First Attempt at chemical additions using Distilled Water

[ohill1981]

Hi folks I am planning on brewing up a couple of beers over the next few days and wanted to check with the community here about my water profile for an IPA. I read https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewing-water-chemistry-primer-198460/ and Charlie Papazian Water adjustment in " The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" both sources seem to be saying the same thing.

I will be treating 10 Gallons of Distilled water. I was assuming since both sources suggested 1tsp. of Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) and 1tsp. Of Gypsum (CaSo4 ) per 5 gallons I would be using 2 tsp. of each for the entire 10 Gal as a starting point. I probably will not use all 10 gallons of the water i just wanted to double the 5 gal for the sake of simplicity.

I have heard that for IPA's it was good to Double the calcium chloride and the gypsum. Making it a total of 4.tsp of each for 10 gallons.. Does this sound completely off to anyone? I was running the numbers through a Water Treatment Calculator and the numbers were off the charts with this method. I apologize in advance for my ignorance with Water Chemistry! I also understand it is not a simple science and what im trying to do sounds to easy, But i would still like to hear everyone suggestions/opinions on what im planning on trying out. - Thanks!!

 

[ajdelange]

I read https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewing-water-chemistry-primer-198460/ and Charlie Papazian Water adjustment in " The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" both sources seem to be saying the same thing.

Omigosh. I'm agreeing with Charlie P?

I will be treating 10 Gallons of Distilled water. I was assuming since both sources suggested 1tsp. of Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) and 1tsp. Of Gypsum (CaSo4 ) per 5 gallons I would be using 2 tsp. of each for the entire 10 Gal as a starting point. I probably will not use all 10 gallons of the water i just wanted to double the 5 gal for the sake of simplicity.

That is a sensible way to proceed.

I have heard that for IPA's it was good to Double the calcium chloride and the gypsum. Making it a total of 8.tsp of each for 10 gallons.. Does this sound completely off to anyone?

That is indeed a lot of salts but some people like a lot of salts in their beers. OTOH many people don't. What I often recommend, therefore, is that you start out with low levels of salts: 1/2 tsp of each, brew the beer, taste it, add calcium chloride to a glass of the finished beer, taste again and see if the extra calcium chloride improves it or detriments it. Do the same with gyspsum. Play around with CaCl2 and CaSO4 in the finished beer until you get an idea of how much extra (or less) scaled to the full brew length, you mighjt want to try in a second brewing of the same beer. Then brew it again with thise adjusted amounts. You won't hit the optimum on the first try - you must keep experimenting.

I apologize in advance for my ignorance with Water Chemistry! I also understand it is not a simple science and what im trying to do sounds to easy, But i would still like to hear everyone suggestions/opinions on what im planning on trying out.

Don't apologize. There was a time when all the 'experts' here were in the same boat as the one you are currently in.

Brewing water treatment can be quite simple if you take an entirely empirical approach like the one suggested by the Primer. Or you can make it very complicated with lots of math, elaborate spreadsheets, iterative solutions to sets of equilibrium equations.... Few choose to go the latter route (and there are intermediate approaches as well) though it is an interesting subject and the rewards, largely those of knowledge for its own sake, are indeed gratifying.

 

[ohill1981]

Thanks so much for responding to me !!! I was not expecting the writer of the Article to respond haha ! I really appreciate you taking your time to writing back to me.

I suppose i will just play it safe and start with 2tsp of each for the entire 10 gallons and try adding some to the finished product to see how it changes.

Should i treat all of the water before i mash? or would temperature have anything to do with the dissolving of the salts?

 

[ajdelange]

Yes, temperature does have an effect. Calcium chloride will be slightly more soluble in hot water than in cold. With gypsum the converse is true. Because you are not approaching saturation with either salt in the quantities we use in brewing you can add the salts whenever it is convenient.

 

[ohill1981]

Thanks a Bunch!