IPA - RO WAter Treatment

[Brewelder]

Hi Guys,

I’ve done a few All Grain kits to date with the last 2 using RO water neat. I was wondering is there a go to recipe for treating this water?

I realise it depends on the grain bill, hops, yeast etc, but is there like a universal recipe that would suffice?

PS: at the minute i don’t have any treatment ingredients so would like to know before i rush out and buy all the wrong gear.

Tomorrows brew will be a Neck Oil Clone from KegThat and will probaby go with neat RO for now, but i plan a NEIPA next weekend and would like to get this right.

Thanks in advance as always.

 

[LeeH]

I would be invest in Brewfather, for people not interested in the water chemistry like myself. It makes using and blending RO simple.

Also there is a water tool on this site.

 

[foxy]

Hi Guys,

I’ve done a few All Grain kits to date with the last 2 using RO water neat. I was wondering is there a go to recipe for treating this water?

I realise it depends on the grain bill, hops, yeast etc, but is there like a universal recipe that would suffice?

PS: at the minute i don’t have any treatment ingredients so would like to know before i rush out and buy all the wrong gear.

Tomorrows brew will be a Neck Oil Clone from KegThat and will probaby go with neat RO for now, but i plan a NEIPA next weekend and would like to get this right.

Thanks in advance as always.

Yes there is a standard for RO water, I would read Gordon Strongs book, ‘Brewing Better Beer’ He uses RO water as his water is so bad. Usually it is about 1/2 a teaspoon of gypsum and 1/2 teaspoon of chloride. As for the NEIPA I would be thinking twice about attempting that without the right equipment and knowledge.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I don’t think neat RO is the best for brewing as it has none of the minerals that are beneficial. Do you know what you tap water profile is?

 

[Brewelder]

Yes there is a standard for RO water, I would read Gordon Strongs book, ‘Brewing Better Beer’ He uses RO water as his water is so bad. Usually it is about 1/2 a teaspoon of gypsum and 1/2 teaspoon of chloride. As for the NEIPA I would be thinking twice about attempting that without the right equipment and knowledge.

Thanks, however i have actually brewed a NEIPA previously using RO water and it turned out fine. It was slightly on the bitter side at first but after a week in the keg it started to improve and is now very drinkable, although for me it lacked that wow factor, hence the interest in water additions to improve my next brew. That said, i haven’t sampled it for a couple of weeks so it might have improved further.

I have a Klarstein mash kettle with a Heath Robinson style recirculation pump attached and it works fine. Also have a Fermzilla gen3 so closed transfers aren’t an issue so equipment wise I’m sort of Ok for a NEIPA. ( I think)

 

[Brewelder]

I don’t think neat RO is the best for brewing as it has none of the minerals that are beneficial. Do you know what you tap water profile is?

Below is what i could get for my area from the local water supplier, all measurements are average and in mg/l

CaCO3 Calcium Carbonate - 73.79
Chloride - 13.99
Alkalinity (HC03) - 48.17
Calcium - 24.47
Magnesium - 3.07
Sodium - 11.46
Sulphate - 44.04

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Below is what i could get for my area from the local water supplier, all measurements are average and in mg/l

CaCO3 Calcium Carbonate - 73.79
Chloride - 13.99
Alkalinity (HC03) - 48.17
Calcium - 24.47
Magnesium - 3.07
Sodium - 11.46
Sulphate - 44.04

I might be totally wrong but it looks to me your tap water is probably just a bit of Calcium Chloride and a few ml of lactic acid away from being spot on for a NEIPA and would only need a bit of Gypsum, Calcium Chloride and Lactic acid to be bang on for the suggested Neck Oil profile of:
Ca: 100 | Mg: 17 | Na: 10 | Cl: 47 | SO4: 241 | HCO3: 12

You may be better off getting some of the above additions and using your adjusted tap water for most beers.

 

[Brewelder]

I might be totally wrong but it looks to me your tap water is probably just a bit of Calcium Chloride and a few ml of lactic acid away from being spot on for a NEIPA and would only need a bit of Gypsum, Calcium Chloride and Lactic acid to be bang on for the suggested Neck Oil profile of:
Ca: 100 | Mg: 17 | Na: 10 | Cl: 47 | SO4: 241 | HCO3: 12

You may be better off getting some of the above additions and using your adjusted tap water for most beers.

I’m surprised at that, i always assumed (wrongly) that RO was better, I’ll get some ordered and work with that.

I have done a few extract kits with my tap water and they turned out ok.

