water adjustment for BIAB English IPA

[twd000]

next brew day will be my very first BIAB, and first time adjusting water chemistry beyond mash pH - what could possibly go wrong?!

I am using BeerSmith 3 and entered the equipment profile as best I could guess. 14-lb grain bill from Brewing Classic Styles. Aiming for a crisp hop-forward character.

Here is my base water profile from Ward Labs:
pH 7.7
Ca: 51 ppm
Mg: 6 ppm
Na: 17 ppm
SO4: 12 ppm (3x Ward Labs value)
CL: 45 ppm
Bicarb: 111 ppm
Alkalinity: 91 ppm
Resid Alkalinity: 51 ppm


BeerSmith is suggesting I need 7 mL of 88% lactic acid to reach 5.4 pH. This is more than what I've used in the past. I know conversion happens quickly, so limited chance to measure and adjust once I mash in.

As far as brewing salts, I clicked "match profile" for Burton Pale Ale, which is
Ca: 130 ppm
Mg: 20 ppm
Na: 30 ppm
SO4: 0 ppm
CL: 46.3 ppm
Bicarb: 367 ppm

and in order to achieve that target, I need to add
4 g baking soda
6.5g chalk

How does this look to everyone? I have never added baking soda or chalk to my beer, so hesitate to mess up a good batch. Do I add it in the boil kettle, or keg, or ?

 

[mabrungard]

NO!! Don't try and directly match water profiles from Historic Brewing Cities. They are often a reflection of the raw water and those profiles don't reflect what the brewer's had to do to them to make great beer.

While there might be a need to add a bit of alkalinity to mashing water when you're adding a lot of calcium and magnesium salts, its not typical. You definitely wouldn't need the bicarbonate content that the profile above shows.

You also wouldn't want to be adding both the alkaline salts and acids to the water, since they counteract each other. That would just be adding mineral content to the water and it might end up...minerally.

 

[twd000]

it did seem odd to add acid in the mash, then baking soda later...

so what do you suggest for amending my relatively soft water to get a good crisp hop character?

 

[CascadesBrewer]

SO4: 0 ppm

I thought this was a typo. I have BS3 Mobile and it does indeed have a Sulfate level of 0.0 for the "Burton Pale Ale" profile. The "Pale Ale" book I have in front of me lists the Burton profile as having 640 ppm of Sulfate. I am a water noob, but I would suspect the real target is closer to the 150-300 ppm range.

The Pale Ale Profile in BrunWater has:

• Calcium (Ca): 140
• Magnesium (Mg): 18
• Sodium (Na): 25
• Sulfate (SO4): 300
• Chloride (Cl): 55
• Total Alkalinity: 110

Personally, I wish there were some better resources of target water profiles by style. Chasing 200 year old city water profiles seems like a bad idea. BrunWater has a mix of profiles like Yellow/Amber/Brown/Black + Full/Balanced/Dry, but I am never quite sure how to map those to styles. I found a copy of a chart from "Water: A Comprehensive Guide for Brewers" that at least sets some ranges for 10 different categories of beer.

 

[mabrungard]

I like 300 ppm sulfate in my pale ales, but not everyone does. I suggest targeting 200 ppm for your first attempt to gauge your preference.

 

[twd000]

so I see two options to get the sulfate up - gypsum and epsom salt. One gives me calcium and the other magnesium - which do you recommend?

I tried to use Bru'n Water 1.24 but every time I download it and try to save my changes, Excel reports that the file is corrupted and can't be recovered.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

so I see two options to get the sulfate up - gypsum and epsom salt. One gives me calcium and the other magnesium - which do you recommend?

My input (as somebody new to water adjustments who has been spending a lot of time lately looking at profiles/adjustments to support IPAs and Pale Ales for my water profile) would be...Since you have room with your water's Ca (51 ppm) and Mg (6 ppm) levels you likely want a little of both. Start with Gypsum until you get Calcium up toward your target. If you can get Sulfate up to your target with Gypsum, you are done. If not add some Epsom Salt keeping Magnesium below the 15 to 20 range. If somebody with more experience weighs in, listen to them.

 

[Miraculix]

I basically exclusively use gypsum and calcium chloride. I agree with mabrungard regarding the so4 level, tried 350ppm, didn't like it but like 150 to 200 for my hoppy beers. In combination with about 80 to 100 cl and around 100 ca. Not too harsh but a bit minerally. Not as hardcore as Burton water, but as I said, it is over the top for my liking.

 

[McKnuckle]

^good advice, I agree! I also use only gypsum and CaCl to adjust Ca, SO4, and Cl. Never Epsom salts. And use baking soda to add Na only when the pH is too low (dark beers). Never chalk. For acid, when needed, I use acidulated malt in small percentages.

For an English IPA, target 150-200 ppm SO4, half that for Cl, and see where Ca falls (it should be fine). See what estimated mash pH is predicted with that, and try to get it around 5.4. To raise it, add baking soda. To lower it, either add a pinch more of gypsum or CaCl, or if the difference is great, some acidulated malt.

 

[Miraculix]

^good advice, I agree! I also use only gypsum and CaCl to adjust Ca, SO4, and Cl. Never Epsom salts. And use baking soda to add Na only when the pH is too low (dark beers). Never chalk. For acid, when needed, I use acidulated malt in small percentages.

For an English IPA, target 150-200 ppm SO4, half that for Cl, and see where Ca falls (it should be fine). See what estimated mash pH is predicted with that, and try to get it around 5.4. To raise it, add baking soda. To lower it, either add a pinch more of gypsum or CaCl, or if the difference is great, some acidulated malt.

Yes, I also use acidulated malt. 1% to 2% of the grist for pale beers to lower mash PH.

 

[twd000]

OK, thanks for setting me straight. I think I was able to wrangle BeerSmith into incorporating your suggestions.

it's predicting that adding
2 mL lactic acid
12g gypsum
to the mash...

I will get a mash pH of 5.38, and final water profile of
Ca: 154 ppm
Mg: 6 ppm
Na: 17 ppm
SO4: 258 ppm
CL: 45 ppm
Bicarb: 111 ppm

Sulfate-to-chloride ratio: 5.7

 

[Miraculix]

OK, thanks for setting me straight. I think I was able to wrangle BeerSmith into incorporating your suggestions.

it's predicting that adding
2 mL lactic acid
12g gypsum
to the mash...

I will get a mash pH of 5.38, and final water profile of
Ca: 154 ppm
Mg: 6 ppm
Na: 17 ppm
SO4: 258 ppm
CL: 45 ppm
Bicarb: 111 ppm

Sulfate-to-chloride ratio: 5.7

That sounds like a possibility, a bit much on the sulphate side but possible. I would try lowering the sulphate to 200 u and up the chloride to 100, but that might be just my personal idea about it.

 

[mabrungard]

I tried to use Bru'n Water 1.24 but every time I download it and try to save my changes, Excel reports that the file is corrupted and can't be recovered.

I just rechecked the file by downloading and opening it. Its fine, you have a problem with Excel. Try another computer.