75 replies to this topic

[positiveContact]

Of sulfate right?

 

based on his past statements, yes.

 

i'm going to have to add 30g of gypsum for a 10 gallon batch.  i was planning on adding 20g.  sweet jesus!

Edited by TheGuv, 19 November 2013 - 04:40 PM.

[Big Nake]

sweet jesus!

There won't be anything sweet or jesus-y in that beer! 

[MtnBrewer]

based on his past statements, yes. i'm going to have to add 30g of gypsum for a 10 gallon batch.  i was planning on adding 20g.  sweet jesus!

I added nearly 40g for my last IPA. With my soft water, that's what I needed for 350ppm.

[Big Nake]

I added nearly 40g for my last IPA. With my soft water, that's what I needed for 350ppm.

[MtnBrewer]

Personal preference, remember?

[positiveContact]

I added nearly 40g for my last IPA. With my soft water, that's what I needed for 350ppm.

 

holy shnikies.  i'm just realizing i'm going to be adding a whole baggie (2oz) of gypsum.  freakin awesome!

[Mya]

Personal preference, remember?

that's what 18 gallons of water? 

[Big Nake]

Personal preference, remember?

Yes.  Yes I do.

[Mya]

holy shnikies.  i'm just realizing i'm going to be adding a whole baggie (2oz) of gypsum.  freakin awesome!

buy bigger bags

[Big Nake]

I know we have covered this but at what point in the process are you adding that?  Some to the mash, some to the sparge and a metric buttload to the kettle? 

[MtnBrewer]

buy bigger bags

 I buy it by the 5 lb. bag. Dead serious. 

I know we have covered this but at what point in the process are you adding that?  Some to the mash, some to the sparge and a metric buttload to the kettle?

Some to the mash, some to the boil. None in the sparge. Some add it to the sparge instead of the kettle but I don't think anybody adds to both. All the sparge water ends up in the kettle so there's no need to add it twice.

[positiveContact]

 Some to the mash, some to the boil. None in the sparge.

 

this is how i roll.  i'll probably put about half the bag in the mash and the rest in the boil.  this will put me right around 300 ppm of sulfate.

[Big Nake]

Okay, makes sense.  MTN, if it seems like we're in a familiar place, that's because we are.  So you will add a strategically measured amount to the mash so you don't lower the mash pH too much, yes?  I have asked you that before and I think you mentioned that you don't worry about low mash pH.  The other side of it is the pH of the wort when you boil it.  On Kai's pH page, he compares a wort at pH 5.5 and one at 6.5 (the 5.5 is clear and gold, the 6.5 is dark and cloudy) but he does not compare a 5.5 wort with a lower wort.  Wouldn't adding that much sulfate to your wort bring your wort pH to a very low level?  I don't pretend to know what the affects of that would be or even if there are any.  But I have been in the habit of measuring the pH of all of my runnings before I fire up the burner and if it's high (approaching 6.0, I suppose), I would knock it down with lactic acid and try to get it closer to 5.5.  You're basically doing the same thing by adding a bunch of gypsum to the kettle (lowering pH) so I just wonder if there is anything to worry about with the preboil wort pH dropping too low.

[MtnBrewer]

Okay, makes sense.  MTN, if it seems like we're in a familiar place, that's because we are.  So you will add a strategically measured amount to the mash so you don't lower the mash pH too much, yes?  I have asked you that before and I think you mentioned that you don't worry about low mash pH.

Correct. However lately (like in the last couple of brews) I've been adding baking soda in addition to the gypsum and CaCl2 to raise the alkalinity and prevent the mash pH from being too low. This was recommended in Water. I'm using Bru'nWater to do those calculations for me.

The other side of it is the pH of the wort when you boil it.  On Kai's pH page, he compares a wort at pH 5.5 and one at 6.5 (the 5.5 is clear and gold, the 6.5 is dark and cloudy) but he does not compare a 5.5 wort with a lower wort.  Wouldn't adding that much sulfate to your wort bring your wort pH to a very low level?

I don't see how adding sulfate would change the pH in any way.

[positiveContact]

Correct. However lately (like in the last couple of brews) I've been adding baking soda in addition to the gypsum and CaCl2 to raise the alkalinity and prevent the mash pH from being too low. This was recommended in Water. I'm using Bru'nWater to do those calculations for me.I don't see how adding sulfate would change the pH in any way.

 

i think he meant to say gypsum.

[MtnBrewer]

i think he meant to say gypsum.

Will calcium lower the pH of the wort? I'm not sure. It would be a good question for Martin but I think DJ ran him off.

[positiveContact]

Will calcium lower the pH of the wort? I'm not sure. It would be a good question for Martin but I think DJ ran him off.

 

no idea - what i do know is that calcium sulfate (gypsum) lowers mash/wort pH.

 

as for martin - i'd think he would have seen much worse on HBT but maybe they treat him like a god there?  hopefully he hasn't given up on us.

Edited by TheGuv, 20 November 2013 - 09:13 AM.

[MtnBrewer]

no idea - what i do know is that calcium sulfate (gypsum) lowers mash/wort pH.

Well obviously it isn't the sulfate so if gypsum lowers wort pH then calcium lowers wort pH. So you do have an idea after all. What is the mechanism for that reaction? Is it the same as in the mash?

[denny]

Of sulfate right?

 

Yep.

[denny]

I know we have covered this but at what point in the process are you adding that?  Some to the mash, some to the sparge and a metric buttload to the kettle? 

 

For me, it's mash and kettle.