13 replies to this topic

[gnef]

It actually depends for me. When I was creating my water profiles starting with RO water, I would add the salts to the strike and sparge. If I am only adding some sulfates for my IPAs, I will just add it in the mash, and if I am only concerned with mash pH, I only add to the strike/mash - they both work well for me.

[cj in j]

Brewing salts don't easily dissolve in water, so adding them to the strike water isn't very effective. Adding them to the mash allows them to dissolve and do their magic.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

If you batch sparge I don't think adding salts to the sparge is necessary. If you fly sparge - I dunno

[Big Nake]

My local water is a little low on calcium, so I'll occasionally add some calcium chloride or gypsum (depending on style) directly to my measured-out grains so it can go into the mash.

[3rd party JKor]

For adjusting mash pH, I'll just add it to the mash. My water pH isn't very high, so I'm not terribly worried about the sparge water raising the pH of the mash too much during sparging. If I was concerned I'd acidify my sparge water with some lactic acid. If I'm just looking for sulfates or chloride for flavor balance, I'd add it to the boil kettle.

[MtnBrewer]

If I'm adding salts for pH, I add them to the strike water. This is the best way to make sure that they're well-dissolved and evenly distributed throughout the mash. If I'm adding for flavor, I add to the boil.

[MakeMeHoppy]

I also had a hard time getting them to dissolve in the water so I started adding to the grain. The other benefit is many times I mill the grain the night before, I can add the salts then and not forget them. Same goes for the 5.2 stabilizer.

[al_bob]

Where I used to live I only needed to add gypsum, and I added it to the strike water, early, and stirred often. When I added it to the mash I stirred hard before I dipped it out (ghetto method). Now I live 25 miles away from the last place and the water is totally different. I'm having to relearn my needs. I may start adding any salts I need to the mash after listening to the water podcast series on Brew Strong. Good info, along with Palmer's book and spreadsheet. But, as long as you're gonna use most of your strike water in your mash, you can add it to the water. Just stir often to keep the salts in suspension.

[MtnBrewer]

does lactic acid drop PH any better than gypsum? Is that something good to have on hand to acidify sparge water if the need arises?

Lactic acid will drop the pH of anything whereas gypsum will only drop the pH of the mash. In other words, you can't use it to lower the pH of your sparge water. Lactic and phosphoric acids are very good for that. Note that you don't really need to do that if you batch sparge but it's a good idea if you fly sparge.

[consumptionjunction]

does lactic acid drop PH any better than gypsum? Is that something good to have on hand to acidify sparge water if the need arises?

Lactic acid will drop the pH of anything whereas gypsum will only drop the pH of the mash. In other words, you can't use it to lower the pH of your sparge water. Lactic and phosphoric acids are very good for that. Note that you don't really need to do that if you batch sparge but it's a good idea if you fly sparge.

And by adding gypsum, you're adding sulfates to the mash, which may or may not be appropriate.

[MtnBrewer]

And by adding gypsum, you're adding sulfates to the mash, which may or may not be appropriate.

True but the same thing applies to calcium chloride: it doesn't lower water pH. Salts don't lower pH per se but calcium causes reactions in the mash that produce acids that do lower pH. Carbonate is a buffer that resists the lowering of pH and so counteracts the effects of calcium.

[Pseudolus]

I add some malt to my mash tun, then some water, lather-rinse-repeat 2-3 times. I'll dump the minerals into the mash tun sometime in the middle of all that.