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Calcium Chloride


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#1 HVB

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 11:00 AM

This was from the Bru'n Water FB page but I found it interesting and though some here may also find it useful.

 

WORKING WITH CALCIUM CHLORIDE

Calcium chloride can be a confounding salt to work with in the brewery since it readily absorbs water from the atmosphere and effectively dilutes your assumed ionic addition. Fortunately, there are two ways to resolve this.

The most consistent option is to create a liquid calcium chloride solution. That option is discussed more thoroughly in older posts on this page. Another option is to occasionally dehydrate your calcium chloride supply by baking it in an oven.

Since your solid calcium chloride will slowly pick up moisture, even when stored in tightly sealed vessels, baking the solid can dehydrate it to near anhydrous condition. This is an easy process.

Place the calcium chloride solids in a heat-proof open container such as a bowl or tray and heat the solids to about 200C (392F) for at least an hour. Those solids will melt and in the process, they should revert to an anhydrous state (no water of hydration). Once dehydrated, you can have a better estimate of the solid and how much calcium and chloride you are adding via the salt. In Bru'n Water, you can set the calcium chloride form to Anhydrous and be more accurate in your additions.

If you don't think you've been getting what you expect out of your calcium chloride additions or if your solids are getting watery or runny, then this baking technique should help you.

Enjoy!

 

 



#2 positiveContact

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 11:40 AM

My calcium chloride is in the form of small pebble looking things. Will they stay in this form if I bake them?

#3 HVB

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 11:42 AM

My calcium chloride is in the form of small pebble looking things. Will they stay in this form if I bake them?

Mine are the same, Pickle Crisps I believe.  I have not noticed visible signs of water take up but I guess it could be there.  I may try to back off a small amount and see what happens.



#4 positiveContact

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 11:47 AM

Assuming my colorphast steps are at all accurate I'm usually overshooting on my acidification anyway ;)

#5 HVB

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 11:52 AM

Assuming my colorphast steps are at all accurate I'm usually overshooting on my acidification anyway ;)

Well, you know I did have that pH issue so I am looking into everything!



#6 neddles

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 11:56 AM

I spilled a few pellets onto my bench during summertime and after a while they liquified. The stuff in my jar stays dry, visually.



#7 Big Nake

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 11:59 AM

I used to have CaCl in a Ziploc bag and at some point it started to get a little mushy. I found an empty PBW container I had with a tight-fitting lid and ever since using it, my CaCl has remained dry.

#8 positiveContact

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 12:41 PM

oh , they actually get mushy?  that def has not happened to me yet.



#9 HVB

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 12:45 PM

oh , they actually get mushy?  that def has not happened to me yet.

yeah same here.  This is what I have, must be on 2-3 years and they are still solid and all separate.

 

1440072750%20Ball%20Pickle%20Crisp%20Gra



#10 positiveContact

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 12:54 PM

yeah same here.  This is what I have, must be on 2-3 years and they are still solid and all separate.

 

1440072750%20Ball%20Pickle%20Crisp%20Gra

 

mine are in a plastic bag with a black office clip on the top in the garage where it gets really humid in the summer!



#11 HVB

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 12:56 PM

mine are in a plastic bag with a black office clip on the top in the garage where it gets really humid in the summer!

That shoots my theory then...mine are in the brewery in the cellar and it does not get humid down there. I can imagine your garage gets plenty humid!



#12 positiveContact

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 12:58 PM

That shoots my theory then...mine are in the brewery in the cellar and it does not get humid down there. I can imagine your garage gets plenty humid!

 

ship me a teaspoon or some other easy to measure volume and I could compare the weight to mine.



#13 No Party JKor

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 01:22 PM

I have two jars of those granules. One i had been using and is mostly empty, the other is unused. The mostly empty one has turned to mush over time while the new one still looks dry. I'd bet dollars to donuts the 'dry' looking one has been absorbing water it just isn't visible yet.

Years ago I had a 1# bag i bought from the LHBS and i left it unsealed. It turned into a huge mushy mess. I kept my CaCl in the freezer after that incident.

Edited by JKor, 05 December 2016 - 01:23 PM.


#14 HVB

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 01:24 PM

I have two jars of those granules. One i had been using and is mostly empty, the other is unused. The mostly empty one has turned to mush over time while the new one still looks dry. I'd bet dollars to donuts the 'dry' looking one has been absorbing water it just isn't visible yet.

Years ago I had a 1# bag i bought from the LHBS and i left it unsealed. It turned into a huge mushy mess. I kept my CaCl in the freezer after that incident.

A long time ago I wrote on my jar what a 1/4 tsp weighed.  I will have to measure it again and see if it is close.



#15 positiveContact

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 01:30 PM

A long time ago I wrote on my jar what a 1/4 tsp weighed.  I will have to measure it again and see if it is close.

 

was that for this purpose or just for easy measuring?  If the former that is some foresight right there!



#16 HVB

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 01:47 PM

was that for this purpose or just for easy measuring?  If the former that is some foresight right there!

 Easy measuring.  If I remember 1/4 tsp was about 1 gram.



#17 No Party JKor

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 01:53 PM

I just checked my CaCl stash. The one that was almost empty was a bottle from LD Carlson. Its mush. The granules are still sealed and they look fine. They are both probably 5 years old.

#18 shaggaroo

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 02:04 PM

I'll just leave this here: anybody ever see DampRid after it's done its thing? yup... calcium chloride.



#19 Big Nake

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 02:26 PM

I'll just leave this here: anybody ever see DampRid after it's done its thing? yup... calcium chloride.

Yep. :D

#20 No Party JKor

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Posted 05 December 2016 - 07:45 PM

I'll just leave this here: anybody ever see DampRid after it's done its thing? yup... calcium chloride.


The first time i saw DampRid I said "hey, that looks like calcium chloride." Lo and behold, a little research revealed the truth.

They charge a hell of a markup on CaCl. That DampRid must have a ridiculous profit margin.


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