# Water Treatment With Calcium Chloride & Calcium Sulphate



## Hogan (1/1/08)

In my last few AG beers I have used Calcium Sulphate as an addition to the brewing water to enhance the hop taste in my pilsner and Calcium Chloride to bring out the maltiness of my dark beers. 

Are there any brewers who use both the sulphate and chloride additions in a single beer to enhance both the hops and malt?


Cheers, Hoges.


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## Screwtop (1/1/08)

Hogan said:


> In my last few AG beers I have used Calcium Sulphate as an addition to the brewing water to enhance the hop taste in my pilsner and Calcium Chloride to bring out the maltiness of my dark beers.
> 
> Are there any brewers who use both the sulphate and chloride additions in a single beer to enhance both the hops and malt?
> Cheers, Hoges.




Just one or the other here Hoges!


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## dig (1/1/08)

All of my beers get both, though quantities and proportions differ. Some chalk in some beers and a trace of Mg too.


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## Pumpy (1/1/08)

Hoges I just use the Calcium sulphate CaSO4 Gypsum for my ales and Dark beer for adjusting the ph 

But for your Pilsners you would probably do an acid rest @32C to affect the ph 

The water profiles from Pilsen and Burton on Trent are considerably different , 

As you are using soft tank water for your pilsners I dont think you would require either to emulate the Pilsen Profile 

I am not an 'expert' in this area of water treatment 

an EX is a 'Has Been' 

a SPURT is a 'Drip under pressure' .

Oh well I may just qualify :huh: 


Pumpy


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## Jye (1/1/08)

If your water is so out that it needs a lot of calcium to bring the RA back inline then you may want to use both, as using just one may result in too much sulphate/chloride being added and cause off flavours.

Palmer talks about this a bit in his book.


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## newguy (2/1/08)

Pumpy said:


> But for your Pilsners you would probably do an acid rest @32C to affect the ph
> [snip]
> As you are using soft tank water for your pilsners I dont think you would require either to emulate the Pilsen Profile



An acid rest isn't effective at lowering mash pH unless the brewing water is extremely soft. The acid created during the acid rest isn't particularly 1) strong or 2) concentrated. If there is an appreciable quantity of minerals in the water, they will buffer this acid very easily.


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## Millet Man (2/1/08)

I use both CaCl and CaSO4 to get my calcium ions up and to adjust the chloride : sulphate balance.

Cheers, Andrew.


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## Hogan (2/1/08)

Jye said:


> If your water is so out that it needs a lot of calcium to bring the RA back inline then you may want to use both, as using just one may result in too much sulphate/chloride being added and cause off flavours.
> 
> Palmer talks about this a bit in his book.




I'm using tank water that has a starting pH of around 6.0 I add a teaspoon of 5.2 pH powder and this sets my pH level for the mash. 

I am using the sulphate / chloride for improving the results of the mash and boil - not as a means of lowering the pH.


Cheers, Hoges.


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## Batz (2/1/08)

I don't add anything to my rain water for Pilsners,Ales are a different matter.

Batz


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## braufrau (2/1/08)

Pumpy said:


> an EX is a 'Has Been'
> 
> a SPURT is a 'Drip under pressure' .



I thought "EX" was an unknown quantity!


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## therook (2/1/08)

Hogan said:


> I'm using tank water that has a starting pH of around 6.0 I add a teaspoon of 5.2 pH powder and this sets my pH level for the mash.
> 
> I am using the sulphate / chloride for improving the results of the mash and boil - not as a means of lowering the pH.
> Cheers, Hoges.




Hoges, how do you find the 5.2? is it effective? . I'm on tank water and dont worry to much about the pH and find my beers arn't to bad.

Rook


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## beerguide (2/1/08)

After tweaking with Beersmith I've worked out for most of my beers I should be adding Calcium Chloride, but I can't find it anywhere - except in Damp Rid which Im a little wary of adding to a food product.

For my water profile and beers I do not need the Sulphate as well.


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## geoffi (2/1/08)

zoddy said:


> After tweaking with Beersmith I've worked out for most of my beers I should be adding Calcium Chloride, but I can't find it anywhere - except in Damp Rid which Im a little wary of adding to a food product.



Try here:

NNL


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## Hogan (2/1/08)

therook said:


> Hoges, how do you find the 5.2? is it effective? . I'm on tank water and dont worry to much about the pH and find my beers arn't to bad.
> 
> Rook



Rook - I have been using the 5.2 in my tank water for my last three brews and although I am using less than the recommended (one teaspoon as opposed to a heap tablespoon) I found that it was successful in bringing down my pH. Having said that my last golden ale had a pH of 5.6 into the kettle.



> After tweaking with Beersmith I've worked out for most of my beers I should be adding Calcium Chloride, but I can't find it anywhere - except in Damp Rid which Im a little wary of adding to a food product.



Zoddy - I am using the Damp Rid but before doing so I contacted the manufacturer and sought opinions from brewers and a chemist. The consensus is that it is safe to use.


Cheers, Hoges.


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