Flavor contribution carbonates

[reinstone]

Hi. I have a fairly good understanding of water treatment and PH etc. I am interested specifically in hco3 in my water. My water has 51 ppm and is otherwise pretty soft. I can easily make water adjustments to meet ph and sometimes use a portion of ro water. Is this carbonate level going to hurt the flavor of my beer if I am correcting for ph with acid and/or salts?
I am specifically asking about hoppy American ales.


In my understanding wouldn't a high caso4 ipa with no carbonate be out of ph range? Should I reduce the hco3 amount by dilution?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ajdelange]

No. Once you get to mash pH most of the bicarbonate has been converted to CO2 and is gone. The rest goes as the wort pH decreased further in the kettle and in the fermentation but the yeast add CO2 back in. Under normal conditions the amount of bicarbonate in the beer is determined mostly by the amount of gas you apply for carbonation. The contribution from carbonate in your water is insignificant (assuming that you manged your mash pH properly).

 

[reinstone]

No. Once you get to mash pH most of the bicarbonate has been converted to CO2 and is gone. The rest goes as the wort pH decreased further in the kettle and in the fermentation but the yeast add CO2 back in. Under normal conditions the amount of bicarbonate in the beer is determined mostly by the amount of gas you apply for carbonation. The contribution from carbonate in your water is insignificant (assuming that you manged your mash pH properly).

Thanks. My ph is in line. I was actually reading the water book and I think that idea was in there and you were credited with a lot of the information. I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. Thank you very much!