Brisbane Water for brewing

[Rocker1986]

I have a water still that I use to distill water to build water profiles (also for use with Starsan) but I only use it for brewing pilsners, as I brew them with very soft water. An RO filter may be cheaper/easier/quicker though. I find making mineral salt additions to the tap water is adequate for other styles. The water profile in Brisbane is pretty stable most of the time, the only time it goes mental is when it rains on the dam catchment areas, like it did today. That effect will probably filter through to the water supply in the coming days or weeks, and then it will drop back to normal again if there's no decent rain for a while.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Biggest issue I'm finding with the water is the alkaline and brewing salts fix it to an extent but without citric or lactic acid or some other pure acidifying agent, gypsum, Epsom etc only do so much.

 

[Rocker1986]

I usually chuck in some acid malt to paler styles but I'm toying with the idea of adding some citric acid to it as well, just a few grams or whatever's needed. I have plenty of it here as I use it for cleaning my urn and the water still of boil scale after use.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I usually chuck in some acid malt to paler styles but I'm toying with the idea of adding some citric acid to it as well, just a few grams or whatever's needed. I have plenty of it here as I use it for cleaning my urn and the water still of boil scale after use.

Where do you get it from?

 

[Rocker1986]

I just bought mine off eBay, but I guess home brew shops would stock it as well.

 

[Matplat]

Citric acid is stocked in woolies, but is the most flavor sensitive acid you can get as I understand.

I use hydrochloric from bunnings to combat the alkalinity. A one litre bottle will last a life time.

 

[Matplat]

Oh wait... you were talking about acid malt...

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Oh wait... you were talking about acid malt...

Nah, citric acid. I'll see the hydrochloric but don't anticipate getting it into the house.

 

[Matplat]

Nah, citric acid. I'll see the hydrochloric but don't anticipate getting it into the house.

Maybe not the house, but how about the garage/shed (assuming you have one?) I keep mine on a shelf well out of reach of small children along with the plethora of other shit that would be equally detrimental to their health if they got they're hands on it.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I struggle to get bleach into the garage, let alone Hydrochloric acid.

 

[Coodgee]

you can get lactic acid from craftbrewer, comes in a 500ml plastic bottle. It's not too deadly - better than bleach I should think. I lick it off my fingers from time to time and it's just a really tangy flavour. like eating a green-ant bum (this might be a North queensland kid thing)