Boiling to lower alkalinity

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MattGuk
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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by MattGuk » Mon Jan 18, 2021 7:07 pm

I totally get that CRS shouldn't cause any issues, and for the most part it hasn't, IE in IPA's bitters and stouts which are what I mainly brew, however this issue only seems to surface when brewing a cream ale, it just doesn't taste quite right to me, however, today when bottling tasted a lot different for the better and the only thing I changed was to boil my water the night before, maybe because it's a delicate beer style with hardly and hop or Malt character I notice the Extra Chloride and Sulphate.
I don't really know how to explain it, the taste I usually get in cream ales, just thought it could be down to all the CRS.

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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by guypettigrew » Mon Jan 18, 2021 8:24 pm

What's a 'cream ale' Matt? What was the recipe?

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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by MattGuk » Mon Jan 18, 2021 9:23 pm

So my understanding is it's like an American light lagerbut fermented at ale temps.
Not to most interesting of beers but very refreshing.
I will post the recipe shortly.

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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by Silver_Is_Money » Tue Jan 19, 2021 12:33 am

Eric wrote:
Mon Jan 18, 2021 6:37 pm
The figure I use for the strength of CRS suggest that 0.69 ml in 1 litre would reduce alkalinity from 152 to 26 ppm as CaCO3.
I agree!

152 ppm - 26 ppm = 126 ppm of Alkalinity to be removed from each Liter.
126/50.04345 = 2.518 mEq of Alkalinity to be removed from each Liter.
CRS = 3.66 mEq/mL in acid strength
2.518 mEq/3.66mEq/mL = 0.69 mL CRS to be added to each Liter (Litre) of this water.
Last edited by Silver_Is_Money on Tue Jan 19, 2021 11:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by MattGuk » Tue Jan 19, 2021 9:53 am

This is the recipe, as you can see it's not very complex in either Malt or hops, but still a tasty, easy drinking beer
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Eric
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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by Eric » Tue Jan 19, 2021 12:54 pm

Nothing there I've not used, just somewhat surprised to see rice and dextrin malt in the same recipe. I use rice to reduce flavour, body and nitrogen content, while dextrin malt does the opposite. Never considered what their combined influence would be.

What yeast did you pitch?
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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by MattGuk » Tue Jan 19, 2021 2:13 pm

I pitched US-05, I just used the dextrin to boost head retention but maybe that is not needed?

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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by Eric » Tue Jan 19, 2021 4:02 pm

Yes, Dextrin malt would do that. I've used it mainly to add body and flavour to milds, but presently have none in stock.

Only once used US05, to record that brew to be a waste of good malt. I've often read it described as a clean yeast, so must presume I like my beers dirty.
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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by MattGuk » Tue Jan 19, 2021 4:09 pm

Haha, I only use it for this particular style of beer and it does work really well, the only problem I can get with it is that it doesn't compact to much when it settles and ends up tasting nasty if too much get into my glass

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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by guypettigrew » Tue Jan 19, 2021 4:24 pm

Eric wrote:
Mon Jan 18, 2021 6:37 pm

The figure I use for the strength of CRS suggest that 0.69 ml in 1 litre would reduce alkalinity from 152 to 26 ppm as CaCO3.
Absolutely correct, Eric! I must have done something really daft when I put the alkalinity value into Graham's calculator. Today it's telling me 0.72ml/l would be needed to reduce the alkalinity from 152 to 20.

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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by Eric » Tue Jan 19, 2021 4:50 pm

MattGuk wrote:
Tue Jan 19, 2021 4:09 pm
Haha, I only use it for this particular style of beer and it does work really well, the only problem I can get with it is that it doesn't compact to much when it settles and ends up tasting nasty if too much get into my glass
Agreed, it certainly doesn't want to quickly flocculate, yet it seems to be popular which one would assume is because of its other properties or recommendation. Would you perhaps get a better result with a lager yeast?

Pleased we can all agree Guy. How's last Wednesday's brew gone?
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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by MattGuk » Tue Jan 19, 2021 5:00 pm

Quite possibly, though I'm not sure which strain would be best for warmer ferments as I don't have temp control yet. I place in my office which is where I can best control room temp to about 16 -17°c

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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by Silver_Is_Money » Tue Jan 19, 2021 6:18 pm

Based upon multiple reports, plus some Brulosophy experiments, Fermentis Saflager W-34/70 should work decently at up to about 16-17 degrees C.
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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by guypettigrew » Tue Jan 19, 2021 6:24 pm

Eric wrote:
Tue Jan 19, 2021 4:50 pm
Pleased we can all agree Guy. How's last Wednesday's brew gone?
Thanks for asking, Eric. It's sitting at 4°C at the moment, ready for kegging and a first taste tomorrow. I'll let you know.

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Re: Boiling to lower alkalinity

Post by MattGuk » Wed Jan 20, 2021 12:22 pm

Silver_Is_Money wrote:
Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:23 am
I concur with calcium = ~89.2 mg/L.

That places post boil Alkalinity at about 65 mg/L, and post boil calcium at about 54.4 mg/L.
Sorry if I sound ignorant or stupid, possibly both, but can I ask how my calcium content was figures out here?

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