a quick Water adjustment question....

[Panderson1]

For my IPA (6 gal batch) using RO water. I'm adding 6g Gypsum and 3g calcium chloride.

Do i add this all to the mash water or is it better to split it up 50/50 with the sparge water? Or add some to the boil?

Any thoughts?

 

[rburrelli]

Depends upon your process. Generally not 50/50. But to the % of your mash and sparge waters. Or you can add what was for the sparge to the boil. Either will work.

 

[Panderson1]

Depends upon your process. Generally not 50/50. But to the % of your mash and sparge waters. Or you can add what was for the sparge to the boil. Either will work.

I'm not sure if I'm reading that correctly? So is it bad to add the entire amount to the mash? Thanks

 

[Jag75]

I seperate mine. Its based on mash ph and amounts of water in each mash and sparge. I follow the program I use.

 

[Panderson1]

^ yeah. I need to order something to measure PH lol. Just using RO to be somewhere in the ball park. From what I read RO and 6g gypsum 3 CC is OK. I just don't know how to split it. Batch sparge

 

[Jag75]

It all depends on your grain bill as well. You should look into mashing programs and get a ph meter . I have the beverage Dr ph meter and im happy with it . How much water are you using in each of the mash and sparge ? I can tell you what my additions are if you'd like.

 

[Panderson1]

Right now 5 gal in mash. 4 in batch sparge. I'm doing it in a few minutes lol. Thanks

 

[rburrelli]

The math is not hard. If your total water volume is say 8 gallons and you mash with 6 and sparge with 2, then 75% goes into mash and 25% into sparge.

 

[McKnuckle]

^...which is another way of saying, measure out your total water, add all the salts and acid, then split the water into two volumes. Multiple ways to do things.

 

[Panderson1]

Makes sense! Thanks

 

[Jag75]

Sounds like your up and running

 

[mabrungard]

You can add salts to the mash, sparge, or kettle. They generally produce the same chloride or sulfate concentrations, but there will be substantial differences in mashing pH. Adding all the salts to the mash will depress mash pH the most. That could be good or bad. Using a good brewing water chemistry program can help assess that effect.