More grumblings on mash & kettle...
#1
Posted 16 June 2010 - 07:58 AM
#2
Posted 16 June 2010 - 08:02 AM
#3
Posted 16 June 2010 - 08:09 AM
#4
Posted 16 June 2010 - 08:15 AM
Yes, that's what I will do. I made a beer on Monday where I just added some CaCl2 (as I have been doing) to get my calcium up. In the past, I would use small amounts of gypsum in something like an English Bitter and the results were good. The gypsum addition on those beers was just to the mash (as MakeMeHoppy suggested), not to the kettle. I don't consider this overly discouraging... just educational. Andy, I do have 5.2 in my arsenal and I may look into it again, but my wife has said that it gives the beer a soapy taste and I have seen other brewers comment on the same thing. Maybe these are the water profiles where 5.2 doesn't quite work right. Thanks for the replies and reading my rant! Cheers.I say go back to your old ways and stop wasting precious time and beer you are not happy with.
#5
Posted 16 June 2010 - 08:18 AM
#6
Posted 16 June 2010 - 08:22 AM
#7
Posted 16 June 2010 - 08:32 AM
#8
Posted 16 June 2010 - 08:38 AM
I am going off of a Ward Labs report from maybe 5 years ago. I could send another sample to see if it has changed, but another local brewer just sent a sample and posted his numbers and they were pretty much the same... some numbers were 1ppm higher or lower, but nothing to lose sleep over. So I guess I trust the Ward Labs numbers and I trust that they haven't changed much since I submitted my sample.How much do you trust your water report?
Yep, I'm starting to subscribe to that theory George. My next visit to the LHBS will have an acid purchase, I believe. Cheers.Using salts only to lower RA seems to require WAY too much.I have also NEVER added salts to the kettle, but only to the mash.
#9
Posted 16 June 2010 - 08:38 AM
#10
Posted 16 June 2010 - 08:43 AM
Here are my numbers:pH: 6.6 Total dissolved solids (TDS): 264 Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm: 0.44 Cations/Anions, me/L: 3.3 / 3.4 Sodium: 13 Potassium: 2 Calcium: 34 Magnesium: 12 Total Hardness: 135 Nitrate, No3-N: 0.4 Sulfate, SO4-S: 9 Chloride: 21 Carbonate, CO3: <1 Bicarbonate, HCO3: 138 Total Alkalinity, CaCO3: 113 I think my water has been referred to as "slightly hard". On lighter beers I use anywhere from 50% to 75% distilled water and the rest of the mash water is filtered tap and the sparge water is all filtered tap. On the 5.2, I do not taste "soapy" but my wife does. I cannot recall how long the primaries went with the 5.2 but it's worth a try to use it and make sure that the beer doesn't sit for too long in primary.Ken,Do you remember how long you were in primary with those beers that you used 5.2? Long fermentations can cause soapy flavors. So just a thought. Is your water soft? Cant remember this. If so then this can cause some soapy flavors. Might as well try 5.2 again while your experimenting. Just worry about mash PH using the 5.2 and forget the rest. Worth a try.Have you considered building RO water instead of trying to balance your current water with salts, etc?
#11
Posted 16 June 2010 - 09:21 AM
My total water hardness is 180 putting it in the "Slightly Hard" category. I use 100% filtered tap water and the 5.2. My other minerals and total alkalinity are in line with yours except my Sodium is rather high at 120ppm. No soapy issues here. Id say our water is very similar. Lawrence Water ReportHere are my numbers:Sodium: 13 Potassium: 2 Calcium: 34 Magnesium: 12 Total Hardness: 135 I think my water has been referred to as "slightly hard". On lighter beers I use anywhere from 50% to 75% distilled water and the rest of the mash water is filtered tap and the sparge water is all filtered tap. On the 5.2, I do not taste "soapy" but my wife does. I cannot recall how long the primaries went with the 5.2 but it's worth a try to use it and make sure that the beer doesn't sit for too long in primary.
#12
Posted 16 June 2010 - 09:41 AM
#13
Posted 16 June 2010 - 09:51 AM
#14
Posted 16 June 2010 - 10:43 AM
#15
Posted 16 June 2010 - 11:46 AM
#16
Posted 16 June 2010 - 01:04 PM
#17
Posted 16 June 2010 - 01:13 PM
JK - I've been using the spreadsheet. Any of these flavors in my beers? Maybe I just got lucky with my waterI've had some similar experiences recently, as well, Ken. I started adding salts last year. I've definitely noticed a harsher bitterness in some of my beers and a bit of what I might consider a soapy aftertaste in a few. I haven't cross-reference which beers had it, compared to what I added, but so far I'd say it has had a negative impact. Also, I have been pretty conservative in adding the salts. I have very low sulfate in my water so I've been adding gypsum to increase the calcium and sulfate levels. I'd say my sulfate level has been in the range of 75 to 150ppm according to the EZ_water spreadsheet, which is far off from the stated 'upper limit' of 350ppm.I'm considering going to lactic acid for mash pH adjustments and maybe adding some CaCl to get my calcium up.
#18
Posted 16 June 2010 - 01:42 PM
#19
Posted 16 June 2010 - 01:47 PM
I feel like I may have had some issues with stouts but it's hard to tell. I'll make another this fall so I guess I'll find out then.It probably depends a lot on your water, as well as what style your brewing and what salts you decide to add to get the contributions you're looking for.
#20
Posted 16 June 2010 - 02:08 PM
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