 

[Brewelder]

Anyone have any recommendations where i can get hold of these water additions? My local home brew shop doesn’t sell them.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I get my Gypsum and Calcium Chloride from WHS: Sundries | Worcester Hop Shop
(While you are paying for postage have a look at the hops they may have on sale)
Lactic acid (food grade) from Amazon or eBay.

 

[Brewelder]

I get my Gypsum and Calcium Chloride from WHS: Sundries | Worcester Hop Shop
(While you are paying for postage have a look at the hops they may have on sale)
Lactic acid (food grade) from Amazon or eBay.

Thanks Benfleet. As a rule of thumb, what do i need? I’m new to all this water treatment so would appreciate some advice.

If I’m opaying postage i may as well get everything i need, but I’ve just bought hops from KegThat, however i will look at the malts on WHS as i need to stock up.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

So, not a “rule of thumb” but more a possible starting point, I use these suggested water profiles for my beers: Suggested Water Profiles by Style and haven’t been disappointed.

If you get yourself some Gypsum, Calcium Chloride and lactic acid you will be able to use a brewing software (I use brewers friend but there are loads of others) to input your tap water profile and what you are looking to achieve and it will tell you what, and how much, you need to add.

 

[Brewelder]

So, not a “rule of thumb” but more a possible starting point, I use these suggested water profiles for my beers: Suggested Water Profiles by Style and haven’t been disappointed.

If you get yourself some Gypsum, Calcium Chloride and lactic acid you will be able to use a brewing software (I use brewers friend but there are loads of others) to input your tap water profile and what you are looking to achieve and it will tell you what, and how much, you need to add.

Thanks again and I’ll get them ordered up

 

[MashBag]

Anyone have any recommendations where i can get hold of these water additions? My local home brew shop doesn’t sell them.

Just been through this myself. Brewed for years without adjusting. Then last year with the drought, my water caused problems.
My beer is better for the water treatment defo.
Beware the English process and american way are very different, so be careful what you are reading online.

Malt miller do the AMS for alkalinity adjustment and DWB for minerals. And there is buckets of supporting info & docs from Murphy's
I have all of it if you need it posting here.

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/dwb/
https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/AMS/
PS don't ask me any tough questions about it - I worked out what I need and got it double checked, but I cannot say I fully understand it.
Murphy's made it easy and consistent. MM supplies their stuff in smaller quantities.
I recommend it and using this path, because they have done the hard work for you.

 

[MashBag]

So, not a “rule of thumb” but more a possible starting point, I use these suggested water profiles for my beers: Suggested Water Profiles by Style and haven’t been disappointed.

If you get yourself some Gypsum, Calcium Chloride and lactic acid you will be able to use a brewing software (I use brewers friend but there are loads of others) to input your tap water profile and what you are looking to achieve and it will tell you what, and how much, you need to add.

.............also covered by murphys. Shout up is you want the guides.

 

[Brewelder]

.............also covered by murphys. Shout up is you want the guides.

Thanks and yes please.

 

[Brewelder]

Just been through this myself. Brewed for years without adjusting. Then last year with the drought, my water caused problems.
My beer is better for the water treatment defo.
Beware the English process and american way are very different, so be careful what you are reading online.

Malt miller do the AMS for alkalinity adjustment and DWB for minerals. And there is buckets of supporting info & docs from Murphy's
I have all of it if you need it posting here.

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/dwb/
https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/AMS/
PS don't ask me any tough questions about it - I worked out what I need and got it double checked, but I cannot say I fully understand it.
Murphy's made it easy and consistent. MM supplies their stuff in smaller quantities.
I recommend it and using this path, because they have done the hard work for you.

I’ve taken your advice and ordered both, plus some malts and Verdant yeast.

Thanks All. @Benfleet, i would have went with your suggestions as that seems like a canny little home brew supplier, but MM had the Verdant yeast so went with them instead.

I think (hope) that i now understand the process and what each addition offers to the water/brew and as always, all help and advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[MashBag]

I also found that there is a very real reluctance to ship strong acid. MM have also sorted this too.

Will share guides when I get to the office. Just brewing at the moment.

 

[Brewelder]

I also found that there is a very real reluctance to ship strong acid. MM have also sorted this too.

Will share guides when I get to the office. Just brewing at the moment.

Appreciate it mate, what are you brewing? I was meant to be brewing my Neck Oil clone kit yesterday but the wife had other more important issues to deal with. (Shopping)

 

[MashBag]

Bonkers brew. My usual house beer modified to "no boil". Almost nothing to do. I seriously think a wherry kit could take longer.