Intro to reverse osmosis and brewing better beer

Serves 1
https://www.homebrewhappyhour.com/intro-reverse-osmosis-brewing-better-beer/#:~:text=For%20brewers%20who%20are%20looking,water%20with%20the%20calcium%20chloride.

Directions

  1. 1Consider purchasing your own reverse osmosis machine if your tap water is full of chlorine, alkaline, has an odor, or you don’t know what is in it.
  2. 2Understand that reverse osmosis removes dissolved solids and sediment from water, resulting in water very low in minerals and alkalinity.
  3. 3For most beer styles, add brewing salts to RO water to enhance flavor.
  4. 4For an "easy button" with RO water, use 4 grams of calcium chloride for each 5 gallons of brewing water; for hoppy beers, add 7 grams of gypsum to your brewing water with the calcium chloride.
  5. 5Acquire gypsum, calcium chloride, and baking soda as adequate starting additions for RO water.
  6. 6Familiarize yourself with common brewing salts and their contributions: Gypsum (calcium, sulfate), Calcium chloride (calcium, chloride), Epsom salt (magnesium, sulfate), Table salt (sodium, chloride), Chalk (calcium carbonate, generally avoided), Baking soda (raises mash pH in rare cases).
  7. 7Understand the role of various ions in brewing: Calcium helps with pH, protein precipitation, yeast flocculation, and preventing beerstone; Magnesium provides hardness and can add sour/bitter flavors in excess; Sulfate accentuates hop bitterness and dryness; Chloride accentuates fullness and malt sweetness; Sodium rounds out malt flavors but can make beer salty in high concentrations; Bicarbonate raises mash pH and should be kept low for pale beers.
  8. 8Utilize brewing spreadsheets or books to determine ideal concentrations of ions for your specific beer style.
  9. 9Start with lower ends of recommended ranges for water additions, as too much can make beer harsh.
  10. 10Use a scale that weighs to grams and/or tenths of a gram for accurate measurement of brewing salts.
  11. 11Experiment with small additions (e.g., a dash of table salt, a pinch of gypsum) to a glass of your beer to understand their effects on flavor.

Ingredients

  • 4 grams calcium chloride
  • 5 gallons brewing water
  • 7 grams gypsum
  • calcium chloride
  • baking soda
  • Epsom salt
  • Gypsum (CaSO4 or calcium sulfate)
  • Calcium chloride (Pickle crisp or CaCl2)
  • Epsom salt (MgSO4 or magnesium sulfate)
  • Table salt (NaCl2 or sodium chloride)
  • Chalk (CaC03 or calcium carbonate)
  • Baking soda (NaHCO3)
  • table salt
  • gypsum
  • calcium chloride

Equipment

reverse osmosis machinescale that weighs to grams and/or tenths of a gram

Tips

  • For an "easy button" with RO water, use 4 grams of calcium chloride for each 5 gallons of brewing water. For hoppy beers, add 7 grams of gypsum to your brewing water with the calcium chloride.
  • If you are just starting out with RO water and water additions, having gypsum, calcium chloride and baking soda on hand is adequate.
  • Adding too much of a brewing salt can make a beer harsh and unappealing; "less is more" applies with water additions.
  • A small inexpensive scale is a good tool to have for measuring brewing salts.
  • For a basic "all purpose" water profile, aim for: Calcium: 75 ppm, Magnesium: 0-10 ppm (under 25 ppm), Sodium: 0-50 ppm, Sulfate: 50-70 ppm, Chloride: 50-70 ppm.