Musings on water

[FedoraDave]

Those who have known me for a while know I'm more or less an intuitive brewer. I recognize the chemistry and numbers involved, sure. But my brain doesn't process it, so aside from making sure my water/grain ratios are good, and my temperatures are proper, I don't go in for the science and math portion of brewing. And I especially don't go in for the chemistry. I figure that stuff will pretty much take care of itself.

But I've been thinking lately....

I don't know the chemical composition of my tap water. I've just followed the rule of thumb that if it's good enough to drink, it's good enough to brew. And that's that.

At the same time, I've always been a little envious of brewers who get that lovely clarity in their beers. Even though I brew great tasting AG beers, I've always been a little disappointed in the appearance. Just slightly cloudy. Except for my Pearly Pils. That turned out amazingly clear. A really beautiful-looking pilsner. The primary difference (aside from being a lager, as opposed to almost all my other original recipes) is that, in order to simulate the softer water profile of a pilsner, I used 2 parts distilled water to 1 part tap water. My tap water is somewhat hard, if the mineral deposits in my shower are any indication.

There may be other reasons, too. I may not vorlauf as thoroughly as I should; I'm working on that. I don't cold crash my beers. Maybe it's chill haze, which I don't understand, so I can't do something different to eliminate it. My beers look very clear when I'm racking to the priming bucket, so maybe there's something else I'm missing.

But I was thinking of doing something, like using 1 part distilled water to 2 parts tap water in the future, just to cut down on the mineral content. I'm not going to get my water analyzed and start adding gypsum and stuff, so don't even suggest it. But I'm just wondering if slightly softer water would result in better clarity. Although, frankly, if I have to work too hard at this, I'm not going to do it. My beer tastes good, which is all I really care about, in spite of how nice it would be to have a crystal clear pour more often than not.

As a footnote, most of my extract recipes turn out pretty clear, so maybe it's my AG process.

[RickBeer]

For those with public water, the composition is often available on the provider's website or by calling them.

[Beer-lord]

I had a nice, long chat with my water board some time back and found out there were 3 brewers working. Whikr I turned down their offer to test my water at my house, they told me it was fine for brewing.
But with the amoeba scare last year, I do notice a chlorine smell in the water and I continue to let mine sit out overnight as well as use camp den tablets. So far, so good.

[russki]

I use a cheap RO filter, and fill several 5-gallon jugs in advance of a brew day; I add 1/2 Camden tab to each jug just to make sure all chloramine is removed. Depending on the beer I'm brewing, I do my mineral additions as follows:
- Malt-forward beers: 1 tsp of Calcium Chloride per 5 gal of water
- Balanced beers: 0.5 tsp of Calcium Chloride and 0.5 tsp gypsum per 5 gal
- Hoppy beers: 1-2 tsp of gypsum per 5 gal

Been working great, and the filter has paid for itself in a few months - it was only $60 or so. I'm not going back to tap water.

[Inkleg]

Haven't really looked into water chemistry yet. I have a particle/carbon filter on the cold water tap at the kitchen sink and got my brew water from it. Then I ran across an open box filter on clearance at HD (was missing the wrench) for 7$. Picked up a RV water hose and made this.

P1020005.JPG (94.65 KiB) Viewed 1527 times

It's been working great.

[haerbob3]

Dave, how long did you lager the Pearly Pils? It does sound a bit like chill-haze which will fall out of suspension. My last Cream Ale had it. It went into the keg frig in August just before my back went nuts. I did not drink for a couple of months. When I did start again in November it was crystal clear!! Something I have just started to do is use isinglass when I keg.

[Banjo-guy]

I've been filtering all my water through a Brita filtering 2 gallon jug. It removes the chlorine ( or that's what I'm lead to believe )
I've just downloaded my town's water report. It was very easy to find. After I perfect my basic process I'll think about water additions.
Beersmith makes it easy come up with these additions.

[MadBrewer]

Dave, it's hard to adjust or experiment with your water when you do not know the starting point. I understand you may not be into all the numbers behind it, but if you want to improve something it's best to know what you are working with. I won't suggest it, the choice is yours but to send out your water to be tested at Ward Labs, was all of like $18 and I received a lot of answers. But, where do you live? What is your brewing water, is it city water, is it well water? Filtered?

