Beer and Loafing NHC 2004 Las Vegas, NV

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Beer and LoafingNHC 2004Las Vegas, NV

• Brewing Water, Residual Alkalinity, and Mash pH

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The First Rule

• Know what your local water chemistry is!

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The Second Rule

• Know WHY you want to adjust your water!

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The Third Rule

• If its not broken,

Dont Fix It!
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Local Water And Beer

• Beer Styles came from local brewing water

• Burton Ale came from hard, high carbonate water

• Vienna Lager came from hard, medium carbonate
  water

• Guinness Stout came from medium hard, high
  carbonate water

• Oktoberfest came from medium hard, medium
  carbonate water.

• Pilsner came from very soft, low carbonate water

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Hard vs. Soft Water

• Hard water refers to the scale that forms on
  pipes, and being hard for soap to lather.
• Hardness is a function of Calcium, Magnesium,
  Iron, Mangenese, etc.

• Soft just means that there is low Calcium and
  Magnesium.
• Hard and Soft are only half the story, the other
  half is the Alkalinity.

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Reading a Water Analysis

• Table 1 - Water Report for Las Vegas Valley WD
  (2003)
• (All values, except pH, in parts per million
  (ppm) (1 ppm 1 mg/l)
• 17 ppm 1 grain of hardness/gallon (gpg)

• Moderate Bicarbonate
• Moderate Hardness
• High Sulfate
• Moderate Sodium
• Moderate Chloride

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Famous Brewing Waters
These Numbers are Annual AVERAGES! The averages
are probably not representative of real ratios.
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Mash pH Ions

• Calcium (Ca) 50-150 ppmImportant for most
  brewing biochemical reactions.
• Magnesium (Mg) 10-30 ppmAn essential nutrient,
  but usually not deficient. Acts similar to
  calcium.
• Bicarbonate/Carbonate 0-50 ppm for pale
  beers 50-150 for amber beers 150-250 for dark
  beersBalances the natural acidity of the malt.

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Flavor Ions

• Sodium (Na) 0-150 ppmAccentuates the sweetness
  of the malt. Excess can cause harsh bitterness
  w/sulfate.
• Chloride (Cl) 0-250 ppmRounds out the maltiness.
• Sulfate (SO4) 50-150 ppmAccentuates the hop
  bitterness, makes it crispier. Excess causes
  harsh bitterness.

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Water Adjustment for Extract Brewing

• Pre-treatment
• Odors/tastes Chlorine, Iron, Sulfur, metallic,
  etc.
• Carbon Filters, Campden Tablets, Water Softeners,
  Green Sand
• Flavor Tweaking
• Sulfate for hop bitterness
• Sodium/Chloride for Malt accentuation
• Fermentation Issues (Rare)
• Zn, Ca, Mn, Mg Yeast Nutrition, Beer Haze
• 30 Years ago, malt extract was for baking
• Now, mineral levels for mash chemistryfermentabil
  ity have been done for you.

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Water Adjustment for Steeping

• (Na, Cl, SO4) Same as for Extract
• (Ca, Mg, HCO3) Steeping pH
• If your water is very high in bicarbonate, you
  may need calcium.
• Use a steeping ratio similar to mash 2-4 qts/lb.
• Ratio can be more dilute with darker malts
• Astringency is usually due to being too hot.

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Water Adjustment for All-Grain

• (Ca, Mg, HCO3) Mash pH
• Calcium, Magnesium, and Bicarbonate control the
  Residual Alkalinity.
• Residual Alkalinity combines with the grain bill
  to determine the mash pH
• Mash pH determines fermentability, clarity,
  flavor, etc.
• (Na, Cl, SO4) Same as for Extract Brewing

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Residual Alkalinity

• Mash pH is the net effect of the hardness,
  alkalinity, and the grainbill.
• Residual Alkalinity alkalinity - (Ca/3.5
  Mg/7)
• High RA means you should brew dark beers
• Low RA means you should brew light beers

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Residual Alkalinity NomographDetermine your Base
Malt Mash pH
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Raising RA with Bicarbonate
Add 140 ppm HCO3
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Lowering RA with Calcium
Add 190 ppm Calcium
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Neutralizing Alkalinity
Neutralize 225 ppm Alkalinity as CaCO3
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Neutralizing Alkalinity cont

• Alkalinity can also be neutralized by adding acid
  to the mash.
• Lactic Acid (88 soln.) 11.8 mEq/ml
• Sulfuric Acid (96 soln.) 35 mEq/ml
• Phosphoric (86 soln.) 30 mEq/ml
• Divide Alkalinity As by 50 to get mEq/L
• 225 mg/L 50 4.5 mEq/L
• If mash water volume is 4 Gal (15 L), then 15 x
  4.5 67.5 mEq of acid are needed.
• Using Lactic acid 67.5/11.8 (6) ml of Lactic
  Acid
• Read New Brewing Lager Beer pp. 60-73 for more
  info

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Acidifying the Sparge

• Usually Unnecessary!
• Malts have a lot of buffering power, which lasts
  until runnings fall below 1.008
• Acidifying the the mash water or sparge to 5.5 or
  6 pH can cause the mash pH to be less than 4.5,
  which inhibits beta amylase and will affect the
  taste.
• Batch Sparge and No-sparge techniques can ensure
  that runnings never fall below 1.016

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Summary

• You can adjust your brewing water chemistry if
• You know where you are
• You know where you are going
• You know how to get there
• For more info, see
• How To Brew (Palmer) Chapter 15
• New Brewing Lager Beer (Noonan) Chapter 3