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Author Topic: Water/IPA - Flaws in my thinking?  (Read 1833 times)

Offline braufessor

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Water/IPA - Flaws in my thinking?
« on: February 01, 2015, 04:35:03 pm »
Planning to brew an IPA this week.  Been trying to dial in my water procedures for an IPA.  Here is my basic goal:

100% RO Water
Ca = 100-125
Sulfate = 250-300
Chloride = 25-50
Bicarb = <40
pH = 5.4

Problem I am trying to solve - I want to achieve mash pH of 5.4 without getting my Bicarbonate # too high, and without adding lime or chalk or anything like that.  But, I also want to achieve the higher sulfate #'s that help an IPA.

Using B'run Water, 5 gallon mash water, I will have 6 gallons of sparge water treated.  Collecting 8 gallons into my boil kettle.   Plan is to treat mash and sparge water the same as far as initial salt additions.

Basically, if I use:
gypsum = 1gr/gallon
epsom = .2 gr/gallon
CaCl = .2 gr/gallon

I get:
Ca = 77
Mg = 5.2
Na = 8
Sulfate = 170
Chloride= 29
Bicarb = 16
pH = 5.38

These additions get me the pH I am looking for roughly (5.38).  I was then just going to add the more mineral additions to the boil kettle. 
Boil Kettle addition:
Gypsum = .6gr/gallon (4.8 grams for 8 gallons)
Epsom = .2 gr/gallon (1.6 grams for 8 gallons)

If my thinking (fiddling with B'run water profile) is correct, this should get me to boil kettle of:
Ca = 113
Mg = 10
Na = 8
Sulfate = 278
Chloride = 29
Bicarb = 16


Thoughts?  Are there any major flaws in what I am thinking about doing?  Am I missing something?  Is there a better way to go about doing this?  Thanks for any thoughts.

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Water/IPA - Flaws in my thinking?
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2015, 04:47:36 pm »
Yes, you can do it that way.

Sierra Nevada adds a dose of kettle salts to the boil.
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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Water/IPA - Flaws in my thinking?
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2015, 05:06:36 pm »
Yes, you can do it that way.

Sierra Nevada adds a dose of kettle salts to the boil.

+2.  Been there, done that.
Jon H.

Offline mchrispen

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Water/IPA - Flaws in my thinking?
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2015, 05:32:55 pm »
I add the excess to the sparge water... But expect most of it makes it right Into the boil kettle.


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Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: Water/IPA - Flaws in my thinking?
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2015, 05:42:08 pm »
FWIW...you can mash everything at 5.3PH and adjust up or down in the kettle.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
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Offline braufessor

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Re: Water/IPA - Flaws in my thinking?
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2015, 06:09:31 pm »
FWIW...you can mash everything at 5.3PH and adjust up or down in the kettle.

Hmmmmm.... That makes sense, and I guess I was not thinking of it from that angle.  But, why then, do people recommend targeting "5.4" for an IPA (or 5.3 or 5.6 for some other beer)?  I never really see much about targeting boil pH? 
If using this method of not worrying about mash pH (within the normal range of say 5.2-5.5ish).... does that mean that the real "target pH" is a preboil pH of 5.4 for an IPA??

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: Water/IPA - Flaws in my thinking?
« Reply #6 on: February 01, 2015, 06:26:48 pm »
Yes 5.4ph in the kettle.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline braufessor

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Re: Water/IPA - Flaws in my thinking?
« Reply #7 on: February 01, 2015, 07:16:52 pm »
I feel like I have spent a lot of time thinking/worrying about "mash pH" all wrong then ..... Is all "mash pH" for every beer completely irrelevant  - so long as it falls within the approximate realm of 5.2-5.6?  The only thing that ever matters is the kettle pH?

For instance, a mash pH of 5.2 for a porter is just as good as a mash pH of 5.6..... but, it would be good to bring the kettle pH up to that 5.6 since it is a darker beer.

and

A mash pH of 5.6 for a Helles is great, so long as you bring the boil pH down to something more like 5.2-3?




Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Water/IPA - Flaws in my thinking?
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2015, 07:37:20 pm »
IME recently, yes. Mash temp and mash ph really come down to starch converted to sugar and fermentability of wort in the ph range we as Brewers target. I have adjusted up or down in the kettle, and achieved what is needed ( smooth dark beer at 5.5, IPA and APA with hops shinning 5.4, and crisp pils lagers at 5.1-5.2.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest