Brewing Water

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Brewing Water

• James River Homebrewers
• January 9, 2008

Sources Siebel Institute of Technology Concise
Course Notes Ray Daniels, Designing Great
Beers Wolfgang Kunze, Technology of Brewing and
Malting Richmond Water Report, July 9,
2007 ProMash
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Overview

• Water Requirements
• Important Ions, Hardness, Alkalinity
• (OFFLINE link to presentation will be posted to
  the JRHB Forum to review later)
• Famous Brewing Waters and BEER
• Water Adjustment to match Richmond Water

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Water Requirements

• Must meet potable water standards
• Appropriate mineral composition
• Mostly for style, but it affects your mash and pH
  as well!
• Appropriate Acidity and Alkalinity (most
  important for Mash not as important for extract
  brewing)

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Basic Requirements for Potable Water

• Microbiologically pure
• lt 1 organism/100 mL no coliform bacteria
• Clear and colorless
• Free of heavy metal ions (Iron, Lead, Gold,
  Copper, etc.)
• Tasteless and odorless
• Chlorinated water affects beer flavor

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RICHMOND Water ReportJuly, 2007

• Ca2 22ppm
• Mg2 4.4ppm
• K 2.1ppm
• NH4 0.85ppm
• Na 20ppm
• Li lt0.05ppm
• pH 7.8
• TOC 1.4ppm
• SiO2 6.8ppm
• CO2 2.6ppm
• TDS 190ppm

• SO42- 60ppm
• Cl- 19ppm
• NO2- lt0.05ppm
• Br- 0.27ppm
• Fl- 0.81ppm
• PO43- 1.4ppm
• Turbidity 0.5
• Total Alkalinity as CaCO3 88ppm
• Total Hardness as CaCO3 96ppm

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Important Ions For BrewingCalcium (Ca)

• Protects enzymes from thermal degradation,
  extends activity
• Improves trub formation during wort boil
• Decreases pH during mashing and wort boil
• 100 ppm calcium addition decreases pH by 0.4 pH
  units
• General rule of thumb
• 40-60 ppm is needed in packaged all malt beer.
• Approximately ½ of calcium is lost during
  mashing.
• 80-120 ppm calcium is required from brewing water
  AND calcium addition in mashing all-malt beer.
• Richmond water supply 22ppm

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Important Ions For Brewing Magnesium (Mg)

• Magnesium salts are much more soluble than those
  of calcium.
• Less effect on wort pH
• Can provide slightly bitter or sour flavor to
  beer.
• Richmond Water 4.4 ppm

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Important Ions For BrewingSodium (Na)

• At low concentrations (lt100ppm), sodium gives a
  slightly sweet flavor to beer.
• But gt 100 ppm, sodium gives a salty flavor.
• Richmond water 20ppm

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Important Ions For BrewingCarbonate (CO32-) and
Bicarbonate (HCO3-)

• These ions prevent decrease of pH.
• They are twice as effective in raising wort pH as
  calcium is in lowering pH.
• Contribute to alkalinity.
• Should be lt75ppm (prefer lt50ppm)
• Richmond water
• HCO3- 44ppm
• CO32- lt2ppm

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Important Ions For BrewingChloride (Cl-) /
Sulfate (SO42-)

• Chloride increases palate fullness and gives a
  mellow flavor to beer.
• Chloride is different from Chlorine in water
  (HOCl) which causes a swimming-pool or similar
  flavor in beer)
• Sulfate results in drier, more bitter flavors in
  beer.
• Sulfate can be a source of SO2 and H2S formed
  during fermentation that may give the beer a
  sulfury note (especially in Burton beers).
• Richmond water
• Cl- 19ppm
• SO42- 60ppm

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Water Hardness includes Temporary Hardness and
Permanent Hardness

• Temporary Hardness are the Bicarbonates
• Can be partly removed by Boiling (CO2 is driven
  off)
• Addition of Lime (Calcium Hydroxide) precipitates
  calcium and magnesium carbonates
• Permanent Hardness include Calcium and Magnesium
  Sulfates, Chlorides, and Nitrates.
• These can be reduced by ion exchange
• Richmond water TOTAL Hardness (Temporary
  Permanent) 96ppm (expressed as ppm CaCO3)

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Alkalinity

• Alkalinity is a result of bicarbonates
• Bicarbonates increase wort pH
• Determined by measuring how much acid it takes to
  neutralize bicarbonate
• Effects
• Increases color of beer
• Inhibits enzyme actions
• Slower Lautering
• Lower extract yield of the malt
• Less yeast growth
• More beer haze
• Richmond Alkalinity 88ppm (CaCO3 equivalents)

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Residual Alkalinity

• Residual Alkalinity is the difference between the
  Non-Carbonate Hardness and the carbonate
  hardness.
• It is predictor of the pH in the Mash
• Residual Alkalinity Total Alkalinity (as ppm
  CaCO3) X 0.056 Calcium (as ppm Ca2) X 0.04
  Magnesium (as ppm Mg2) X 0.033
• Predicted Mash pH 5.8 0.028 (Residual
  Alkalinity)
• NOTE ? Darker grains will provide acidity also
  that is not included in this formula!
• In UNTREATED Richmond Water
• Residual Alkalinity 3.9
• Predicted Mash pH 5.9

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Famous Brewing Waters

• Historically, mineral content of local brewing
  water characterized the flavor of specific beers
• The styles we associate with those areas
  typically came about because of the suitability
  of the water to produce those beers.
• Pilsen Light Lager (Bohemian Pilsner)
• Munich Dark Lager (Dunkel) and Helles styles
• Burton Pale Ale / Bitter
• Richmond Williams Beers

