Water Profile Help

[CarboyT1985]

I did a water test with Ward Labs and I'm looking to adjust so I can make a New England IPA. I listed my stats below, could anyone tell me what I need to add in order to get that NE IPA profile? I have more stats, but think these are the essential one's.
PH - 7.1
Calcium - 34
Total Hardness - 118
Magnesium - 8
Nitrate - 6.1
Sulfate - 11
Chloride - 27
Akalinity - 45
I used to add approx tbsp of calcium chloride, just not sure if it's enough or not needed.
any help is truly appreciated.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Specifically what is "that NE IPA profile" which you seek?

Do you have some details for the chosen grist (recipe) and the volume(s) of water to be used?

 

[CarboyT1985]

Specifically what is "that NE IPA profile" which you seek?

Do you have some details for the chosen grist (recipe) and the volume(s) of water to be used?

Thanks!

i usually brew 2.5 gallon batches

5lbs pils or 2 row
2 lbs of flaked wheat or oats
maybe .25 lb of a caramel malt

i usually have 3 gallons of strike and 1.5 gallons of sparge water. with all of the dry hopping that i do, that gets me around 2.5 gallons to keg.

any help you can give is appreciated

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Based upon cation/anion balance I must presume that your SO4 was reported as SO4-S, and as such your SO4 is actually 33 ppm. I'll also presume that your sodium is somewhere near zero ppm.


If it was me, I would add the following:

To the mash water: 3 grams CaCl2, 0.85 grams CaSO4, and 20 mL of 10% Phosphoric Acid.

To the sparge water: 1.5 grams CaCl2, 0.425 grams CaSO4, and 4.2 mL of 10% Phosphoric Acid.

NOTE: This is for CaCl2 in the dihydrate state. Adjust CaCl2 downward by 20% if it is in the anhydride state.

NOTE 2: Phosphoric Acid in the mash as seen above is roughly splitting the difference between standard 2-Row and Pilsner.

 

[Big Monk]

...could anyone tell me what I need to add in order to get that NE IPA profile?

There are some really good threads with many opinions and specific details on this style if you search the forums. You'll probably find everything you need in those threads. Just search NEIPA Water or NEIPA.

 

[CarboyT1985]

Based upon cation/anion balance I must presume that your SO4 was reported as SO4-S, and as such your SO4 is actually 33 ppm. I'll also presume that your sodium is somewhere near zero ppm.


If it was me, I would add the following:

To the mash water: 3 grams CaCl2, 0.85 grams CaSO4, and 20 mL of 10% Phosphoric Acid.

To the sparge water: 1.5 grams CaCl2, 0.425 grams CaSO4, and 4.2 mL of 10% Phosphoric Acid.

NOTE: This is for CaCl2 in the dihydrate state. Adjust CaCl2 downward by 20% if it is in the anhydride state.

NOTE 2: Phosphoric Acid in the mash as seen above is roughly splitting the difference between standard 2-Row and Pilsner.

Is there a formula for the effect a ML of Phosphoric acid does to the profile?

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Is there a formula for the effect a ML of Phosphoric acid does to the profile?

It doesn't change the mineral profile. It brings your mash pH into the desired range of 5.2 to 5.6 pH.

As to "Is there a formula...?" for bringing a mash to pH 5.2 to pH 5.6, the answer is yes. One of them (a spreadsheet, which is both free and complete) can be found at my web address as seen below, and there are a handful of others, both free and pay.

 

[CarboyT1985]

Awesome. I will check that out. Thanks! From doing some research, some sites say to use calcium chloride and gypsum to the mash water, then only Phosphoric acid to the sparse water. Any reason for that? Also, do you have a recommended/affordable PH meter?

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Awesome. I will check that out. Thanks! From doing some research, some sites say to use calcium chloride and gypsum to the mash water, then only Phosphoric acid to the sparge water. Any reason for that?

No good reason I can imagine. Why drive minerals through the roof and make your beer taste like its swimming in minerals just to bring the mash pH in line via minerals alone?

Also, do you have a recommended/affordable PH meter?

That depends upon your definition of affordable.

 

[CarboyT1985]

$40 for a ph meter. If i’m Way off base with getting something good for $40, then let me know.

So can I pretty much add the calcium chloride, Phosphoric acid and gypsum into the jugs of water I am going to brew with? Do they need to be stirred in? Or just add it into the jug, pour into the pot and begin the brewing? Nothing i’m Seeing has instructions. I appreciate you helping a rookie.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

The Apera pH60 for $80 is decent, but I think I may have damaged my probe by letting it dry out. I need to give it an overnight soak in the KCl solution and see if it straightens out.

Add minerals and acid beforehand to your water jugs, and stir to dissolve.

 

[CarboyT1985]

Thanks for help. I ended up adding 1.5 g of gypsum, 3.375 of calcium chloride and 7ml of Phosphoric acid 10%. That seemed to get the PH in the right spot. I got a cheap meter from Amazon, less than $20, seemed to work fine as it hit my house PH on the spot. I’m keeping that in a solution so that it doesn’t dry out. Hopefully these brews turn out well!