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Fixed Gear Red Ale

Mashing
#1

I brewed a 10 gallon batch of Fixed Gear from the pro series at NB. I have never had Lake Fronts version. Mine came out pretty good, I was happy with it (mainly because it was clean tasting, no off flavors).
While in the bev center today I noticed they had it on tap so I bought a growler. The real thing is much more flavorful.
I did the all-grain version, efficiency was great, hit above what they state on the directions and made slightly more than 10 ga, which tells me my pH must have been on, right?
Here is my water and the additions I made. Please give any input on why my overall flavor is lacking.

Ca 24
Mg 4
SO4 9
Cl 5
Na 12
HCO3 90

Mash additions:
2 tsp gypsum
1 tsp epsom

Boil additions:
3.5 tsp gypsum
.25 tsp salt
.5 tsp CaCl

I ended up with 10.5 gal

Thanks

#2

I brew this beer using water that is close to yours without adding anything and it comes out dead on to the real thing. If I were you don’t add anything and see what you get.

#3

It may simply be the difference in your brewing set up and the big breweries set up.

#4

Do you have your water profile? Please post if so, thanks.

#5

I would say that much gypsum and Epsom salt added a ton of SO4 to your water pushed your chloride / sufate ratio way towards the bitter end. This would accentuate the bitterness and mask the maltiness. The resulting beer would taste thin and less flavorful. Next time add less SO4 and more CL to balance the chloride / sulfate ratio towards the malty side. Your beer should have a more pronounced malty flavor then.

#6

Here is the water that I use if you have Pro-Mash look up the Milwaukee water they list.
Ca 25
Mg 6
Na 15
S04 24
Cl 31
HCO3 64

#7

[quote=“RiverStreet”]Mash additions:
2 tsp gypsum
1 tsp epsom

Boil additions:
3.5 tsp gypsum
.25 tsp salt
.5 tsp CaCl
[/quote]As mentioned, this is a TON of sulfate (a teaspoon weighs about 5g, so something like 30g total including the epsom along with the gypsum) - if you’re using the sulfate to lower the pH, try limiting it to 5-10g total (and don’t use epsom at all, malt has plenty of Mg already) and then add lactic/phosphoric acid if necessary. Then add 5g of gypsum and 5g of CaCl2 to the boil (skip the salt, no need to add sodium).

#8

[quote=“Shadetree”][quote=“RiverStreet”]Mash additions:
2 tsp gypsum
1 tsp epsom

Boil additions:
3.5 tsp gypsum
.25 tsp salt
.5 tsp CaCl
[/quote]As mentioned, this is a TON of sulfate (a teaspoon weighs about 5g, so something like 30g total including the epsom along with the gypsum) - if you’re using the sulfate to lower the pH, try limiting it to 5-10g total (and don’t use epsom at all, malt has plenty of Mg already) and then add lactic/phosphoric acid if necessary. Then add 5g of gypsum and 5g of CaCl2 to the boil (skip the salt, no need to add sodium).[/quote]
Ive recently read where someone said that Stone would add SO4 in the 300 ppm range and 9:1 SO4/Cl ratio so I thought Id give that a try. I am now planning to try the same recipe with the ratio in favor of chloride to see the difference.

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