First Attempt at adjusting Water Profile

[benchharp]

I'm looking to tinker with the water profile on an upcoming 5.75 gallon batch NEIPA.

Recipe is here: https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/ ... ipa-neipa-

For ease i was planning on using Tesco Ashbeck Water.

It has the following profile:

Calcium (Ca ppm) 10
Magnesium (Mg ppm) 2.5
Sodium (Na ppm) 9
Chloride (Cl ppm) 12
Sulfate (SO4 ppm) 10
(ppm = mg/L)

The Recipe calls for (if i've read it correctly):

Calcium (Ca ppm) 100
Magnesium (Mg ppm) 0
Sodium (Na ppm) 0
Chloride (Cl ppm) 175
Sulfate (SO4 ppm) 90
(ppm = mg/L)

Using EZ Water Calculator i've managed to come up with the following:

Add 7.35g of Calcium Chloride
Add 4.5g of Epsom Salts

Calcium (Ca ppm) 102
Magnesium (Mg ppm) 22
Sodium (Na ppm) 9
Chloride (Cl ppm) 175
Sulfate (SO4 ppm) 91
(ppm = mg/L)

So, it's close but has higher levels of Magnesium and Sodium - Can i reduce these?

And does it sound correct - should adding Calcium Chloride and Epsom Salts have the above results.

Any guidance appreciated.

Many thanks

[mozza]

Just be careful with the magnesium (Epsom addition). It will increase the bitterness although at 20ppm you should be okay with a highly hopped beer.

Gypsum will add calcium and sulfate and you can’t really add too much calcium to your water if that makes sense

[Eric]

NEIPA is an American homebrew style and therefore one might assume the desired brew liquor will conform with American homebrew's understanding and beliefs. Those differ to British understanding and beliefs.

Assuming you have correctly replicate the required water profile it may not be impossible to achieve, but as you have found, is not straight forward using common brewing salts. Also no amount is given for alkalinity and if any was present it would serve only to further imbalance that profile.

If you replace Epsom salts with gypsum and some of the calcium chloride with sodium chloride and potassium chloride, you should be able to get closer to the advised profile, but I doubt those would make a better beer. As said already, there is no reason not to increase the amount of calcium. In UK and most other places outside American homebrewing it is usual to brew ales with calcium between 100 and 200ppm in both mash and sparge liquors.

Magnesium can add taste to beer when at high levels. This can be advantageous in some styles, but it is most obvious when calcium levels are low. If you keep calcium above 100ppm you should not be concerned about levels of up to 40ppm magnesium.