New to water chemistry

[thejuanald]

I usually just use bottled water for my beers because I haven't been able to get the water tested, and the water chemistry here probably changes pretty heavily in the winter. I started thinking I should probably just use DI water and then build up, but I've seen so many different profiles in the water chemistry section for an ideal IPA/ DIIPA water profile that I don't really know what to do.

Can anyone suggest a water profile that would be ideal for IPAs that I could use with DI water? Thanks!

 

[zwiller]

For IPA's don't over think it. You want a nice bump of sulfate to bring out the hops. I use gypsum which will then raise Ca. Try the light colored and hoppy.
http://www.brewersfriend.com/brewing-water-target-profiles/

Gypsum and non iodized salt will get you really close.

If you like what that does, I would double the gypsum bringing SO4 to 300ppm. I do this for my house IPA.

If you want to take it another level, download and learn Bru'n Water and check out the brew science area primer.

 

[thejuanald]

Awesome thanks. I will try that out and then start looking into Bru'n

 

[JonM]

Bru'n Water has a really good profile - just select the "Pale Ale" and it'll give you the numbers you're after. It calls for 300 ppm sulfate as mentioned above. I find it useful to use mostly gypsum but I get some of the sulfate from Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) to keep the calcium from getting too high.