mabrungard
Well-Known Member
Its not really that bad of a water for brewing. The alkalinity is a bit high, but all the other ions are at modest levels.
Neutralizing the alkalinity in the sparging water is a must. Not acidifying the sparging water will cause problems. However, if you are aiming for a Burton water from a pale ale, there may not be as strong a need to acidify the water for mashing as long as you are boosting the calcium and sulfate w/ gypsum. For a pale ale, bringing the sulfate content to at least 200 ppm is recommended. I like 300 ppm. But when using gypsum to boost the sulfate, the calcium content is also boosted. That calcium boost will drive the mashing water's residual alkalinity down. Depending on the degree of the mineralization and alkalinity of the tap water, you may not need to acidify the mashing water. Checking the mash pH with a meter is the best way, but a program like Bru'n Water will assist you in assessing the likely mash pH based on the grist and the water mineralization.
Enjoy!
Neutralizing the alkalinity in the sparging water is a must. Not acidifying the sparging water will cause problems. However, if you are aiming for a Burton water from a pale ale, there may not be as strong a need to acidify the water for mashing as long as you are boosting the calcium and sulfate w/ gypsum. For a pale ale, bringing the sulfate content to at least 200 ppm is recommended. I like 300 ppm. But when using gypsum to boost the sulfate, the calcium content is also boosted. That calcium boost will drive the mashing water's residual alkalinity down. Depending on the degree of the mineralization and alkalinity of the tap water, you may not need to acidify the mashing water. Checking the mash pH with a meter is the best way, but a program like Bru'n Water will assist you in assessing the likely mash pH based on the grist and the water mineralization.
Enjoy!
