How important is water profile

[baer19d]

I've been brewing for a little while now and I've asked this question once or twice and for some reason I still don't have a clear understanding. How important is water profile in brewing and where can I find out which beer styles need what water chemistry and how to adjust it? Also if water is ran through a filter does it remove all traces of minerals and chlorine and leave the brewer with basicly "distiled water"? Thanks, Mike

 

[Bobby_M]

It's most important in all grain brewing but if ion levels are extremely elevated out of acceptable range, it will hurt extract beers also. Carbon filters only reduce some ions by very a couple ppm, but it takes an RO system to create "distilled-like" water.

How important water modification is depends on what your water looks like right now and what beer you're trying to brew. If you have very hard water, you're not going to brew a decent Pilsner.

 

[boredatwork]

I always suggest that people think of their water as an equal part of their recipe (grain, hops, yeast, and water). Water can be just as much of a contributor (or detractor) of flavor as any of the other three. And the importance of water has nothing to do with its taste. Its all about mineral composition.

In terms of its importance I would just say that it can ruin your final product. So I always says its pretty important.

The problem is, some people luck out and have good water for their beer. To these people water may not seem all that important. In reality it is important, they just have it taken care of them automatically so they don't notice the importance.

 

[denimglen]

...How important water modification is depends on what your water looks like right now and what beer you're trying to brew. If you have very hard water, you're not going to brew a decent Pilsner.

Agreed. I think it also depends how much you want to get involved with water too.

At the very basic level if your beers are tasting minerally or a bit thin and empty I would suggest looking at adjustment.

I'm pretty low on all the ions and even some simple adjustments of a bit of CaCl and CaSO4 made quite a big difference.

 

[baer19d]

OK, I got my water report and used John Palmer's residual alkalinity chart I determined that my water is best suited for beer around 20 SRM. This chart only uses calcium, magnesium and alkalinity to make this determination, are there any other minerals that I should also consider? Also does filtering my water through an Omni filter (not an RO filter) change the mineral levels in my water? I would think so. How much does a chlorine level of 0.8ppm effect the taste and what can I do about it assuming that I can't or shouldn't filter my water? Thanks, Mike

 

[BioBeing]

I would just take your water profile and plug it into EZ water spreadsheet (in Bobby_M's sig), or Brewater 3.0 to see what you get. The EZ spreadsheet is nice as it shows you what affect each addition has. Watch Bobby's videos too, of course!

I think (but I'm not sure) that a filter is more likely to remove volatile organics, bacteria, rust and sediment than minerals per se. Although the salt based ones will add NaCl to your water. If you are going to use a filter, you might want to sens a sample of that water to Ward labs instead of just going by your City water report.

Caveat: I have only adjusted water on two of my beers, and neither are ready to drink yet...

 

[baer19d]

OK, now that I have a way of determining what additions I need to make to my water I just need to figure out where to find the minerals to add. Gypsum, Epsom salts, and baking soda I have or can find but what about a source of chalk, calcium chloride, lactic acid, and HCL acid? What kind of store can I find these in (besides a brewing supply store)? Thanks, Mike

 

[boredatwork]

You can get calcium chloride at a pharmacy.

I think between that and the ones you already have you should be good.