Water adjustment

[Aub]

The short answer is no. The calcium in the grain may be enough to react with the phosphates (also in the grain) to lower pH to an acceptable level. But more calcium is added for the yeast health, it helps with flocculation. That's why you don't see a huge reduction in pH when calcium is added, because there is enough already from the grain to work with the phosphates to exchange ions.

Adding calcium to the mash insures there is enough for good pH and for the overall health of the yeast. The generally accepted amount is between 50-200ppm. I just use the additions from the water and the added salts to come up with the calcium level and ignore the calcium from the grain. If you set towards the low end 50-70ppm, you'll be fine.

Ok, thanks.

 

[GFHomebrew]

well @Aub all i can say is Melbourne water tastes great for pilsners! it is better than sunny coast. no chlorine that i could taste lovely brewing water straight out the tap.

 

[Aub]

well @Aub all i can say is Melbourne water tastes great for pilsners! it is better than sunny coast. no chlorine that i could taste lovely brewing water straight out the tap.

Yeah we're pretty lucky in that respect..........but still can't help myself and have to fiddle with it.

 

[Nosybear]

We're lucky here as well - I can dechlorinate (and by the way, if you're scared of sodium, which I actually end up adding to my beers, potassium metabisulfite works just as well as sodium metabisulfite) and brew just about anything dark gold to brown with no adjustment. I'm a little light on calcium in the water (recommended is 50+ ppm, I have 36) but I can add that just about any way I want, gypsum or calcium chloride. I'm experimenting on adjusting the pH upward for very dark beers and will lilkely settle on sodium hydroxide because I don't generally want to add bicarbonate, although baking soda is great for adjusting a few points downward. I won't use chalk because it doesn't dissolve well and every batch I've added it to I get gushers without infection, indicating I'm forming some condensation nuclei that cause the CO2 to immediately precipitate out when I remove pressure. Water is complicated, no doubt, but once you find what works, go with it.