Is it worth treating my water for lager.

[Jimmy321]

OK so the water calculator tells me to add the following for lager but the quantities are low so is it even worth bothering about? PS I've been getting good results before getting my water report by using a little acid malt in the mash (this also appears to be good for wheat beers).

Total volume of water 35L

CRS: 3.3 millilitres Carbonate Reducing Solution - add this to the total water volume!

Gypsum added to mash: 0.48 grams
Chalk added to mash: 0 grams

Gypsum added to boiler: 0.92 grams
Table Salt added to boiler: 0 grams
Epsom Salts added to boiler: 0 grams
Calcium Chloride added to boiler: 2.62 grams

 

[Good Ed]

if you let us know what your water is, and what type of lager you are brewing, we can advise, presumably you are AG

 

[RobWalker]

I read you want harder water for "export" style lager. might be something to consider.

 

[Jimmy321]

if you let us know what your water is, and what type of lager you are brewing, we can advise, presumably you are AG

Yes AG, perhaps some Plisen type lager.

Sodium Na 8.36
Sulphate SO4 17.3
Chloride Cl 14.56
Calcium CA 17
Magnesium - Unknown but is apparently low enough to be a health issue if you believe the press
Calcium Carbonate CACO3 42.5

 

[Jimmy321]

I read you want harder water for "export" style lager. might be something to consider.

I guess that's when Munich or Carapils or similar type malt is used in the recipe.

 

[Good Ed]

if you let us know what your water is, and what type of lager you are brewing, we can advise, presumably you are AG

Yes AG, perhaps some Plisen type lager.

Sodium Na 8.36
Sulphate SO4 17.3
Chloride Cl 14.56
Calcium CA 17
Magnesium - Unknown but is apparently low enough to be a health issue if you believe the press
Calcium Carbonate CACO3 42.5

well you have some pretty good water there for brewing a pilsner without any alterations, you might want to adjust the CaCO3 to 30ppm with CRS, but that would add to the SO4, which you don't want for a pilsner. Have a look at Alemans thread

If I were you I would take the CaCO3 down to 30ppm, that will add a bit of SO4, but then add CaCl to boost your calcium to 100ppm

 

[Aleman]

I read you want harder water for "export" style lager. might be something to consider.

Don't believe all you read in that case. . . .

 

[mabrungard]

Your original approach has a lot of merit for brewing malt focused lagers. Having a low calcium content is fairly important and adding gypsum or calcium chloride can be detrimental to flavor. Just adding the lactic acid via liquid addition or acid malt is fine. If the grist is very pale, then it may require dropping the alkalinity to less than zero to produce an appropriate mash pH.

PS: you were already treating your water if you were adding acid malt!

 

[Jimmy321]

Your original approach has a lot of merit for brewing malt focused lagers. Having a low calcium content is fairly important and adding gypsum or calcium chloride can be detrimental to flavor. Just adding the lactic acid via liquid addition or acid malt is fine. If the grist is very pale, then it may require dropping the alkalinity to less than zero to produce an appropriate mash pH.

PS: you were already treating your water if you were adding acid malt!

Thanks that's why I mentioned I had good results using acid malt I'm using about 2% in the mash, with my water being close to the requirement of the style I was questioning if I should be messing with it.

I only started looking at my water last year so I do not fully understand it but it's improved my darker beers and stouts.

 

[Bopper]

I live in Swindon, Wiltshire and the water is hard as bullets-this is how i treat my Lager water: filter through a carbon filter tap and add 1ml of lactic acid per gallon and the perfect lager each time.

Richard