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Author Topic: ESB water profile  (Read 4841 times)

Offline brewinhard

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ESB water profile
« on: February 15, 2016, 03:57:26 pm »
Brewing up an ESB this week and wanted to run by my latest water profile I worked up for it. I tried the Amber Bitter profile for Brunwater last time for a special bitter and did not care for it. Looking at the Pale Ale profile (which I have used in AIPA's before) and it seems a bit too over-mineralized for what I am looking for. 

So, here is my adjusted water for this next one with a predicted 5.4 mash pH and RO water. 1.056 OG, 11-12 SRM, 45 IBU's

61 ppm Ca
12 ppm Mg
30 ppm Na
130 ppm SO4
51 ppm Cl

These additions were made to help hit my target pH with the resulting adjusted levels above.  Any thoughts or suggestions? 

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: ESB water profile
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2016, 04:22:35 pm »
Looks pretty good for what you're after. I'm heading that direction with my water profiles too.
Jon H.

Offline erockrph

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Re: ESB water profile
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2016, 04:36:18 pm »
I think that looks good for an ESB with lower minerality. You may want to consider bumping the Cl a bit to boost the malt a little, but that's your call. My ESB water profile looks pretty similar to yours, but with 100ppm Cl and 150ppm Sulphate (spelled with a "ph" since it's an English ale :) )
Eric B.

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

Offline brewinhard

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Re: ESB water profile
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2016, 04:34:31 am »
I think that looks good for an ESB with lower minerality. You may want to consider bumping the Cl a bit to boost the malt a little, but that's your call. My ESB water profile looks pretty similar to yours, but with 100ppm Cl and 150ppm Sulphate (spelled with a "ph" since it's an English ale :) )

I was considering bumping the sulfate a bit, but didn't want it to accentuate the hops too much so that it totally overpowers the malt. I have about 45 IBU's going into mine, how many IBU's do you shoot for in your ESB with that sulfate level?

Offline mabrungard

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Re: ESB water profile
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2016, 06:30:35 am »
I find that the Bitter profiles work well with ESB's, but there are some brewers from UK that feel that the mineral content (specifically chloride) is not high enough for their tastes. I have to admit that brewing with high sulfate and high chloride does impart a minerally flavor to the beer. If that is what you want, do boost the chloride over 100 ppm and keep the sulfate high too. If you prefer your beer to taste like beer, you may be happier with the Bitter profiles closer to their published values.
Martin B
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Offline erockrph

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Re: ESB water profile
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2016, 07:35:26 am »
I think that looks good for an ESB with lower minerality. You may want to consider bumping the Cl a bit to boost the malt a little, but that's your call. My ESB water profile looks pretty similar to yours, but with 100ppm Cl and 150ppm Sulphate (spelled with a "ph" since it's an English ale :) )

I was considering bumping the sulfate a bit, but didn't want it to accentuate the hops too much so that it totally overpowers the malt. I have about 45 IBU's going into mine, how many IBU's do you shoot for in your ESB with that sulfate level?
I'm right at 45 IBU, too.
Eric B.

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

Offline brewinhard

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Re: ESB water profile
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2016, 12:57:15 pm »
Reworked the water profile just a tad to boost up the Chloride levels. 

At present:

75 ppm Ca (I know this is a bit high, but when adding more CaCl2, what are you gonna do?)
12 ppm Mg
30 ppm Na
130 ppm SO4
75 ppm Cl

Not looking for a "mineral" bomb, but wanting some mineralization along with a boost in malt character in addition to a hop popper...

Offline dilluh98

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Re: ESB water profile
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2016, 01:19:32 pm »
Looks good to me. I'm going to reference this next time I go through a series of Ordinary/Special-Best/ESB brewing.

Offline beersk

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Re: ESB water profile
« Reply #8 on: February 16, 2016, 06:47:28 pm »
I think that looks good for an ESB with lower minerality. You may want to consider bumping the Cl a bit to boost the malt a little, but that's your call. My ESB water profile looks pretty similar to yours, but with 100ppm Cl and 150ppm Sulphate (spelled with a "ph" since it's an English ale :) )
It's your Soul Fate. Be a good name for an ESB.

I like the water profile. Roll with it.
Jesse

Offline brewinhard

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Re: ESB water profile
« Reply #9 on: February 17, 2016, 07:20:34 am »
I think that looks good for an ESB with lower minerality. You may want to consider bumping the Cl a bit to boost the malt a little, but that's your call. My ESB water profile looks pretty similar to yours, but with 100ppm Cl and 150ppm Sulphate (spelled with a "ph" since it's an English ale :) )
It's your Soul Fate. Be a good name for an ESB.

I like the water profile. Roll with it.

I love it!  I may have to steal that one for my next comp.