Basic Water Chemistry: Brewing Salts

[@snail415]

What cracks me up is that this episode was far more useful to me than BTV’s episode with John Palmer (post-MD, JK and CW, of course). Viewers should never take for granted the quality, perspective, practicality and passion that Chip brings to the table.

[@ChopAndBrew]

Yeah, viewers! ;)

[@leesuschrist]

When I got into water chemistry it felt like I started learning to brew all over again, but after 5 or so batches I've really got it tuned in nicely. The best advice I can give is to get a good quality pH meter.

[@TheTrueCelt28]

What do you use?

[@leesuschrist]

@@TheTrueCelt28 I use a beverage doctor, which I would consider moderately priced, but in hindsight I should have spent a little more and gone with a Milwaukee. The beverage doctor is made by an Australian company and the probes are hard to come by in the US. I also worry about them being discontinued.

[@TheTrueCelt28]

Thanks, I'll take a look at the Milwaukee

[@leesuschrist]

@@TheTrueCelt28 no problem!

[@ashagon]

Very good video, you guy's did a good job. I have 3 pH meters, I checked the pH constantly when I started using Bru'nwater, It gave me the confidence in it's use Now I never use my pH meters. They can get to be a pain in the butt to keep them working. Martin's spreadsheet has helped me immensely and keeps me right on track, he keeps updating it so it keeps getting better and better. I don't sweat about my water anymore.

[@jamieweiss9107]

Chip I've been watching your videos for years and am always happy to see the notification for a new one. Thanks!

[@BEERNBBQBYLARRY]

I like. :) Finally getting into chemistry after 19 years of brewing.

[@montdog2978]

Really good video. I learned a lot. Good work.

[@ChopAndBrew]

Thanks. What was the biggest takeaway for you?

[@montdog2978]

@@ChopAndBrew what certain salts do to the taste of the beer. How important it is to have the right characteristics of water to suit a certain beer type. When to add the salts. When to check ph. What software program is a good program, and to understand it first! Was really informative, and not many videos that make it simple for the average brewer. I haven't checked your other videos but I would like to see a brew day with all water salt additions and ph readings. I realise how much of a difference water structure is after this video. As i said great video will check your other ones out!

[@jaskats1]

What was the other resource for water? It was by "Lang" I believe. I could not understand what was stated. Thank you! Great video!!!

[@jaskats1]

I figured it out - AJ deLange. Thanks.

[@MrHayden123982]

Great vid and info! Just a heads up for the epsom salt, it’s MgSO4 so you get magnesium and sulfate from that. No additional Cl

[@dfuller1391]

Pretty sure this is my favorite episode. Perfect timing.

[@jeffmcbride3729]

Great video guys. A couple tips for pH meter usage that I have found helpful; 1. invest in a quality pH meter 2. Routinely calibrate the meter with a buffering solution to ensure accuracy 3. Ensure the testing temperature of the samples remain consistent.

[@viper29ca]

I do BIAB, and use the water profile that Beersmith 3 has, has done me well so far. One thing I do that most BIAB users likely don't do, is I start with the full volume of water (usually 8gallons or so), bring it up to strike temp, and then drain off 4 gallons for splarge (goes into 1 gallon bottles, and tucked into a cooler to keep the water at temp). BS3, of course gives you separate mash water, and splarge water additions for the batch. I have been just adding these amounts together, and putting them in when I am bring the water up to strike temps. Any harm in this? I mean it would be like BIAB with no splarge step. I think for the most part it is because I went from extract, partial mash, to BIAB, and just use the same equipment profile, rather than switching it out for the default BS3 BIAB equipment profile. Should probably take one of the recipes and swap the equipment to the BIAB setting and see if it changes the water additions any.

[@Fostercfxlax]

I do something very similar. I hold back about 1.75 gal of sparge water from my total water (of approx. 8-9 gal) for my 6 gal batches and use one of my large kitchen pots to heat it for a modified batch sparge after i pull out my grain bag. Contact me if you would like more info!

