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Author Topic: Water for a Brown Ale  (Read 1404 times)

Offline tonyccopeland

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Water for a Brown Ale
« on: August 08, 2014, 09:46:42 am »

I just received my water report via e-mail and am trying to understand my brewing water.  The report states I have Sodium levels @ 40 ppm, which is a bit higher than the target profile (Brown Malty) for this Southern English Brown Ale my SWMBO is requesting.  How do you handle these sodium levels, should I let it ride or do I need to do 50 to 75% dilution with distilled water?  Just trying to figure out what will help make better beer...   

If anyone can provide any recommendations on the inputs onedrive link below, please feel free to share.  This water stuff is all new to me...

http://1drv.ms/1A09X1i

Thanks in advance.  This forum is really awesome, so many bits of information and perspectives are really helpful.
-Tony

Online denny

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Re: Water for a Brown Ale
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2014, 10:06:30 am »
If it;'s only a little bit high, don't sweat it.  If it's a lot high, you can cut your water with distilled.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline erockrph

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Re: Water for a Brown Ale
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2014, 10:52:05 am »
Sodium levels in the 40ppm range are perfectly fine. As a matter of fact, I prefer a little bit of sodium in my maltier beers. It's not till you hit the 50-100ppm range where sodium may start to become an issue.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline tonyccopeland

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Re: Water for a Brown Ale
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2014, 11:15:44 am »
Thank you both.

Hopefully, the rain will stay away so I can brew... :)
-Tony

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Water for a Brown Ale
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2014, 01:32:40 pm »
I agree that, as is, the sodium levels are fine.  The only concern I can think of would be, depending on your water, if you had to raise pH for a fairly dark style like your Southern Brown. This would be a case where you wouldn't want to use baking soda without diluting your water because the sodium would be excessive.
Jon H.