NE IPA: Water profile

[BrewRaider]

I will be brewing my first New England style IPA soon - a brew-in-a bag. I typically brew with bottled spring water. My research suggests that I should add CaCl and possibly gypsum to my water to give the beer a soft mouthfeel. Two rookie questions for those of you that have made this style:

1. How much CaCl and/or gypsum should I add for a 5-gallon batch?
2. When exactly do I make the additions? To the mash? To the boil? Both?

Thanks much for any insight!

-BrewRaider

 

[lilbova3]

I'm not sure on quantities and it does matter what your starting water profile is but I've done Cl: 130 and SO4: 60. Use EZ Water Calc or Bru'N for help. Some people have gone higher with Cl. I add mine to the mash only.

I would recommend mashing slightly higher, around 155*-156*, and use lots of flaked wheat or flaked oats or white wheat. Yeast plays an important roll too. I like 1318.

What's your recipe?

 

[BrewRaider]

What's your recipe?

5 gallon BIAB

2-row (70%)
Flaked oats (12%)
Flaked wheat (6%)
Wheat malt (12%)

1 oz. Magnum (60 min boil)
6 oz. El Dorado, Azacca, Equinox (Knock out, 30 min. hop stand)
3 oz. El Dorado, Azacca, Equinox (dry hop, 1/2 way thru fermentation)
3 oz. El Dorado, Azacca, Equinox (keg hop)

1318 London III

This is my first stab at the style. Would love your thoughts on this recipe! Thanks!

 

[olotti]

I will be brewing my first New England style IPA soon - a brew-in-a bag. I typically brew with bottled spring water. My research suggests that I should add CaCl and possibly gypsum to my water to give the beer a soft mouthfeel. Two rookie questions for those of you that have made this style:

1. How much CaCl and/or gypsum should I add for a 5-gallon batch?
2. When exactly do I make the additions? To the mash? To the boil? Both?

Thanks much for any insight!

-BrewRaider

Here's my advice. I used to use bottle spring water and unless you can test it you have no idea what the properties of it really are, I used it for awhile and tasters noted an astringency as it was hard spring water so adding minerals and salts to an unknown well you have no idea what you'll end up with. So months back I went to using all RO water get it filled in jugs at the local grocery store in the machine that way you know it's perfectly clean and now you can manipulate the water profile from there. As for how much there is no "perfect" answer, check out braufessors recipe of NE IPA in the recipe forum he details the basics of what to add very well. To your second question yes you want to add some to the mash and then some to the boil each addition serves its own purpose but as far as the mash is concerned getting the right pH is the big one and that can only happen if you add lactic acid to bring the pH into your desired level otherwise all the cal chloride and gypsum won't matter. Hooper put it to me this way. The mash additions with pH are key then the other cal chloride and gypsum additions into the wort are like adding salt and pepper to spice up a dish. So go get some RO water if you can and use Bru'n water spreadsheet, it's free and will help you dial in the amounts you need. Hope this helps and not confuses you.

 

[olotti]

5 gallon BIAB

2-row (70%)
Flaked oats (12%)
Flaked wheat (6%)
Wheat malt (12%)

1 oz. Magnum (60 min boil)
6 oz. El Dorado, Azacca, Equinox (Knock out, 30 min. hop stand)
3 oz. El Dorado, Azacca, Equinox (dry hop, 1/2 way thru fermentation)
3 oz. El Dorado, Azacca, Equinox (keg hop)

1318 London III

This is my first stab at the style. Would love your thoughts on this recipe! Thanks!

Recipe and grain bill are right in step but unless you get the water right I don't know if it'll come out like your expecting. I use 1318 a lot for these beers along with Conan and both are great so yeah get the water info right and this should give you a good solid start for a NE style beer.