179 replies to this topic

[positiveContact]

maybe there is some rust somewhere in my system.  I'm not sure how much iron it might take.

 

maybe I should send my water in for testing.  maybe the pipes between the water supply and me are adding in iron.

Edited by Evil_Morty, 16 November 2016 - 12:18 PM.

[positiveContact]

after reading the AHA thread I'd like to add that the porter looks and tastes normal so far.  I even reused the yeast for the ESB I just brewed with more green strike water

[neddles]

The water I turned green by adding brewtan to it has almost nothing in it except for iron. It was drawn from a tap in my basement wall right where the well comes in. It touched nothing else.

[positiveContact]

The water I turned green by adding brewtan to it has almost nothing in it except for iron. It was drawn from a tap in my basement wall right where the well comes in. It touched nothing else.

 

how much iron does that water have again?  or do you not know?

[Big Nake]

The rust comment raised an eyebrow with me too.

[neddles]

I can't find it right off hand. It's enough to stain things. Every toilet holding tank in the house is stained from the years before I bought the house and installed a calcite filter to remove the iron and add TDS to my water. Here is a pic of the pex lines going in and out of the calcite filter. Can you guess which one is coming from the well? Side note: You cannot taste the iron in the water.

Edited by neddles, 16 November 2016 - 12:49 PM.

[positiveContact]

Woah!

[neddles]

Iron in water, confirmed.

 

Brewtan plus said iron water turns green, confirmed.

 

Combination of tannic acid and iron produces an insoluble green compound, confirmed.

[positiveContact]

Iron in water, confirmed.

 

Brewtan plus said iron water turns green, confirmed.

 

Combination of tannic acid and iron produces an insoluble green compound, confirmed.

 

sounds like I have a case of the ironitis!

 

but is it really an issue of any kind?  I suspect not.  tannic acid is in a lot of things.

Edited by Evil_Morty, 16 November 2016 - 01:03 PM.

[Big Nake]

Ding, ding, ding!

Iron in water + Brewtan = green strike water that will not carry over to the finished beer. Right? Right? St. Patrick's day gold lager?

[neddles]

My lingering concern would be if you are binding brewtan with known iron in the water and that brewtan is used up such that there are no residual benefits. IOW, is there enough brewtan left to do it's job for the duration of the mash?

[positiveContact]

My lingering concern would be if you are binding brewtan with known iron in the water and that brewtan is used up such that there are no residual benefits. IOW, is there enough brewtan left to do it's job for the duration of the mash?

 

well removing that iron is probably a good thing right?  I haven't seen instructions yet that mention dosing based on what is in your water.  it all seems to be X amount per Y gallons of water in the mash/sparge and then in the kettle.

 

for my 10 gal batches I usually use about 0.6-0.7 tsp between the mash and sparge and then 1 tsp 15 mins before the end of the boil.

[Big Nake]

My lingering concern would be if you are binding brewtan with known iron in the water and that brewtan is used up such that there are no residual benefits. IOW, is there enough brewtan left to do it's job for the duration of the mash?

Right. Or do you need to use more because of the iron in the water? Good question.

[neddles]

I am sure removing iron is a good thing. I don't have an answer to the rest of the questions, including my own. Maybe there's enough Brewtan B in the dose that it does not matter. I just don't know.

[positiveContact]

Okay, I asked Joe a version of Neddle's question.  I'll post an answer when he replies.

[Big Nake]

I never did get an answer from Joe and I emailed him about a month ago.

I also wonder if the iron that has existed in the water all this time had a positive or negative impact on previous beers and what the brewtan will do now that it's in place.

[positiveContact]

I never did get an answer from Joe and I emailed him about a month ago.

I also wonder if the iron that has existed in the water all this time had a positive or negative impact on previous beers and what the brewtan will do now that it's in place.

 

well so far I've made 3 beers but unfortunately they are all new to me recipes.  but I do know what I would typically expect.

 

the first was an AIPA.  probably slightly maltier than I was expecting and the bittering hops seemed smoother.  perhaps I had some harshness in the past that I thought were IBUs?

 

the next was a porter.  I haven't tasted this carbed yet but initial impressions are that it's going to be a very clean and smooth beer.  in the past I've really struggled to brew porters and stouts that didn't have some harshness that I associated with the roasted malts.

 

today I made an "American" ESB.  it's essentially a hoppy APA made with WL002 and mostly GP.  I'll have to report back on this one later.

[neddles]

I never did get an answer from Joe and I emailed him about a month ago.

I also wonder if the iron that has existed in the water all this time had a positive or negative impact on previous beers and what the brewtan will do now that it's in place.

From the Water book...

 

Iron

Brewing Source Water Guidelines= zero goal.

 

Next question I would have is this... Is it binding to zinc at all? It is said that trace amounts of zinc are essential to yeast health.

Edited by neddles, 16 November 2016 - 01:26 PM.

[positiveContact]

Fro the Water book...

 

Iron

Brewing Source Water Guidelines= zero goal.

 

Next question I would have is this... Is it binding to zinc at all? It is said that trace amounts of zinc are essential to yeast health.

 

do they say what iron does if it is present?  I have to think at some point it would start to taste metallic but are there other affects?

[Big Nake]

Brewtan beers seem smoother and although the hops seem to come through with clarity, they can seem reduced somehow... probably from the reduced harshness that the brewtan is doing for us.