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Treating water for double IPA

mbushnel

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I am going to brew a double IPA next weekend and wanted to get some advice.  I am relatively new at building my water profile and I am in no way a chemist.  Anyway below are the brun water calculations and also the profile I am trying to target.  I am starting with RO water for a 7 gallon batch (12.7 gallons total water used.  5.1 gallons for the mash and fly sparging with 7.6 gallons)  In the mash I will be using 12.55 lbs. of Thomas Fawcett Pearl, .84 lbs. CaraMalt, and .84 lbs of white wheat.  I am trying to keep the residual alkalinity down between 0 and 2 ppm but it seems like I cannot do this unless the calcium remains high.  Would this much calcium provide too much of a chalky mouth feel?  Suggestions are appreciated.

                          Target(ppm)            Brun Water(ppm)
Calcium                110                        149.5
Magnesium          17                          17
Sodium                15                            15
Sulfate                280                          279
Chloride              50                            49.7
Bicarbonate          110                          140.8
total harness        345                        444
alkalinity              91                            117
RA                      2                              0

To come up with the brun water calculations this is the amount of brewing salts used.

CaSO4          1.77 grams/gallon
MGSO4          .17 grams/gallon
NaCl              .06 grams/gallon
NaHCO3        .12 grams/gallon
CaCl2            .03 grams/gallon
Pickling Line    .27 grams/gallon
MgCl2            .40 grams/gallon
 
Is this a Headdy Topper clone? I used more calcium than that and it wasn't chalky at all.
 
It is indeed a Heady Topper clone.  It is good to know that the calcium amount I am using will not adversely affect the beer.  I was actually looking to replace some is the Calcium Sulfate with some food grade sulfuric acid but it seems like it is impossible to find.
 
The only reason to use acid is to pH adjust against your carbonate and bicarbonate levels. It doesn't take much. Just enough to bring down the strike water by 0.1pH has cancelled out the water's buffering ability. The malt will do the rest.

I'm not too keen on sulfuric acid on the homebrewing scale. It is highly potent, corrosive and easy to overdose.

I think you're better off using lactic acid, or acidulated malt. Perhaps Phosphoric.

If you're manipulating your minerals, the easiest thing is to just use less carbonate and bicarbonate. It'll also take your RA down to where you want it, too.

 
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