Water Adjustment Ingredients

[WannaB1]

I've ordered a RO system and was going to order a little of all the basic "salts" I may need (assuming they won't go bad) and I'm slightly stumped.

I have Gypsum, Salt, Chalk, and Epsom salt in my cart now. What does the average brewer keep in stock?

 

[hout17]

I have Epsom salt, gypsum, and calcium chloride. I would recommend getting rid of the chalk you won't need it and it doesn't disolve well in your water. Baking soda is a better option, but you won't really use that either unless you are trying to bring up ph. Of course some table salt also.

Edit: I also use 10% phosphoric and while you will use more volume wise it's safer and less fool proof than using say 88% in my opinion.

 

[VikeMan]

Gypsum and Calcium Chloride are the most commonly used/needed. Sometimes Baking Soda. You can throw away the chalk. Also, get some Lactic or Phosphoric acid.

For one approach to building from RO, see slide 9 of this presentation:
http://sonsofalchemy.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Intro-to-Brewing-Water-Treatment.pdf

 

[marc1]

I use gypsum and calcium chloride for flavor, and lactic acid and baking soda for pH adjustment, if necessary.

Calcium chloride absorbs water out of the air, so if you want to add accurate amounts, make up a solution and use your hydrometer to measure the density. Then use the density to calculate the concentration. There's a thread in the Brew Science forum on how to do it. Mash Made Easy also has a CaCl2 calculator in it that can do that for you.

If you're going down this road, water calculation software is also helpful.

 

[IslandLizard]

Regarding acid additions, Phosphoric Acid is more flavor neutral than Lactic Acid. Now since you're using RO water, the quantities of acid used will be small, with no apparent flavor contribution when using Lactic acid.

Pricewise, however, typical homebrew store and online sourced Lactic Acid comes as 88% in 5 oz (~150ml) bottles, while Phosphoric Acid comes in 8 oz (~240ml) bottles at only 10% for roughly the same outlay. Thus, Lactic Acid is by far the more economical choice. For ease of measuring those small quantities, best to pre-dilute that 88% Lactic Acid to 5 or 10% or so, and store in a well marked plastic bottle, in a safe place.

If you have need for larger amounts of acid, you can buy 85% Phosphoric Acid (e.g., DudaDiesel) in quarts and gallons.

I split part of a gallon of 85% Phosphoric Acid with other homebrewers at our group grain buy, and still have enough left for 10 homebrew lifetimes.

 

[AlexKay]

It wouldn’t be crazy to also keep some plain, non-iodized table salt on hand.

 

[jerrylotto]

I recently picked up some magnesium chloride and keep baking soda on hand as well. Just gives me a little more flexibility to build profiles. Ultimately what's going to happen is you're going to have a little trouble matching something and then you'll get a different salt to make it easier.

 

[VikeMan]

I recently picked up some magnesium chloride and keep baking soda on hand as well. Just gives me a little more flexibility to build profiles. Ultimately what's going to happen is you're going to have a little trouble matching something and then you'll get a different salt to make it easier.

My unsolicited advice would be "careful with the Mg." Just because most natural water (and thus local/regional profiles) contain it doesn't mean it's something that's worth adding. IMO very few beers are enhanced by including/increasing it. And if you overdo it, you get sourness and the runs.

 

[jerrylotto]

Good advice. I generally keep it down around 20 ppm or less. Tap water standards generally permit up to 35 ppm. There are some significant cardiac benefits to Mg++ intake.

PS - make sure you use non-iodized table salt!

 

[IslandLizard]

It wouldn’t be crazy to also keep some plain, non-iodized table salt on hand.

PS - make sure you use non-iodized table salt!

That ^
Kosher salt generally is non-iodized.

You can get a 4 pound box for a couple bucks at your local grocery store, Sams, Costco, etc. Get the "coarse" grade, so it can also be used with Tequila, Margaritas, and such. Also good for brining.