When to add salts

[RustyHorn]

On my Brupaks Calcium chloride, magnesium sulphate, and my calcium sulphate, they all suggest adding to the dry grist. The EZ water spreadsheet suggests also treating my sparge water. Do I bung it all in with the grist or do I separate it and treat my sparge water separately? If I do it separately, do I add it to the boil or to the sparge water?

 

[Qhrumphf]

That depends. Is this for mash pH, or just flavor? Adding salts to the grains/mash water will influence mash chemistry. All three will drive the mash pH down a bit, which usually is a good thing unless brewing a very dark beer with low alkalinity water. When I'm adding salts, I usually add them to both my mash water and sparge water BEFORE adding them to the grains, the exceptions being acid or baking soda (if either are needed, the acid usually is needed, baking soda rarely needed) to adjust the pH up or down after measuring it.

Now, if you aren't trying to adjust the mash chemistry, and are just adjusting the mineral profile in the finished beer for flavor purposes, then don't add to the grains, add directly to the boil kettle.

 

[Yooper]

I put all my salts in the water, as the water goes into the mash and then the sparge and then the kettle.

You don't want to add baking soda or other alkalinity to your sparge water, but the salts you list can go right into the entire volume of water.

 

[RustyHorn]

I put all my salts in the water, as the water goes into the mash and then the sparge and then the kettle.

You don't want to add baking soda or other alkalinity to your sparge water, but the salts you list can go right into the entire volume of water.

How do you ensure they are all dissolved? Surely you don't want a higher percentage going into the sparge?

 

[Qhrumphf]

Some brewers treat all their water at once. I prefer to treat my mash and sparge water separately. Epsom salt and calcium chloride dissolve VERY easily. Gypsum is a little tougher to dissolve but you still shouldn't have any problem.

 

[RustyHorn]

Some brewers treat all their water at once. I prefer to treat my mash and sparge water separately. Epsom salt and calcium chloride dissolve VERY easily...

I put all my salts in the...

All clear, thank you

 

[RustyHorn]

If I add all my salts to the Mash it brings down the ph to a level I'm happier with. If I split them with sparge water the Mash ph is nearer the top end of ideal range. Would it be a problem if I sparge with untreated water which will be at a higher ph level?

 

[FreddyMar3]

If I add all my salts to the Mash it brings down the ph to a level I'm happier with. If I split them with sparge water the Mash ph is nearer the top end of ideal range. Would it be a problem if I sparge with untreated water which will be at a higher ph level?

You could just add them all to the mash and acidify your sparge with lactic...

 

[doug293cz]

If I add all my salts to the Mash it brings down the ph to a level I'm happier with. If I split them with sparge water the Mash ph is nearer the top end of ideal range. Would it be a problem if I sparge with untreated water which will be at a higher ph level?

High pH sparge water call lead to astringency due to tannin extraction. Keep your sparge water below pH 5.8. A little lactic or phosphoric acid is all it takes.

Brew on

 

[Yooper]

If I add all my salts to the Mash it brings down the ph to a level I'm happier with. If I split them with sparge water the Mash ph is nearer the top end of ideal range. Would it be a problem if I sparge with untreated water which will be at a higher ph level?

High pH sparge water call lead to astringency due to tannin extraction. Keep your sparge water below pH 5.8. A little lactic or phosphoric acid is all it takes.

Brew on

Agreed. Ideally, you'd sparge with distilled or reverse osmosis water, with no or little alkalinity. That's really important.