Hi Guys
Very new to brewing here. My next brew is planned to be a Pliny the Elder clone and I wanted to have a closer look at the water chemistry.
So I downloaded a copy of the free version of Bru’n water and I think I have i figured out (Famous last words right )
Basically, I’m hoping some of you guys will take the time to check if the Water adjustment tab looks sensible, or if I’m doing something wrong/sub-optimal.
You should be able to see the Bru’n water spreadsheet https://www.dropbox.com/s/w6jcn8pf07q4br5/Brun%20Water%201.24%20-%20Pliny%20the%20Elde.xls?dl=0
Thanks
Jacob
When dealing with that much alkalinity I’ve always diluted rather than using acid additions. I don’t know if there’s anything wrong with that approach but diluting would also give you the option of not needed so much gypsum if you wanted to use less.
Hmm good to know, but unfortunately not feasible for me atm.
Googling Sulfate (and chloride) a bit and the first hits also talk about the ratio between the two. So would something like ~150ppm sulfate and ~50ppm chloride make more sense?
Yeah, this ratio, wherever it came from, has been way over obsessed about by homebrewers. Remember that 3:1 you have there isn’t magic. If it was 3ppm sulfate and 1 ppm chloride you wouldn’t notice either. If it was 600ppm and 200ppm the beer would be undrinkable because of either one. What you need to learn is what level of each individual ion is the minimum taste threshold and the maximum tolerable limit, and what flavor effect each has. Then choose the level of each ion individually to achieve the degree of that effect you want to perceive in a given beer.
Interesting about the ratio. I have enough of a chemistry education to know that 1:3 and 200:600 will yield different results.
But if possible could you guys give hints to starting points of sulfate and chloride (perhaps what you would use in a rather hoppy beer such as pliny the elder) so I don’t have to itterrate from really low to really high before I hit the sweet spot. Is 150/50 a good start?
PS I take it that I have not majorly done anything wrong in bru’n water since this topic quickly turned to concentrations rather than actual usage of the spreadsheet.