I’m using BreWater 3.0 to build water from RO for a batch of pale ale. I used the profile for Mosher’s Ideal Pale Ale that is provided in the software. Here’s the target profile:
Ca 110
SO4 350
Mg 18
Na 17
Cl 50
Mash Treatment (5 gal):
3.4 g Epsom Salts
0.8 g Canning Salt
1.0 g CaCL2
9.0 g Gypsum
Sparge Treatment (added to BK, 3.75 gallons):
2.58 g Epsom Salts
0.75 g NaCl
0.563 g CaCl2
7.087 g Gypsum
So here’s the thing that’s messing with me: This just seems like a TON of salts to be adding, especially the Espom and Gypsum. I haven’t checked it with other software - thought I’d just run it past some of the water experts here. Let me know if this looks strange to you.
Also, I’m not sure that I even need the sparge additions. When a water profile is given, is it intended for the finished beer, or just the mash? I’ve heard various thoughts on this. Brewing tomorrow - hope I can get this sorted out before then.
[quote=“El Capitan”]I’m using BreWater 3.0 to build water from RO for a batch of pale ale. I used the profile for Mosher’s Ideal Pale Ale that is provided in the software. Here’s the target profile:
Ca 110
SO4 350
Mg 18
Na 17
Cl 50
Mash Treatment (5 gal):
3.4 g Epsom Salts
0.8 g Canning Salt
1.0 g CaCL2
9.0 g Gypsum
Sparge Treatment (added to BK, 3.75 gallons):
2.58 g Epsom Salts
0.75 g NaCl
0.563 g CaCl2
7.087 g Gypsum
So here’s the thing that’s messing with me: This just seems like a TON of salts to be adding, especially the Espom and Gypsum. I haven’t checked it with other software - thought I’d just run it past some of the water experts here. Let me know if this looks strange to you.
Also, I’m not sure that I even need the sparge additions. When a water profile is given, is it intended for the finished beer, or just the mash? I’ve heard various thoughts on this. Brewing tomorrow - hope I can get this sorted out before then.[/quote]
I would say that’s over the top and way beyond what you need in the Magnesium. You have about 6g total in Epsom Salt. Half of that amount is plenty. Only tiny amounts of Mg+ are necessary. Less is more here. There is also no need for the Sodium Chloride IMO. You don’t have to replicate a theoretical water profile, some Ca+ for the mash and a little SO4 for the ale hop profile are your main requirements here. My suggestion: 6g Gypsum, 3g each CaCl2 and Epsom salt. That will give you plenty of everything you need, none of what you don’t and no worries about going overboard with too much. The ppm would be based on the final five gallon batch quantity. To keep it simple treat all of you water up front if feasible or just split it 50/50 between the mash and sparge water.
So what you’re telling me is that the adjustments should be made based on the final volume of the beer?
I’m mashing in with 5 gallons, with a batch size of 5.5 gallons post boil. So I could treat the mash water to Mosher’s specs and ditch the sparge additions to the boil kettle. That makes sense, because most of the sparge addition will essentially disappear through grain absorption and boil-off. And the sparge water won’t be in contact with the grains long enough to worry about adjustments.
Treating mash only would drop me back to:
Mash Treatment (5 gal):
3.4 g Epsom Salts
0.8 g Canning Salt
1.0 g CaCL2
9.0 g Gypsum
That seemed like a crazy amount of water salts, but hey, I’m still figuring this out. Thanks for saving me from a horrible mistake!
