IPA Water

[SlanginDueces]

I'm brewing an IPA today and just did my water calculations. Based off some recommended profiles from the forums and from brewing classic styles the additions from ez water calculator seem a bit high.

My base water is
Ca 25 Mg 9 Na 12 Cl 6 SO4 6

The software is giving me additions of 12grams Gypsum, 3 grams Calc. chloride and 4 grams Epsom salt to the mash plus 10 grams gypsum, 2.6 grams Calc. chloride and 3.5 grams Epsom salt to the boil.

Result is
Ca 135, Mg 21, Na 12, Cl 51, SO4 263


That seems like an awful lot of gypsum (22 grams total) to put in! Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[helibrewer]

I'm brewing an IPA today and just did my water calculations. Based off some recommended profiles from the forums and from brewing classic styles the additions from ez water calculator seem a bit high.

My base water is
Ca 25 Mg 9 Na 12 Cl 6 SO4 6

The software is giving me additions of 12grams Gypsum, 3 grams Calc. chloride and 4 grams Epsom salt to the mash plus 10 grams gypsum, 2.6 grams Calc. chloride and 3.5 grams Epsom salt to the boil.

Result is
Ca 135, Mg 21, Na 12, Cl 51, SO4 263


That seems like an awful lot of gypsum (22 grams total) to put in! Any thoughts would be appreciated!

What is your batch size?

EDIT: For a 5.25gal batch size Bru n' Water tells me to add 1.55g per gallon of gypsum , .35g/gal of Epsom, and .2g/gal of CaCl.

Personally I don't think you need sulfate anywhere near that high, even for an IPA.

 

[SlanginDueces]

Sorry, I'm doing a 13gal batch s

 

[helibrewer]

Sorry, I'm doing a 13gal batch s

OK, so my calcs (see edit above) result in 20.15g of gypsum so it seems your values are reasonable

 

[Yooper]

Looks good. Most of my IPA recipes are a bit more modest in the sulfate, except for one. If you know you love that much sulfate, that's a good profile except for one thing- I'd reduce the calcium chloride (even eliminate it) to get the calcium more like 100 or even less ppm. You don't need the chloride and that calcium is a bit higher than I like.

For most of my IPAs, I go with sulfate of 150 ppm as it's less pronounced firmer/harsh bitterness, but it does depend on the bittering hops. I have one that uses 235-250 ppm of sulfate and it's great.

 

[SlanginDueces]

Thanks! I think I'm going to reduce both the ca and so4 a little bit and see how that works out.