Calcium Sulphate (gypsum)

[keat64]

I'm doing an IPA tomorrow, and for a change decided that I'm going to use gypsum.

Any thougts as to how much and when ?

 

[Zephyr259]

Have a read of these brilliant threads for advice. They sum it all up nicely. I have started using Bru'n Water to do my calcs via their excel spreadsheet.

Basic Water Treatment
Advanced Water treatment

 

[foxbat]

You need to know the mineral breakdown of your water to begin with before adding more minerals to it. Are you brewing with bottled water, if so which one? If tap water what's the water authority report for your area?

 

[strange-steve]

+1 to foxbat's comment, there's no point trying to adjust your water unless you know what's in it to begin with, primarily the alkalinity and calcium values, but sulphate and chloride are also handy to know.

 

[keat64]

Calcium 88 - mg Ca/l
Magnesium 7.1 - mg Mg/l
Residual chlorine - free 0.21 - mg/l Cl2
Residual chlorine - total 0.35 - mg/l Cl2
Coliforms 0 0 no/100ml
E-coli 0 0 no/100ml
Aluminium 5.2 200 µg Al/l
Colour 0.7 20 mg/l Pt/Co Scale
Conductivity 549 2500 µS/cm
Fluoride 0.08 1.5 mg F/l
pH (Hydrogen Ion Conc.) 7.3 6.5 - 9.5 pH Units
Iron 11.4 200 µg Fe/l
Nitrate 21.55 50 mg NO3/l
Nitrite 0.002 0.5 mg NO2/l
Sodium 16.9 200 mg Na/l
Turbidity 0.13 4 NTU
Copper 0.0212 2 mg Cu/l
Lead 0.67 10 µg Pb/l


Looking at my water quality compared to that arount Burton on Trent, my calcium level is actually a little higher.

 

[peebee]

Calcium 88 - mg Ca/l
...
Looking at my water quality compared to that arount Burton on Trent, my calcium level is actually a little higher.

Careful, there are lots of sources of water in Burton and you might be looking at the municipal supply.

Some of the bore water (there are many wells) used for brewing might have 4-5 times your figure of calcium, and ridiculous quantities of sulphate (gypsum).

I mucked about with high levels of gypsum, found that the effects need to "mature" in (a few weeks) and found the effects "surprising". Keep the levels down, you use gypsum just for to control mash pH. Use big quantities of gypsum for fairly powerful (1.060+), long maturing, "historic" formulations.

 

[strange-steve]

I mucked about with high levels of gypsum, found that the effects need to "mature" in (a few weeks) and found the effects "surprising". Keep the levels down, you use gypsum just for to control mash pH. Use big quantities of gypsum for fairly powerful (1.060+), long maturing, "historic" formulations.

I'm not sure why gypsum additions would require time to mature, it's like adding seasoning to food, the effect should be instant. But also like food seasoning, it should be done according to personal taste. My preference is for smaller amounts of sulphate, as yours seems to be, but many people seem to like large amounts. I suppose the best way to know is to try it out.

 

[peebee]

I'm not sure why gypsum additions would require time to mature, it's like adding seasoning to food, the effect should be instant. But also like food seasoning, it should be done according to personal taste. My preference is for smaller amounts of sulphate, as yours seems to be, but many people seem to like large amounts. I suppose the best way to know is to try it out.

Neither am I sure why! But the effect is repeatable (at about 300ppm sulphate as gypsum - the maximum gypsum I could dissolve properly; I've seen 600ppm sulphate as gypsum quoted).

I scribbled up about it. I was trying Marsden Pedigree clones and initially was quite excited by the effect mimicking Pedigree. The maltiness had a distinct "roundness" and flavour. But it only lasted about 3-4 weeks and vanished. And then all the documented gypsum qualities began to come out. The dryness (which I described as sticking your tongue on a used blackboard), and the dryness emphasised the bitterness. Didn't really get any sulphurous "snatch" hints, and if I did could equally explain it as yeast effects (because I'd get it occasionally on a fraction of the gypsum).

I've concluded big doses of gypsum might enhance strong beers being matured a good while, but not necessarily "running" beers, ready to drink in a fortnight but possibly hanging around for a month or more (and as I brew 45L batches, that's always the case).

 

[Gunge]

I once went completely overboard with the ol' gypsum. Damn beer set rock hard in the boiler.

 

[foxbat]

Calcium 88 - mg Ca/l
Magnesium 7.1 - mg Mg/l
Residual chlorine - free 0.21 - mg/l Cl2
Residual chlorine - total 0.35 - mg/l Cl2
Coliforms 0 0 no/100ml
E-coli 0 0 no/100ml
Aluminium 5.2 200 µg Al/l
Colour 0.7 20 mg/l Pt/Co Scale
Conductivity 549 2500 µS/cm
Fluoride 0.08 1.5 mg F/l
pH (Hydrogen Ion Conc.) 7.3 6.5 - 9.5 pH Units
Iron 11.4 200 µg Fe/l
Nitrate 21.55 50 mg NO3/l
Nitrite 0.002 0.5 mg NO2/l
Sodium 16.9 200 mg Na/l
Turbidity 0.13 4 NTU
Copper 0.0212 2 mg Cu/l
Lead 0.67 10 µg Pb/l


Looking at my water quality compared to that arount Burton on Trent, my calcium level is actually a little higher.

They don't tell you sulphates or chlorides? That's annoying. You have enough Calcium to brew good beer. Beersmith thinks you need more Magnesium to get into the 10-40 range it recommends and you can get that from Epsom Salts. Without knowing sulphates, chlorides and alkalinity then it's hard to recommend what to add.