So I got a great deal on this RO/DI water system-6 stage supposed to distill the water to basically nothing.
I downloaded Bru’n Water(thanks Martin!) and am building my water profile for the first batch Ill brew brewing on with the new water system next weekend. A Belgian Tripel inspired by Chimay. The grain bill is nothing but Belgian Pils and a half pound of Belgian Aromatic. I do a protein rest at 131 and then mash around 150.
So I set my water profile for Chimay(boiled) and then starting adding various salts.
I came up with:(for 7.5 gallons of mash water)
1.5g Epsom Salt
.8g Baking Soda
1.5g Calcium Chloride
1g Chalk
Does this seem about right? Also in regards to the sparge water should I add the same salts to that except the baking soda and chalk. Or should I just add some phosphoric acid to lower the ph to 5.5 as Gordon Strong does in most of his recipes? Im a little confused.
Don’t add alkalinity producing minerals unless the mash pH says its going to be too low. I also recommend that a higher calcium target be used in order to promote good clearing and flocculation of the yeast.
I realize you’re trying to duplicate the local Chimay water, but that water profile still doesn’t provide a brewer with the other things that the Chimay brewers do to their water.
Personally, I would use the Yellow Balanced profile for a Tripel.
I treat the sparge with the same amount of CaCl2, Gypsum or salt to keep all of those the same. Nothing to raise pH in the sparge. Acidify to 5.5 or so wiht acid. So it is add some salts and adjust the pH with acid.
I like to get the Ca up in the sparge water so that I don’t dilute it in the beer. That has helped keep beerstone in check.
I like to keep the water profile the same for mashing and sparging, excepting for the alkalinity requirements of the mash. Sparge water alkalinity should be low (as evidenced by the pH in the range of 5.5 to 6).
Perfect. I dont think Im going to have Phosphoric acid for this go around so Im going to use Lactic Acid to lower my sparge ph if needed. Ive heard Lactic acid can be unstable at higher temps, any suggestions on how to deal with this?
I think they are talking about the storage stability of the acid when subjected to higher temps, not its stability when added to mash or sparge water. Once it hits the water, the hydrogen protons neutralize the bicarbonate and its job is done. The lactate ions stay in solution. No worries for stability.
Nope I use Weyermann German Pils and Pale Wheat in my hefe. It doesn’t really NEED a protein rest but Ive found it does help with head retention when I do one with this malt, which is important in a hefe.
Never tried the Castle Pils, Ill have to check it out next grain haul. Hows it taste?
I haven’t used Castle in a while, but I don’t remember it being exceptional. Definitely made good beer, but I can’t tell the difference between it and Rahr pils.
Are you doing a Hefe? I thought you were doing a tripel.
Got a couple weeks of water modification under my belt now. Im starting to feel more comfortable. One issue I seem to be having is properly acidifying my sparge water.
My new water system gives me a TDS meter reading of 0 and a ph reading of 7.2. I bought a hannah ph meter and calibrated it properly. I have lactic acid and phosphoric acid available to acidify my sparge water.
When i added 2 drops of phosphoric acid my ph read 4.6 and had a similar result adding lactic acid. The sample was read around 80 degrees F. Whats a typical addition of acid per say 10 gallons of water at my ph? I cant seem to figure out the right dosage.
I do 10 gallons, so I have found that 4 drops of 75% phosphoric in the RO water gets it close. I measure, and then take it down with more acid, or up with a little (and I mean a little) pickling lime until it is in the mash range. I am happy with 5.2 to 5.5 for the sparge water, and I fly sparge - most times.
Thanks! I do 10 gallons also, and I have 10% phosphoric acid(the stuff from northernbrewer). Ill keep playing and hopefully get it right. Do you ever find you need to adjust ph of your mash?
I’ve done about 5 or 6 batches with various bru’nwater profiles (all different styles)–even though most times it calls for 0.5 or less cc’s of LA88% in the sparge, I haven’t had to use it (pH usually remains 5.4 to 5.5, rarely 5.6) when batch sparging. YMMV.
A pH target for water is not really a good goal. The goal is always alkalinity, but that is not as easy to measure as pH is. That is the only reason I’ve left pH in the Sparge Acidification sheet in Bru’n Water is to give the User something they can easily check. Alkalinity is a little harder to check than pH. The goal is low to moderate alkalinity in sparge water.
When dealing with a low alkalinity water like RO or distilled water, the alkalinity is already low and only teeny amounts of acid are needed to send the water pH plumeting. In the case of these waters, no acidification is required since the alkalinity is already low.
Thanks for the question. I’ve added additional guidance and alerts in the next version of Bru’n Water to help others avoid this problem in the future. Keep the questions and problems coming!
That makes complete sense! Next time I wont treat my sparge water with acid at all!
Now with regards to the mash ph. Do we ever really see an issue with ph using Ro/distilled water in the mash? How about light versus dark beers? I plan on doing a Bohemian Pils this weekend with 100% weyermann floor malted bohemian pils malt. Do pale beers ever really need ph adjustment with todays modified malts? wheres next weekend I plan on doing an Imperial Stout with 3 lbs of roasted barley, and 2 lbs of black malt and a lb or 2 or crystal. Ive adjusted my water to achieve that Black Balanced profile in Bru’n Water. My projected mash ph is 5.1 and no matter what I do I cant get it up, it says more alkalinity needed. Any recommendations for this, do I need to do anything at all?
The easiest thing to do when more alkalinity is apparently needed for the mash water and you are including a significant component of roast and/or crystal malts in the grist is to reserve them from the main mash. That way you keep their acidity out of the mash and that reduces the need for alkalinity in the mash water. You add those reserved grains at the end of the mash to extract their flavor, color, and sugar contributions.
The other thing that can be done is to hold off on the addition of any gypsum, epsom, or calcium chloride that is slated for the mash. That avoids driving the RA down and helps keep the mash pH higher. You add those mineral additions and add them to the kettle.
By the way, the next version of Bru’n Water already has the features above incorporated and that allows the brewer to quickly assess if either of these techniques will be helpful in achieving their mash pH.
If the program says the mash pH will be in the 5.1 range, some action on the brewer’s part is recommended. I find that beers mashed in this range lose their body since the enzymes really chew apart the body at that low pH. Additionally, the beer will typically have a tartness that can be tasted in the end. I like to aim for 5.4 to 5.5 with a darker beer. I tend to aim for 5.3 to 5.4 for lighter beers. If the beer is a tart or sharp flavored style like Witt or Hefe, then aiming another tenth lower helps that perception.
A pale beer with little crystal or colored malts may not fall into a desirable pH range when using RO water without adding acid or acid malt. I find that with a 10% 40L crystal component and Pale 2 row, my mashes will fall into range when using RO and no acid addition needed.