[@viper29ca]

I think it is just a case of being lazy, and not wanting to have to heat up water separately. Heat it all, drain off what you need to splarge and keep hot in a cooler (usually 3-4 1gallon containers in a cooler). Of course instead of calling myself lazy, I should just say I use the KISS method!@@Fostercfxlax

[@ChopAndBrew]

Nice!

[@Pablo-tb5is]

Great point about the number of wells used. My city draws water from 10 wells spread over a 5-mile area. One thing I have noticed is the inconsistency of the pH. Officially it’s 8.4 but, in the dead of winter, I’ve tested it and it’s gotten as high as 9.0. I think I’m just going to go 100% RO or distilled.

[@s0methingcreative]

Awesome video. I haven't played with my water profile before, but I think I'll be trying it soon. Quick question regarding the bit about mash vs sparge additions at 7:10 - how do you know what to do/add differently to your mash vs sparge water? Do you just mean that you have to add salts in the same per-gallon ratio to both, or do you want to have different profiles for mash and sparge?

[@jonvaldivia7526]

What pH meter are you using or which one would you recommend?

[@cleveland180]

Thanks for putting out yet another great video! really liked the sample cups discussion

[@ChopAndBrew]

I think that segment worked out very well, and I think we'll try to do that with other elements in the future. Thanks for the good word!

[@matrixmodulator]

5:20 - Epsom Salt is magnesium and sulfate, MG+SO4 (not chloride)

[@ChopAndBrew]

Duly note this ^^^^

[@ChopAndBrew]

What experience do you have with adjusting your water profile? Any advice or suggested resources for novices?

[@snail415]

ChopAndBrew I have been that guy who bought 16x jugs of RO water before brew day because OCD, and because municipal water report was sketchy. Adding prepackaged Burton Water Salts at a given ratio (for ales) got me par for the course, but Paul’s doing it right (double-eagle fo sho). In my (biased) opinion, this video is spot-on for C&B. Nerding-out on details that improve everyone’s results, experience and skill is never wasted effort. Next up: water profiles with coffee, I hope.

[@gregdykes5918]

Brun water is the best resource and tool! I have horrible water(so cal, super hard) so i buy ro and build up. It really made my beers better. Great video!

[@ChopAndBrew]

Thanks for all the support in your comment. When you say water profiles with coffee... do you mean water profiles for brewing coffee beers... or for brewing coffee?

[@Pablo-tb5is]

I’ve been adjusting water for about 2 years now. My beers were OK, never great. Adjusting the water made all the difference in the world for me. Now, when someone does not like my beer it’s because of the style not the product. I’m still miles away from being great but adjusting my water has gotten me from, “Wow, you made beer, whoopee. To, damn, that’s good.” My suggestion for companies selling beer kits, Justin Martin mentioned it in his comment, I would suggest adding a packet of Burton Water Salts to the kit and instructing the brewer to start with distilled or RO water. The part of the instructions that say, “If your water is good enough to drink, it’s good enough to brew with”, is not wholly correct. My best advice: Test your water (Wards), quality pH meter, phosphoric acid, quality scale, and software to help you dial in your amounts (I use Bru’n water). A steady hand never hurts. I brew 3-gallon batches most of the time and measuring out 0.3 grams of gypsum can be nerve-wracking at times.

[@snail415]

ChopAndBrew COFFFFFFEEEEEEE

[@jafarym77]

Chip, this is so cool, something that I'm about to start doing; water profile adjustment. It will be awesome if you can get other brewers you know to talk about this..

[@robertcheney9659]

More videos like this and product demos pls

[@barleypop4me]

Wonderful informative video! My Ward Labs report should be arriving in a few days. It will be interesting to see how Paul’s Becker water report compares to my Becker Township report. I have much to learn about water chemistry and this is certainly a great way to begin. Thank you guys! PS: I just ordered Imperial L17 and that should be arriving in a couple of days as well.

[@ChopAndBrew]

Awesome to hear on all fronts. Cheers!

