Magnesium in water

[Leard]

I've started focusing on water treatment now and I use Beersmith to calculate. I'm able to get all the information I need through either the water report or by the calcium and alkalinity tests I do. However, the Welsh Water report doesn't include magnesium. I'd rather not buy a testing kit since they aren't that cheap. How important is magnesium? Could I just put down 0 in Beersmith and leave it or should I actually do a test?

 

[foxy]

I've started focusing on water treatment now and I use Beersmith to calculate. I'm able to get all the information I need through either the water report or by the calcium and alkalinity tests I do. However, the Welsh Water report doesn't include magnesium. I'd rather not buy a testing kit since they aren't that cheap. How important is magnesium? Could I just put down 0 in Beersmith and leave it or should I actually do a test?

I have a poofteenth of bugger all magnesium in my water, you will extract enough from the grain. I would think hardly anyone adds magnesium.

 

[foxbat]

Yes there's plenty in the malt. Don't worry about it and if you don't know how much there is in your water then best not to add any because it's a laxative in high enough quantities.

 

[Leard]

Yes there's plenty in the malt. Don't worry about it and if you don't know how much there is in your water then best not to add any because it's a laxative in high enough quantities.

I have magnesium sulphate that I'm going to use to increase my sulphate levels. It'd be good to know the magnesium level of my water of Beersmith so it doesn't tell me to put too much in. However this won't have too much of an impact on the magnesium levels will it?

 

[Galena]

I have magnesium sulphate that I'm going to use to increase my sulphate levels. It'd be good to know the magnesium level of my water of Beersmith so it doesn't tell me to put too much in. However this won't have too much of an impact on the magnesium levels will it?

Why not use Calcium Sulphate (Gypsum) to increase Sulphate and then you don't need to consider Magnesium?

 

[Leard]

Why not use Calcium Sulphate (Gypsum) to increase Sulphate and then you don't need to consider Magnesium?

I tried that recently in Beersmith. However it seems adding any more it was going to make the calcium levels too high for the style. Seems I need to know the magnesium level if I want to get it really accurate.

 

[Galena]

If you buy a KH - GH test kit for a tenner and input the results into Kaiser Water Calculater, it will give you a reasonable estimate of your magnesium content, enough to brew by anyway

 

[-Bezza-]

My magnesium is pretty low - 2.9ppm. Most water profiles I've seen for pale beers are wanting around 10ppm.

If I can keep the sulphate under control, I'll add some epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) but if not (and my sulphate does start to get high once I've done CRS and campden tablet additions) then I don't bother. I've not had too much concern along the way.

Besides, Beersmith does tend to give a very wide range for suggested levels of all the water stuff.

 

[strange-steve]

Seems I need to know the magnesium level if I want to get it really accurate.

You really don't, as others have said ignore the magnesium and use gypsum to increase sulphate. As for calcium being too high, unless it was >200ppm or so I wouldn't be concerned.

 

[Leard]

If you buy a KH - GH test kit for a tenner and input the results into Kaiser Water Calculater, it will give you a reasonable estimate of your magnesium content, enough to brew by anyway

I use the KH/Alk Profi tests for alkalinity. However I don't think that gives the GH figure that is needed to determine calcium and magnesium.

 

[Galena]

I use the KH/Alk Profi tests for alkalinity. However I don't think that gives the GH figure that is needed to determine calcium and magnesium.

Well this is using a GH & KH my result was 2 for each and below what Kaiser tells me, my magnesium from a full lab water analysis was 2.9ppm