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Pilsen Pilsner Urquell

• After furious citizens had dumped no less than 36
  barrels of undrinkable sludge into the citys
  gutters in 1838, it sparked off a remarkable
  chain of events - a new brewery building, an
  innovative new brewmaster and finally the worlds
  first golden beer.
• On 4 October 1842 in St Martins market, Plzen,
  Josef Groll unveiled his new creation to
  widespread sensation, after all a golden beer had
  never been seen before.
• The original Pilsner
• News of this remarkable Plzen beer spread
  throughout Bohemia. The arrival of the railway
  and the beer's popularity amongst German and
  French tourists soon meant that Plzen's famous
  brew gained international appeal.
• But with success inevitably came competition.
  Josef Groll's original golden beer soon spawned
  many imitators, many of which also claimed to be
  Plzen or Pilsner beer, whether they came from
  Plzen or not. In fact, today Pilsner has become a
  generic term around the world for any
  bottom-fermented golden beer sold as 'pils' or
  'pilsner'.
• In 1898, the brewery acted to protect itself
  against inferior competitors and the beer's name
  was changed to Pilsner Urquell- a German phrase
  meaning literally "from the original source,
  Plzen".
• Some say the name was changed to satisfy consumer
  demand for the original golden beer. But as those
  who know their beer will tell you you can tell
  the original Pilsner by its slightly darker shade
  of gold, and of course by its taste which is a
  world apart.

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Munich Spaten Premium Lager(Helles Style)

• This beer is our speciality. In 1894 Spaten
  became the first brewery in Munich to produce
  this brand of light lager.
• Flavor profile Golden in color with a
  well-balanced hop-flavor. The full rounded body
  is a superb balance between hops and a malty
  sweetness.
• Original gravity 11.7
• Alcohol content 5.2
• NOTE Helles style is not Traditional Munich
  but is Munich beer style that was created
  specifically to compete with Pilsners since
  Munich brewers were unable to create a true
  pilsner with their water!

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Munich Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel

• Up until the Second World War, dark beer was the
  predominant beer type in the Munich area. The
  hard water found in the region played a special
  role in producing this specialty. In his book
  Beer International, the world-renowned English
  beer writer, Michael Jackson, accurately
  describes the Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel as
• A good example of its kind. Impenetrably dark
  with a golden-brown gleam when held up to the
  light, and with a warm aroma and malty taste,
  while summoning up coffee taste sensations on
  going down. It is brewed from five types of malt
  (two of which are torrified dark), and it is only
  lightly hopped. It is produced using the
  traditional double fermentation process.

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Burton (Actually Yorkshire) Black Sheep Ale

• Actually, about 120 miles away The Beer I was
  looking for wasnt at the store
• Full flavoured premium bitter, with a rich fruity
  aroma. It is brewed with many generous handfuls
  of choice Golding hops giving a bittersweet malty
  taste, followed by Black Sheep' characteristic
  long, dry and bitter finish.
• ABV 4.4

N. Yorkshire Brewery Home
Burton
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Famous Brewing Waters
Burton is considered VERY Hard Water Munich is
Medium Hardness, although has low levels of
Sulfate and Chloride Pilsen is EXTREMELY soft
wafer Richmond is fairly soft water, although not
as soft as Pilsen, and carries higher levels of
Sulfate and Chloride.
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Possible Salt Additions

• Gypsum (CaSO4 2H2O)
• Molecular weight 172
• Calcium Chloride (CaCl2 2H2O)
• Molecular weight 146.6
• Epsom Salts (MgSO4 7H2O)
• Molecular weight 246.3
• Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)
• Molecular weight 100

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Richmond Water to make Pilsen Water

• Since Pilsen water is softer than Richmond water,
  best way to make it is to dilute with distilled
  water.
• DO NOT use water softeners ? they add bases to
  soften the water.
• My UNTESTED recommendation (From ProMASH)
• Use 85 Distilled water Richmond Water
  (Filtered through charcoal to remove chlorine)
• ADD 60mg/gal CaCl
• ADD 100mg/gal MgSO4 (Epsom Salts)
• NOTE Ca levels are REALLY low for Pilsen style
  water and will not be as good for mash effciency,
  but are appropriate for the style

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Richmond ? Pilsen Result
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Richmond Water to make Munich Water

• Munich water is medium hardness, but has low
  levels of Sulfate and Chloride.
• We can get up to the Calcium and Magnesium levels
  by adding salts, but we will definitely be too
  high for Sulfate / Chloride.
• My UNTESTED recommendation
• Richmond water filtered through charcoal to
  remove chlorine
• Add 500mg/Gallon CaCO3 (Be careful this will
  RAISE your mash pH!!)
• Add 300mg/Gallon Epsom Salts (MgSO4)

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Richmond ? Munich Result
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Richmond Water to make Burton Water

• Burton water is very hard.
• Richmond water can get pretty close by adding a
  lot of salts.
• My UNTESTED recommendation
• Richmond water filtered through charcoal to
  remove chlorine
• Add 600mg/Gallon CaCO3 (Again, this will raise
  your mash pH).
• Add 2500mg/Gallon Gypsum (CaSO4)
• Add 2200mg/Gallon Epsom Salts (MgSO4)
• Add 400mg/Gallon Calcium Chloride (CaCl)

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Richmond ? Burton Result
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How to use ProMash to calculate Water Dilutions /
Additions

• Enter a new water profile for Richmond

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How to use ProMash to calculate Water Dilutions /
Additions

• Go to Calculators ? Water Profile
• Enter Target water and source water.
• Adjust dilution level
• Adjust salt addition levels for each salt
• Tweak it until you are happy. ?

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How to use ProMash to calculate Water Dilutions /
Additions