[@barleypop4me]

My report: PH 7.8 Solids 934 Sodium 123 Potassium

[@barleypop4me]

@@snackstick Thank you. This was actually my 2nd sample from my son’s home outside of Becker. The 1st test I took from the kitchen sink but was unaware that both hot and cold were soft water. This sample I took from his outside faucet figuring that it would be directly from the well. I’ll have to examine his plumbing and see if it is connected properly. I live on the opposite side of the township by Orrock and the water is so full of iron that it’s yellow. I did have a RO system for about 4 years but the inside of the filter cartridges turned black over that time so I removed it. Maybe it’s time to install another unit and utilize my own water. Thank you again for all of your help.

[@lukaszosojca6812]

good stuff guys thanks

[@austin2842]

I like to use the Brewers Friend online chemistry calculator. It's as advanced as Bru'n and very user friendly. I also find the predictions are closer on my system. Usually within 0.04 to 0.01 pH of actual. Bru'n tends to be 0.25 off for me. Still accurate, mind you, as the amount it varies remains constant from batch to batch.

[@dkpynn]

Wow! Great info here. Does a nice job breaking down this intimidating topic. I've just begun adjusting my water in the last 10 or so brews but still have a ton to learn. Gonna have to try Bru n water. Have either of you used Beersmiths water chemistry tab? Wondering if I am missing anything? Thanks for the video! Sla'inte!

[@ChopAndBrew]

I personally have not, but I can ask Paul to weigh in here. Cheers!

[@ChopAndBrew]

Check out Scott Millican's comment in this comments section about BS3.

[@jafarym77]

Can Paul Fowler do a video walk through of how to use brew 'n water spreadsheet and it's tricks?

[@dkpynn]

@@jafarym77 check out Paul own KZbin channel. He did a video about 2 yrs ago on it. Remember thinking this is good stuff but above my head at that point as I was just getting into water chemistry. Gonna go back and rewatch it after I check out Bru n water. Think it will make more sense to me now. Hope this helps. Sla'inte!

[@ChopAndBrew]

Paul Fowler KZbin: kzbin.info/door/VhPblhunt0IQk_HxDhX-YAvideos

[@Fencer04]

I use the same spoon. Gotta do something with it after the kids grow out of them!

[@ajoyce]

I use bru'n water for every beer. Certainly a game changer.

[@Joshua-rk7bl]

Thanks for the info! Very helpful. Cheers

[@L2.Lagrange]

Solid video my friends, but small correction: 5:15 Epsom Salt is MgSO4; Magnesium sulfate as opposed to Magnesium Chloride

[@ChopAndBrew]

Good looking out. We certainly don't claim to be the professionals or experts - as you know if you know the channel.

[@L2.Lagrange]

@@ChopAndBrew No problem my dudes, its a super easy mistake to make!

[@blakeandress7491]

I brewed the Wheaty Brown a couple days ago...and noticed at mashout that the bag of flaked wheat was sitting next to the ton, unopened. Guess I’ve just got a Wheatish Brown. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@killswitchh]

I'm actually wondering what storage containers those are for your salts?

[@aspjake123]

Awesome video, old brewer from 20 years past. Back then i knew how important water was so i was using RO as a clean slate. Thanks for the concise information. I love the taste test you and your compadre did! So is a water report from my local town (South Puget Sound area) really needed if i intend to use RO for the entire brew?

[@Fostercfxlax]

Great video. I've been using the water profile and adjustment in BeerSmith 3. I feel mostly confident in the mineral adjustments, but from my experience and other people's feedback, the pH values appear to be off. Any other comments regarding this?

[@ChopAndBrew]

I'll see if Paul can add anything here.

[@Theflexibledietingvegan]

So you took the same beer in all the glasses and drank separate samples to taste how each one affected the beer?

[@ChopAndBrew]

It's been a minute since I've gone back to watch this but I believe so. A control group and two samples with slight brew chem additions.

[@kelliandgaryhigginbottom3473]

Thanks for the good info. Keep it up

[@viper29ca]

LOL...the into with the sponsors gives the video a very PBS vibe!

[@ChopAndBrew]

"And viewers... like you!"

[@aaron5222]

I wouldn't mind seeing a paul brew day episode

[@JeremyArnone]

Is it weird that I was actually excited to see you've gotten sponsorship?!

