RO water ingredient inventory

[pvtpublic]

Baking soda is Sodium Bicarbonate.

Right, that's why I said "the usual sodium bicarbonate". I was curious because most suppliers carry the calcium bicarbonate, and wasn't sure if that was what was being referenced.

Edit: I misread it as bicarbonate, not carbonate

Calcium bicarbonate exists in solution but not as a solid. (If you dry out the solution, you get calcium carbonate.). So you can’t add that.

You want to target a minimum value of calcium (50 ppm, or more, depending on who you ask), but too much calcium isn’t really ever an issue. You could add too much calcium chloride or calcium sulfate, but it would be too much because of the chloride or sulfate, not the calcium. Calcium pretty much has no sensory footprint and it only does good things for the various chemical reactions that go on in the mash.

Edit: Enh, maybe not. But I'll stand by my statement that generally you're not going to have to worry about too much calcium.

Sodium has a taste (salty) but you usually don’t have enough to notice it, or (in the case of dark beers where you add it on purpose) the effect on taste is positive.

Magnesium, on the other hand, can cause harsh and unpleasant tastes as you get above 10-20 ppm, and cause GI problems if you get way above it.

That helps a ton! Thanks!

 

[rhys333]

I use calcium chloride and gypsum to adjust for the various water profiles. Sometimes a little canning salt.

Occasionally baking soda, if needed to keep the mash pH up in roasty beers. And then of course lactic acid, also for pH control.

 

[jerrylotto]

Just added some zinc oxide to my arsenal. Calcium sulfate, choride and carbonate allow me to set Ca levels without throwing anion concentrations askew. Likewise for sodium chloride and bicarbonate for Na levels.

 

[AlexKay]

Zinc oxide is not soluble at all in water, and I don’t think the pH of wort is low enough to affect that.

 

[pvtpublic]

What is the zinc oxide for?

 

[jerrylotto]

Zinc oxide is not soluble at all in water, and I don’t think the pH of wort is low enough to affect that.

Zinc helps fermentation. I can dissolve the zinc oxide in either phosphoric acid or lactic acid before mixing it in.

 

[AlexKay]

Zinc helps fermentation. I can dissolve the zinc oxide in either phosphoric acid or lactic acid before mixing it in.

I usually target 0.1 mg/L (0.2 for lagers). I use tiny amounts of ZnSO4(aq) that's sold in a dropper bottle for supplements (unflavored, of course!) If I remember correctly, 1-2 mg/L after fermentation helps promote head retention, but I don't mess with that.

 

[jerrylotto]

I usually target 0.1 mg/L (0.2 for lagers). I use tiny amounts of ZnSO4(aq) that's sold in a dropper bottle for supplements (unflavored, of course!) If I remember correctly, 1-2 mg/L after fermentation helps promote head retention, but I don't mess with that.

Yes, like Mg it doesn't take a lot to do the job, but it works a lot better if it is present.