Messages

1

Equipment and Software / Re: Inline Aeration

« on: June 16, 2013, 03:31:43 PM »

I run an in-line oxygenation system. I place it after the chiller so that the oxygen solubility and uptake is higher.  There is no way that you could ever get any sort of back flow of wort into the oxygen system when the regulator is cracked open because the pump can only supply a few feet of head.  Remember that 1 psi is about 2.3 ft of water column (head).  After you've pumped through the chiller, you've probably only got 5 or 6 feet of head loss to get into the fermenter (assuming the fermenter is at the same level as the pump).  That means the oxygen system only needs to provide 2 or 3 psi to overcome the head in the tubing. 

A check valve would be nice.  But considering that system would quickly reach pneumatic-lock (like hydraulic-lock) if the wort backflowed into the oxygen line, that wort isn't going to go far.  Its just not a reality for my system. 

I have about 20 ft of tubing after the airstone, so the oxygen has a decent amount of time to dissolve in the wort.  I only trickle the oxygen into the wort...enough so that I can actually see that there is a bit of foam streaming in the tubing during the wort transfer.  I probably get 15 to 20 5-gal batches with the typical little red bottle.  It would be nice if the little red bottles were food-grade, but there probably isn't much else in that oxygen.  I suppose there could be some other gases, but not much else.

2

All Grain Brewing / Re: how much Ca is too much?

« on: June 14, 2013, 09:06:22 AM »

There should be little reason to exceed 150 ppm in practice.  Since calcium is paired with a variety of anions, boosting the calcium means that the water would also have high concentrations of some or all anions its associated with.  That could be a formula for minerally beer flavor. 

Considering that calcium complexes with phosphates in the mash and precipitates out, it may be undesirable to overdose the mash with calcium.  But considering that I know of brewers that have overdosed with calcium-containing minerals, it does not appear that the precipitation reaction is excessive or detrimental to the resulting beer.  So there isn't an upper limit for that reason. 

At 133 ppm Ca, there is no problem.

3

All Grain Brewing / Re: ESB water profile ?

« on: June 11, 2013, 05:10:50 AM »

Well, I hope you don't want sulfide in your beer.  That would be nasty.  I suggest that sulfate would be much better.  Even with that correction, you have the recipe for minerally taste that could overshadow the malt flavor you want. 

The chloride level is far too high.  I suggest that something around 50 ppm would be better.  A sulfate level in the 100 ppm range would help dry the beer somewhat while not overdoing it.  I prefer more sulfate, but it is personal preference.  I suggest that a modest sodium level (less than 20 ppm) will also help promote that maltiness and roundness that you desire.  With these changes, the calcium level would not need to be as high as originally indicated.  It looks like the Ca level could be in the 60 ppm range.  You don't need more than that.

4

All Grain Brewing / Re: Bru'n water spreadsheet

« on: June 10, 2013, 04:24:16 PM »

All the water profiles are amendable.  You have to scroll down the sheet and there is a big table of the water profiles.  You adjust them there, not in the input cells at the top of that sheet.

5

Ingredients / Re: Boiled Water Lab Test Results

« on: June 10, 2013, 08:15:20 AM »

This is post boil? Is it me or does that look totally whack?

No.  The limited amount of calcium restricts the degree to which the decarbonation reaction can proceed.  In this case, there is a significant Mg, Na, SO4 and Cl that conspire to limit the reaction.  But the primary limitation is the amount of calcium in relation to the carbonates (alkalinity).  The final Ca content and the remaining carbonates are not a surprise.  I think I mention in the Decarbonation by Boiling thread that there is a limit to the ending bicarbonate content of 60 to 80 ppm. But even that ending bicarbonate value can go up if there isn't enough calcium in the water.  That's the case with the Munich water.  Its full of alkalinity, but not enough calcium to allow the bicarb to drop into the 60 to 80 ppm range.

By the way, the elevated carbonate concentration is typical since the boiling drives off the CO2 and that takes out the carbonic acid.  The water pH goes up with boiling and those remaining carbonates will exist not only as bicarbonate, but carbonate too.  When I mention carbonates, that refers to all the species such as carbonic acid, bicarbonate, and carbonate.

