[Lazy Ant Brewing]

I thought was ready at 6 am this morning to fill the brew pot with water and fire up the propane burner when I found out my scale that weighs in grams wasn't working. Put in new batteries, still not working.

Since I already had my grain crushed and would not be able to find time to brew for several more days, I "eyeballed" calcium chloride and gypsum for water treatment trying to remember how big 3.4 and 4.3 grams looks like in tiny heaps, and threw it in the pot. Full speed ahead on brewing.

I'm doing a 5-gal batch of Brown Ale BIAB.  Two or three weeks fermentation and then I'll taste the results.

[BrewBama]

It’ll probably be the best beer you ever brewed. I prefer weighing for accuracy (because I’m kinda geeky that way) ...but admire those who can eye ball, use volumetric measures, and have a “little of this and little of that” attitude. I could probably use Charlie‘s advice. Cheers!


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[Slowbrew]

I've done many a SWAG beer.  It'll be fine.

Like BrewBama said, it will more than like be the best beer you've made and you'll never be able to reproduce it.   

Paul

[tommymorris]

I guess I am the only one with 3 scales


- formerly alestateyall.

[Robert]

I guess I am the only one with 3 scales


- formerly alestateyall.

Yeah, and your latest one put you on a watch list.   

[tommymorris]

I guess I am the only one with 3 scales


- formerly alestateyall.

Yeah, and your latest one put you on a watch list.   

Indeed.


- formerly alestateyall.

[Bob357]

I convert grams to teaspoons. This pretty much does away with the moisture absorption factor.

[ynotbrusum]

I use acid malt routinely then minimal chloride and sulfate adjustments to the strike RO just before mashing in, but I like weighing salts - I have had some minerally flavor trying the teaspoon method - I’m just not accurate enough with eyeing it....the volume compared to weight for each differs so greatly.

[KellerBrauer]

I have two scales - weird, I know.  I would never be able to eyeball the correct quantity and I’m not sure how you would convert weight to teaspoons.  But fortunately, Amazon can often deliver same day, or next day, on a lot of their items.

[Lazy Ant Brewing]

I thought about waiting and buying another scale.  I had already crushed my grain  and would have had to wait another five days before I had time in my schedule to brew.  And if the weather were too bad to brew outside, I would have had to delay even further.

If you keep crushed grains in a sealed bucket, how long before they begin to lose freshness?

[mabrungard]

I would never be able to eyeball the correct quantity and I’m not sure how you would convert weight to teaspoons.

You should be able to calibrate yourself if you saw the proper amounts laid out a few times. However, there would be significant variation if you were trying to put a little bit in your hand. Using fractional measuring spoons isn't a terrible way to go, but its far from the best and its way better than winging it with a dash in your hand.

In my opinion, there isn't much detriment to adding too little of a mineral to your water. But there can be big problems if you add too much. A teaspoon of this or that could be way too much for your water or your batch if you haven't done the calculations to assess what the proper dose is.

But in the end, you will still make beer and it will probably be drinkable. Don't get too tied up in dialing in ion concentrations to within a few digits. Being 5 or 10 ppm off is really no big deal for most ions and you can up that to 40 or 50 ppm when it comes to calcium. RDWHAHB, but try to avoid overdosing.

[Lazy Ant Brewing]

Martin,

I'm glad to hear calcium levels are a bit forgiving.  I did one previous brew with more gypsum than I friend of mine liked --too bitter for him-- although I thought the beer was very drinkable.  But with that incident in mind, I "think and hope" I didn't put too much gypsum in.

By the way, I do use your water-treatment excel sheet calculations and thank you for it.  I just had to wing it this time since my scale didn't work.

[Lazy Ant Brewing]

I lucked out!  I measured the FG this morning and the un-carbonated sample tastes great to me.  I was worried about putting to much gypsum in, but I like the results.

I'll  check FG again on Sunday or Monday, cold crash, and then bottle.