looking for some input for my water profile.

6 gallon batch
10 gallons starting BAIB full volume mash

5.5 lbs Pale 2 row
5.5 lbs Pilsner
2 lbs Golden Promise
1 lb white wheat
.5 lbs crystal 40
4 oz acidulated malt

Using EZwater spreadsheet -100% RO water I kept all starting profiles to 0

I've come up with
14 g Gypsum(seems like a lot?)

It is a lot. If you are sure you like the effects of sulfate and are using a hop variety that is compatible with it then you can go with the incredibly high level of sulfate that some people enjoy. A much more conservative approach would be to use no gypsum at all or, given that IPAs are traditionally brewed with gypseous water, an amount equal to the amount of calcium chloride. The expectation is that you will taste test the finished beer by adding small amounts of calcium sulfate and calcium chloride solutions to see whether you will want to add more of either of these in subsequent brews.

3 g Calc. Cholr

Whereas not everyone likes the effects of sulfate almost everyone does like what chloride does for beer. This is OK for a starting level but you might even want to go to 5 grams for 10 gallons of RO treated.

6 g Epsom

Skip it. Magnesium is generally flavor negative and malt contains plenty of it for the enzymes co-factor needs.

2 g baking soda(to bring up up my sodium?)

Skip it. This contributes alkalinity and will negate the sauermalz which you need to get the mash pH down into a respectable zone. Without it you would expect a pH of about 5.5. With it pH will go up to 5.6. That's really OK or you could double the sauermalz but it seems silly to use acid and base at the same time. Why not just add the (sodium lactate). If you want increased sodium add some sodium chloride. Don't know why you would at this point but if you do the added chloride might actually improve the beer. I would recommend not adding sodium at this point but I do recommend adding some at taste test time. Old timers used to add table salt to their beer at the bar (those salt shakers weren't there just for the hard boiled eggs) and you may indeed wind up adding some sodium chloride to you brewing water if you find it to improve things.

It also says CHloride/Sulfate ratio is 0.14 with a footnote that says "Below .77 may enhance bitterness)??

Ignore that and check the Sticky on chloride to sulfate ratio above.

Everything I have input is off others recommended water profiles, because in reality I have no idea what any of this means

These recommendations are consistent with the KISS approach which is appropriate for a beginner as described in the Primer above qv.