Most brewing water IS good for brewing, but there's limitations to what your water may be best for. Simply put, hardness is good and not a problem, alkalinity is. High alkalinity water is best suited for darker beers, it will produce nice Stouts and Porters. While light lagers, blonde ales...etc benefit from low alkaline water. Pale Ales, Amber Ales are best with middle of the road water. Sulfates enhance the hoppiness of beers and chloride enhances the malt flavors. Where your water stands is hard to know, but what kind of beers seem to come out the best? That may be an indicator. With my water as is, my Pale Ales, Ambers and English Pale Ales come out best. I need to treat my water to brew better dark beers, and I need to dilute my water for lighter beers.

If your only concern is clarity the only association to water and finished beer clarity is Calcium content. Sufficient calcium content in the kettle will produce nice hot break, it will make for better cold break while chilling and it will enhance finished beer clarity. So where your calcium stands, who knows. But if you dilute your brewing water with distilled, you are cutting the mineral content which will also cut your calcium, and could make the matter worse. As far as clarity, do you perform a starch test and the end of your mash to guarantee full conversion? Unconverted starches will lead to permanent chill haze. Also, do you chill with a chiller? Good cold break helps finished beer clarity as well.

For the most part, water chemistry is a flavor factor in your beer. And proper water and mineral content for certain beers helps get that ph in range where is should be. That is the bigger aspect, ph drives a lot of factors in your beer from the mash, to fermentation to the finished beer. Do you check ph? In regards to your Pilsner being a clear beer, like mentioned before how long was that conditioned or lagered, that simply could be the reason behind that. I'm not saying it's not worth experimenting. If your beers are better for making that simple change, that's awesome. But just as your water as might not be best for all beers you brew, diluting water for every style or batch you make might not be the way to go either.

Hope any of this helps, sorry for the long winded techy response.

[mtsoxfan]

very informative. Worth reading, Thanks for the input...

[Brewbirds]

Dave, how long did you lager the Pearly Pils? It does sound a bit like chill-haze which will fall out of suspension. My last Cream Ale had it. It went into the keg frig in August just before my back went nuts. I did not drink for a couple of months. When I did start again in November it was crystal clear!! Something I have just started to do is use isinglass when I keg.

That's the same here I found that if the beers stay in the cooler for a week or longer they are pouring very clear with the cooler around 55F and I throw the wort into the fermenter cold break and all.

Awesome write up on the water info MadBrewer.

[oly]

I'm kind of with MadBrewer on this one Dave. I really don't think your water chemistry has anything to do with clarity. What will make a difference is a long VIGOROUS boil, and quick chilling. A less than active boil will not get all those proteins to break out of solution. Basically I shoot for enough heat to just barely avoid a boil over. It takes a few minutes to determine what is too much and what is not enough (after your initial hot break of course), but the protein break continues throughout the entire boil. It just doesn't happen suddenly enough to cause the boilover associated with the initial hot break. I haven't been checking in with the forum enough to remember your standard process, but I like to boil for at least 75 minutes, even when doing a hop boil of only 20 minutes. It makes a difference.

[Ibasterd]

I use bottled spring water because i'm nervous about chlorine or other stuff that's in tap water. I have been happy with the clarity of my beer.

[FedoraDave]

Interesting discussion, and I'm getting a lot to think about.

I don't achieve a quick boil, because I'm doing it stove-top. In fact, I usually have more than enough time to dump my grains and clean up my mash tun before I begin the process of watching and waiting for the hot break. Most of the time, my hot breaks don't threaten to boil over, either.

My cooling process is better, though. I use an immersion chiller, stirring the wort in the opposite direction to the flow of water through the chiller. Once it reaches 120* F or lower, I also put it in an ice bath, continuing the stirring. I can usually get a 5-gallon batch down below 70F in under 20 minutes.

It may be that I'm not cold conditioning them long enough. But that's a matter of space and consumption rate more than anything. Thanks to all who contributed. I may tinker with it a bit here and there, but I'm not overly concerned with it. The beer is still good, and that's the important thing.

[Brewbirds]

I haven't been checking in with the forum enough

You sure haven't and are sorely missed. Hope all is well.

[MadBrewer]

Dave Im just curious, but what area are you in? What is your water source you are using? Sounds like you are fine with your boil and cooling method, last thing to ask is do you do a iodine starch test at the end of the mash? Sometimes going longer 75 min mash won't hurt. Again, unconverted starches WILL create chill haze in your finished beer.