Water profile help

[hulkavitch]

Making an AG cream ale tomorrow, 1st AG ever. Need help building my water profile. Starting with RO water. My calculations based on John Palmers book are to add 1 gram CaCl and 1 gram gypsum. When i put the info into his online spreadsheet the recommendation is 2.5 of each?

 

[BigEd]

Personally I'd just use Calcium Chloride to get the Ca+ up to 50-75ppm and forget the gypsum in this beer.

 

[hulkavitch]

Personally I'd just use Calcium Chloride to get the Ca+ up to 50-75ppm and forget the gypsum in this beer.

I was going to add epsom (misprint), just to increase the Mg for the yeasties. How much do you typically add per gallon for a light beer (srm 3-5)?

And do you add it all to the mash, or mash and sparge, or mash and boil?

 

[BigEd]

I was going to add epsom (misprint), just to increase the Mg for the yeasties. How much do you typically add per gallon for a light beer (srm 3-5)?

And do you add it all to the mash, or mash and sparge, or mash and boil?

I wouldn't worry about the Epsom salt either. You only need trace amounts of Mg+ and the malt itself will have enough. Also for the same reason I suggested not using gypsum I'd decline the Epsom. In this type of beer I'm not interested in adding sulphate. This is a soft edged brew and you don't want a pale ale/IPA edge to the hop flavor.

 

[hulkavitch]

Cool thanks for the info

 

[Yooper]

I wouldn't worry about the Epsom salt either. You only need trace amounts of Mg+ and the malt itself will have enough. Also for the same reason I suggested not using gypsum I'd decline the Epsom. In this type of beer I'm not interested in adding sulphate. This is a soft edged brew and you don't want a pale ale/IPA edge to the hop flavor.

With RO water, I have added just 5 grams (about a teaspoon) to the water for a cream ale and it was perfect. I agree to NOT add gypsum or Epsom salts.

 

[hulkavitch]

With RO water, I have added just 5 grams (about a teaspoon) to the water for a cream ale and it was perfect. I agree to NOT add gypsum or Epsom salts.

Did you add a portion of that to the mash and the rest to the sparge?

 

[hulkavitch]

Yooper btw you are great. I dont know if you are assigned to follow me around but you always answer my questions. Thanks

 

[mjohnson]

Did you add a portion of that to the mash and the rest to the sparge?

Lately, I've been adding the 5 grams to the total volume of water (strike + sparge) and then forget about whats in the water. I liked the results. I also believe that is what the primer in the forum stickies says to do.

Good luck!