6

Ingredients / Boiled Water Lab Test Results

« on: June 09, 2013, 07:55:29 AM »

As some of you may have read in the Decarbonation by Boiling thread, boiling reduces calcium content in waters with alkalinity.  All of my engineering texts indicate that the minimum practical limit for calcium content is about 12 ppm.  But those results are always presented in the Lime Softening section.  Since boiling is not a practical method for the large-scale treatment that we engineers typically deal with, there is no discussion on boiling and the practical minimum calcium level for that method.  I have someone else telling me that the practical limit for calcium after boiling is 20 ppm.  I'm not sure that the higher limit is factual.  I'm hoping that there are brewers that have had lab testing performed on their post-boiled water and they will share them here.

Please post laboratory testing results for your water after it was boiled. 

Thanks!

7

Equipment and Software / Re: Hose material

« on: June 07, 2013, 07:23:08 AM »

One problem I have with silicone tubing is its flexibility.  When hot, it may be too flexible for use as a pump suction line.  Since I RIMS, that is a deal killer for me.  I use the reinforced vinyl tubing since it is more rigid.  I do pre-boil my tubing to 'help' volatilize the plasticizers and methyl ethyl death from the tubing before initial use.

8

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Guiness style stout

« on: June 06, 2013, 02:06:38 PM »

I thought they had high alkaline water, well suited for stouts. Is this not the case?

Most of Ireland does have high alkalinity water.  However there are places that do not.  The southern area of Dublin is blessed with relatively low mineralized water.  Guess where Guinness is located. 

Of course, Guinness now uses RO for all their brewing water, so it matters less where they are located.  RO treatment is probably to ensure a stable water quality for their brewing.  The Dublin water can vary since they have multiple sources. Playing Russian Roulette with your brewing water is not the formula for a consistent product.

9

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Guiness style stout

« on: June 06, 2013, 10:53:45 AM »

It is not necessary to sour the beer to create a dry stout.  Guinness' method probably does not include a 'souring' step.  Their naturally low alkalinity water produces a more acidic extract when they perform their separate roast grain steeping step. 

Use the Guinness method to brew a dry stout.  Use RO or distilled water for its low alkalinity.  Mash all the pale malt and barley without the roast grains.  Steep the roast grains separately in RO or distilled water and add that 'flavor extract' to the wort from the pale malt mash.  The pale malt mash pH will be in the proper 5.4 range with minor additions of calcium chloride and gypsum.  The pH of the flavor extract will be well below 5.4 and it will help bring the overall pH of the finished wort down and produce that distinctive acidic perception that the dry stout style exhibits.

 

10

Equipment and Software / Re: Therminator

« on: June 06, 2013, 05:45:01 AM »

Be sure to set up a connection so that you can back-flush the chiller at high rate after each use.

11

Beer Recipes / Re: German Pils - hop and malt questions

« on: June 03, 2013, 02:39:38 PM »

FYI

Jever, Germany water profile:

Ca: 60   
Mg: 5   
Na: 15   
SO4: 75   
Cl: 30   
HCO3: 105

The alkalinity would have to be neutralized for use in a G Pils, but the sodium, chloride, and sulfate levels give you an idea of an appropriate balance and intensity for those ions.

12

Other Fermentables / Re: Copper does remove sulfur!

« on: June 02, 2013, 07:08:11 PM »

For sure, if you're going to have copper contact, it needs to be with the wort...pre-fermentation.  The wort is less acidic than beer and the yeast will subsequently bind the yeast.  No copper contact with beer!

13

Ingredients / Re: Dry hop help

« on: June 02, 2013, 11:05:04 AM »

The guy in our club making the best IPA's says he dry hops with four ounces per gallon.

That seems like a ridiculous amount of dry hopping.  I've been very pleased with around 2 oz in 5 gallons.  I couldn't imagine the mass of hop matter that would suck up much of my beer when 20 oz of dry hops were added to 5 gallons of beer.  My experience says that this is not workable or desirable.

14

Homebrew Competitions / Re: Judging at 2nd round NHC

« on: May 31, 2013, 04:39:43 PM »

The only confirmation I have is the note that pops up on the website telling you that you have completed the judging registration.  I'm sure they will be formulating the judge assignments in the next few weeks.  I expect that we will hear something a week or so beforehand.

15

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Who's going to NHC?

« on: May 31, 2013, 04:36:29 PM »

No. 6 for me.  Be sure to pace yourself.  Don't be a kid in the candy store like I almost was when I attended in Chicago. 

Of course you will need to restrain yourself on Friday night and make it to my presentation on 'Historic Water' at 9 am on Saturday.  Remember...pacing.