Water Profile

[A1sportsdad]

Does beer smith hit OG, FG, and ABV without acidification? Does it change anything if you drop the pH? I plug Kalamazoo water into brewers friend and my Oberon clone recipe there hits all the numbers dead on.

It hits the numbers, but it has a comment “very malty”.

 

[MN brewer]

Even their clone hazy ipa has Kalamazoo water listed with the recipe for reference. Hard to believe they wouldn’t adjust for that brew but who knows. Wasn’t that impressed with it when I tried it, but you never know how old it is, also in a can. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[mabrungard]

Stop referring to the misleading ‘malty’ or ‘bitter’ terms for anything to with the sulfate/chloride ratio. The more factual terms are ‘full’ or ‘dry’. But the more important message is that the ratio can be meaningless at low concentrations.

A mashing pH of 6 is not going to produce a great beer. You really do need to make amendments to bring pH down. However, it may not require an acid addition if you’re mineralizing the water with a lot of calcium salts.

 

[A1sportsdad]

For reference, this is the Kalamazoo water profile.

 

[mabrungard]

Kamal Zoo water is fairly mineralized. It’s to the point that care needs to be used to avoid adding some ions.

 

[MN brewer]

Stop referring to the misleading ‘malty’ or ‘bitter’ terms for anything to with the sulfate/chloride ratio. The more factual terms are ‘full’ or ‘dry’. But the more important message is that the ratio can be meaningless at low concentrations.

A mashing pH of 6 is not going to produce a great beer. You really do need to make amendments to bring pH down. However, it may not require an acid addition if you’re mineralizing the water with a lot of calcium salts.

Well, bells two hearted won best beer in America...did u see the video above from bells that they say they use Kalamazoo water for Oberon?

 

[A1sportsdad]

Well, bells two hearted won best beer in America...did u see the video above from bells that they say they use Kalamazoo water for Oberon?

I saw the video. Unfortunately it doesn’t answer the question if they treat it or use it as is. I’m guessing they treat it.

 

[VikeMan]

I saw the video. Unfortunately it doesn’t answer the question if they treat it or use it as is. I’m guessing they treat it.

It's true that the video doesn't explicitly state that they treat or don't treat the water for Oberon. But from an added minerals perspective, I interpreted the words as implying that they don't. If I had to guess, I'd guess they are probably acidifying it (with a direct acid addition).

 

[cire]

It's true that the video doesn't explicitly state that they treat or don't treat the water for Oberon. But from an added minerals perspective, I interpreted the words as implying that they don't. If I had to guess, I'd guess they are probably acidifying it (with a direct acid addition).

Definitely treated with acid.

The water profile given in post #34 is very similar to many water supplies in England. Here alkalinity would be reduced using sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid or CRS, the latter a mix of the two forme acids.

Alkalinity as CaCO3 would be typically reduced to circa 15 ppm for pale beers, 20 to 50 ppm for those with crystal malt additions such as bitters, while darker beers including porters and stouts could have as much as 100 ppm.

Such water treatment is very simple to apply and makes excellent beers.

 

[storunner13]

FWIW I’m drinking a two hearted ale clone. I adjusted to Kalamazoo water, seems spot on to me. Been working on a Kalamazoo Stout clone and use their water profile. Have to have mash temp for a single infusion mash at 157.5 to get the ABV from OG of 1.065. Lower temps lead to higher ABV. I wonder if that ties into the temp effect on pH. I also emailed Bells and they were kind enough to give me the grain bill for Kalamazoo Stout. I’ll probably brew Oberon soon after. I guess that makes me a Bells tribute brewer...

@MN brewer -- how did the Kalamazoo stout turn out? Can you share the recipe? I finally want to get around to brewing a clone of my favorite stout sometime this year.

 

[MN brewer]

Here’s the recipe

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1038698/kalamazoo-stout-clone
the “allspice” is actually brewers licorice drops but there is no choice for that. I used 1 package for 10 gallons finished. Started drinking it too soon, by 2 months of cold conditioning the licorice really came through, should have aged it that long before I started drinking. Next brew I may try 2 packages of brewers licorice drops. Sticks no longer available. Didn’t have an issue with dissolving the drops.

 

[storunner13]

Thanks! What was the original suggestion for licorice? I have a pack of the sticks, and will likely use those.

 

[MN brewer]

Sticks are what has been used in the past, they just aren’t available anymore or I probably would have used them. Lots of warnings about adding early to boil to make sure they dissolve in threads I’ve read, no personal experience.

 

[MN brewer]

Thanks! What was the original suggestion for licorice? I have a pack of the sticks, and will likely use those.

If I remember right it was an ounce per 5 gallon?