[@ChopAndBrew]

Not at all. I hope you're more proud of the show than anything. Thanks for the support, Jeremy!

[@JeremyArnone]

@@ChopAndBrew Super proud. Excited to see it continue to grow. As always, thanks for all the great content!

[@smith7195]

How do you get all all your salts to dissolve? I’ve resorted to pressure to dissolve the calcium carbonate and If I don’t do it slowly it settles to the bottom. Such a pain. Start dissolving three days in advanced to my brew day.

[@smith7195]

Paul Fowler how come the picking lime and baking soda over the carbonate? I use baking soda in conjunction with CaCO3 when making water for my German beers. Why don’t you use it?

[@smith7195]

Paul Fowler I’ll have read that book. I’ve been into adjusting my water table about as long as I’ve brewed. About three years.

[@emmetleahy]

Great stuff.

[@TheTrueCelt28]

Thanks for the Sweet info and ideas!🍻

[@Calderon_Jesse]

Great info ..thanks . Cool shirts

[@dfuller1391]

😂😂😂

[@matthewbrown5677]

Very good

[@GentleGiantFan]

ChopAndBrew This one has become one of my fav episodes. Any chance you could do more techy based videos like this? I wouldn't mind seeing one also on picking the right grains when putting together a recipe. Some grain choices are better than others, so I'd like to know why. Awesome to see Imperial Yeast as a sponser.

[@ChopAndBrew]

No shortage of techy people to include. What topics (besides the malt one you mentioned) do you think would be helpful?

[@GentleGiantFan]

@@ChopAndBrew For me personally, I'd like to know some tips/technics on improving the shelf life of a beer. I've made a lot of great tasting brews only for them to nosedive after about a month or so. What could a brewer do to improve his beers' shelf life? This is for average abv beers, not ones that would be put back and aged for a year or two. I am pretty OCD when it comes to cleaning/sanitizing so that can be scratched off for me (nothing wrong with a rehash for a future vid though).

[@ChopAndBrew]

@@GentleGiantFan Shelf life as in literally on a shelf (not refrigerated) or as it relates to kegged beer?

[@GentleGiantFan]

@@ChopAndBrew for me kegged, but both would suffice since not all of us keg.

[@ChopAndBrew]

@@GentleGiantFan What do you mean that the beers take a nosedive? Losing hoppiness? Oxidized?

[@chubeye1187]

Pickering lime, is what? Cacl?

[@Jeffrey_OMP]

Calcium hydroxide

[@markbooth7657]

I use my kids spoons when brewing too(serious) hahahaha

[@davidguzman1063]

Do yall prefer Lactic acid or phosphoric acid ? Super noob here

[@snackstick]

I prefer Phosphoric as it doesn't have a flavor threshold like lactic does.

[@davidguzman1063]

@@snackstick any phosphoric acid you recommend? amazon has a LD Carlson phosphoric Acid 10% solution but is 10% good ? would i need a stronger one?

[@snackstick]

@@davidguzman1063 The LD Carlson 10% is what I us. I just buy it at the local homebrew store.

[@davidguzman1063]

@@snackstick thank you 🤙🤙

[@davidguzman1063]

@@snackstick my beer ph is at 6 but i pitched yeast 1 hour ago can i still add phosphoric acid or is it too late?

[@marcabadie7951]

You got a sponsor! Wuh!

[@mattsawdy6579]

Whatever happen 2 Paul's tube channel

[@ChopAndBrew]

His videos are still there, he just stopped making new ones because of the time required. We are hoping to do some more like this one this year here on C&B.

[@Soupy_loopy]

Maybe it's time to start futzing with the water. It doesn't seem to be necessary for my water, but maybe it could give me something else to think about.

[@garydyke1]

Epsom = Magnesium Sulphate

[@lidobeachtowersmanagement9841]

i learned that mash ph is the main thing, everything else is seasoning

[@DrDr-pg5br]

Looks like a piss test... serious great stuff, thank you!

[@max-antonjonsson347]

I don't think you know what RO-water is... don't see any reverse osmosis membranes or conductivity transmitters. ;)