Reverse osmosis water additions

[Lewisj182]

Hi,

Can anyone help me. If I put all my brewing water through an RO system. What do I need to add back in for certain beers styles? Does anyone know of a calculator where it assumes you have RO water to start with?

Thanks

 

[Pennine]

You can use any of them and just put in 0 for your starting minerals. There will be some residuals but it's likely insignificant for our purposes.

 

[foxy]

Hi,

Can anyone help me. If I put all my brewing water through an RO system. What do I need to add back in for certain beers styles? Does anyone know of a calculator where it assumes you have RO water to start with?

Thanks

I would suggest getting a book called Modern Homebrew Recipes by Gordon Strong, his water is so bad that all he uses is RO water. What he uses in a 23 litre batch is a 1/4 of a teaspoon of 10% phosphoric acid to his brewing water, which with the buffering effect of the base malt brings his pH to between 5.1 to 5.3. Adding calcium chloride or sulphate depends on the beer being brewed, usually 1 teaspoon of either or a 2-1 ratio or equal. He only mashes his base malt so each batch is consistent, makes it so easy. The speciality malts are added at mash out.
My water is basically RO water from the De-Sal plant I add barely any salts using his method.