Couple questions...

[stuknkrvl]

Hey all,

First, how long can you keep a batch of Starsan hanging around after you mix it up? I'm on a budget so I hate to toss out anything if I don't have to.

Second, a question about water mods - (Disclaimer - I seem to get crucified every time I ask a water question in this forum. I'm just beginning, and I'm trying to learn. Be gentle...) - I've watched videos where people are adding gypsum to their strike water for an IPA before mashing in, but I just bought a dry Irish stout kit from Northern Brewer that comes with some water mod salts (okay, maybe not salts per say, but you know what I mean), and the guy online told me I should add the salts after I mash in (also said to use either distilled or RO if using the mod salts with the kit - my tap water sucks so thays fine by me). What's the difference? Why make the mods after mashing in as opposed to making the adjustments to your strike water before adding your grain?

Thanks!

 

[locolorenzo22]

I've had a friend who kept his star san around for about 6 months, mixed in a spray bottle with distilled water. that's the key, distilled.

 

[justenoughforme]

the difference between distilled and reverse osmosis is how the water is extracted.

in distilled, temperature is increase and usually pressure is decreased, this leads to evaporation. the evaporated vapor is then condensed by flowing through a cooler section of pipe. this brings only water along the journey and is exceptionally pure.

in RO, picture a membrane with teeny tiny holes in it ... holes so small that only water molescules can fit through (and smaller) ... pressure on one side of the membrane is put by a pump or ambient siphon pressure, and it pushes water against the membrane which lets some very clean water drip out. this is pure enough to remove all salts, however it should be noted evaporated water is MUCH more pure because elementals smaller than water pass right through the RO filter, things like iodine, or even alcohols can pass an RO Filter.

 

[stuknkrvl]

Thanks for the info, but I'm more concerned about whether modifying your water before mashing in or after mashing in makes a difference in your finished beer.

I've seen it both ways, granted with different styles of beer (IPA and dry Irish stout), so maybe it's apples and oranges, but I'm just curious why the IPA mods were added to the strike water before adding the grains whereas the instructions for the stout kit I just bought say add the mods after mashing in.

 

[eluterio]

Ill try to answer some of your water question but im not a professional in biochemistry or what ever deals with all the scientific stuff. Ill try to make it as simple and then you can do research the rest if you want to know more.

Adding minerals to your tap water can be greatly beneficial or extremely horrific if you do no know your water profile. Wardlab.com 40 bucks and you can find out what your water has. Understanding this you may not need to add anything or you may need to add tons all depends on what your water profile comes back as.

As for using RO or distilled its a lot easier. I use ro water and consider it as a blank slate. Now RO still has traces of minerals but im not going to spend $$ on finding out what they are. I mark zero and go from there. Google Bru'n water and you will can get an excel sheet that will help you find out how much minerals you need to add if you looking at specific water profiles. Great tool I use it all the time using RO water and my beers have benefited from it.

Now to answer when to add your minerals, this all depends on their solubility. Some minerals are not very soluble and need to be basically boiled first. Gypsum is soluble at room temp but if the temp is to hot it has a tougher time. I would look up the mineral you have to find out if its highly or moderately or just don't worry too much about it.

I typically with Bru'n Water follow his recommendations of adding some minerals to the strike water and adding the rest to the sparge. I haven't been able to find if the if it make a difference if you just add to one or the other. I think its more of a preference. Some add minerals to the boil. Again do some research later down the road if your really interested in reading more about water. OR buy Palmers book on water 10 bucks on amazon. Tough read cause it DRY but it has some good stuff in it.

So this is just a recommendation use RO, add the salts to your strike and not worry about it. If you want to experiment do another batch and find out what happened if you add it to the sparge.

As for your star san, Distilled or RO water and it can keep for months. I emailed the company months ago and they sent me some good info. I have a 5 gallon keg just for star san I test the ph every now and then but have been successful with my methods.

Cheers

 

[stuknkrvl]

OR buy Palmers book on water 10 bucks on amazon. Tough read cause it DRY but it has some good stuff in it.

Reading through that now. Chemistry was never my strong suit, so it's slow going.

Thanks for all the other info, very helpful!

 

[eluterio]

No problem and Water was the last thing I started to play with in my progression to becoming a better brewer and its all trail and error. Good luck and drink a beer and read the book at the same time, makes time fly and then you realize oh I have no idea what I read but the beer is good!