If you were brewing a porter and starting with RO water, what would you add to the pre-boil water?
Nightshade said:Heat
I was expecting "grains" as a smartass response. I give you points for creativity.
Yooper said:I use a brewing water spreadsheet, to make sure that I add enough calcium to the water and then to ensure that the mash pH will be guestimated to be 5.3-5.5. I know EZ water is, well, easy- but I like bru'nwater better for accuracy. EZ water is always wrong in predicting mash pH.
mrrshotshot said:I'm still learning water chemistry as well but for now I follow what's stated in brewing better beer. RO water and two teaspoons of either calcium chloride for malty beers, or calcium sulfate for hoppy beers per 5 gallons of beer. Still waiting for this book to finally come out:
I'm trying calcium chloride with RO water for the porter I'm brewing this weekend.
I just tried two beers today from using that method and was very impressed. Amazing what changing the water and adding some minerals did. I think you'll be happy with your results. Good luck!
I'm still learning water chemistry as well but for now I follow what's stated in brewing better beer. RO water and two teaspoons of either calcium chloride for malty beers, or calcium sulfate for hoppy beers per 5 gallons of beer.
Still waiting for this book to finally come out:
I'm trying calcium chloride with RO water for the porter I'm brewing this weekend.
If you are going to strip everything out of the water(RO) you should know what to add back to it.
"trying calcium chloride" seems a bit half cocked.
https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/home/files
This makes it pretty idiot proof. Pick a profile to go along with your beer, input your grain bill, play with mineral additions until your built water matches the profile guidelines.
Youve done the hard part...paying for the RO filter, now reap the benefits.
Did you see the PRIMER For using RO water?
Sub'd just because I'm in the same boat as the OP, and I'm planning to try the same thing this weekend.
Ridire said:How much calcium chloride are you planning to add? The software came up with 3.8 grams per 5 gallons (again, assuming I'm doing this correctly). I then looked up the weight of 1 teaspoon of calcium chloride and determined that a teaspoon weighs roughly 3.4 grams. Based on this, the software is coming up with roughly the same amount as Yoopers primer. But I then need 2.5 grams of baking soda to get my ph into range (I'll have to find out how much that equates to, as my scale isn't accurate enough to measure to 2.5 grams).
EDIT: a quick Google search tells me that to get 2.5 grams of baking soda, I want to use roughly 1/2 teaspoon. Sound legit?
I just got my shipment notification from Amazon! I know what I am doing this weekend...
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