Waterganza Notes: Parts 1 & 2
Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 2:01 pm
I searched the forum hoping that someone had already done this, but didn't find anything, so I sat down and listened to the first 2 parts of the Jamil Show Waterganza and took notes...
Waterganza Notes Part 1:
- Water affects taste in two ways: 1. directly thru impacts of associated minerals, 2. indirectly through pH
- More acidic water provides brighter and dryer characteristics. Too acidic leads to sharp flavors.
- More basic water provides mellower and softer characteristics. Too basic leads to dull and bitter flavors.
- The chloride to sulfate ratio drives teh balance of the beer.
- Chloride = malt enhancer, rounder flavors, 0-250 ppm
- Sulfate = drys out beer, accentuates bitterness
- Calcium and Magnesium (mostly calcium) are typically the hardness minerals
- Bicarbonate (carbonate) drives the alkalinity
- Calcium takes part in a lot of brewing reactions: mash pH, yeast health, flocculation. You need at least 50ppm, but over 150ppm affects pH too much.
- yeast get all the magnezium they need from the malt.
- Bicarbonate levels: 0-50ppm for pale beers
50-150ppm for pale ales up to brown ales
150-250ppm for dark beers (american brown +)
don't go above 300ppm because of buffering capacity of
malts and throw off pH.
- Bicarbonate = total alkalinity as CaCO3
- Sulfate levels: 50-150ppm for normally bitter beers
150-350ppm for hoppy beers
- Sodium and Chloride: 0-150ppm chloride
don't recommend adding sodium (it's just along for the ride)
- Chloride to Sulfate Ratios: C S
1: 0.5 very bitter
1: 0.5 - 0.75 moderately bitter
1: 0.75 - 1.25 relatively balanced
1: 1.25 - 1.5 malty
1: 1.5 - 2 very malty
this is all arm waving!
Part 2:
- due to risidual alkalinity, water pH does not matter
- lactic acid does add a flavor component
- phosphoric acid - neutral flavor, but precipitates calcium phosphate (changes water hardness)
- use salts before acids, but if salts can't get you there use acids
- worry about getting RA correct first, chloride to sulfate ratio second. these two will get you 99% of the way there
- pH = RA
- dark malts are acidic
- add minerals at dough in as the drop in pH allows for dissolution
- check pH 5-15 minutes after dough in
- Calcium chloride will dissolve in sparge water, but most other salts won't
- add salts to mash based on mash water volume, skip sparge additions, add remaining salts to boil kettle
These are otes culled from forum posts by AJDelang:
AJD - The choice between acid and salts depends on the residual alkalinity and the qualities you want in the finished beer. Salts and acids both leave the anion of the acid in the beer but salts also result in a cation being present. For soft beers (pils, etc.) you don't want this. Addition of salts and acids is required at both ends of the hardness spectrum. At the soft end (mash pH 5.7-5.
ther is no calcium to react with the malt phosphate. At the high end it is the accompanying alkalinity that eats your lunch.
AJD - Any RA less than 50 is workable for most beers. Hardness = good, alkalinity = bad, therefore adding bicarbonate (or carbonate) to brewing water isn't something to do except under unusual circumstances.
AJD - Where sodum is around too much chloride you will get salty tastes
Hope these help somebody!
Waterganza Notes Part 1:
- Water affects taste in two ways: 1. directly thru impacts of associated minerals, 2. indirectly through pH
- More acidic water provides brighter and dryer characteristics. Too acidic leads to sharp flavors.
- More basic water provides mellower and softer characteristics. Too basic leads to dull and bitter flavors.
- The chloride to sulfate ratio drives teh balance of the beer.
- Chloride = malt enhancer, rounder flavors, 0-250 ppm
- Sulfate = drys out beer, accentuates bitterness
- Calcium and Magnesium (mostly calcium) are typically the hardness minerals
- Bicarbonate (carbonate) drives the alkalinity
- Calcium takes part in a lot of brewing reactions: mash pH, yeast health, flocculation. You need at least 50ppm, but over 150ppm affects pH too much.
- yeast get all the magnezium they need from the malt.
- Bicarbonate levels: 0-50ppm for pale beers
50-150ppm for pale ales up to brown ales
150-250ppm for dark beers (american brown +)
don't go above 300ppm because of buffering capacity of
malts and throw off pH.
- Bicarbonate = total alkalinity as CaCO3
- Sulfate levels: 50-150ppm for normally bitter beers
150-350ppm for hoppy beers
- Sodium and Chloride: 0-150ppm chloride
don't recommend adding sodium (it's just along for the ride)
- Chloride to Sulfate Ratios: C S
1: 0.5 very bitter
1: 0.5 - 0.75 moderately bitter
1: 0.75 - 1.25 relatively balanced
1: 1.25 - 1.5 malty
1: 1.5 - 2 very malty
this is all arm waving!
Part 2:
- due to risidual alkalinity, water pH does not matter
- lactic acid does add a flavor component
- phosphoric acid - neutral flavor, but precipitates calcium phosphate (changes water hardness)
- use salts before acids, but if salts can't get you there use acids
- worry about getting RA correct first, chloride to sulfate ratio second. these two will get you 99% of the way there
- pH = RA
- dark malts are acidic
- add minerals at dough in as the drop in pH allows for dissolution
- check pH 5-15 minutes after dough in
- Calcium chloride will dissolve in sparge water, but most other salts won't
- add salts to mash based on mash water volume, skip sparge additions, add remaining salts to boil kettle
These are otes culled from forum posts by AJDelang:
AJD - The choice between acid and salts depends on the residual alkalinity and the qualities you want in the finished beer. Salts and acids both leave the anion of the acid in the beer but salts also result in a cation being present. For soft beers (pils, etc.) you don't want this. Addition of salts and acids is required at both ends of the hardness spectrum. At the soft end (mash pH 5.7-5.
ther is no calcium to react with the malt phosphate. At the high end it is the accompanying alkalinity that eats your lunch.AJD - Any RA less than 50 is workable for most beers. Hardness = good, alkalinity = bad, therefore adding bicarbonate (or carbonate) to brewing water isn't something to do except under unusual circumstances.
AJD - Where sodum is around too much chloride you will get salty tastes
Hope these help somebody!
Its always helpful to have tips in one place.