Epsom Salts/Magnesium Sulphate from Woolies

[Bribie G]

I've got BF but haven't gone that far into it.
Thanks for heads up, brewing today.

 

[rude]

What about Brun Water calc

 

[mabrungard]

Brings up an interesting question. What is the upper limit for Ca. I have seen 400ppm mentioned but that has been the amount you can get by the time you have added as much SO4 and Cl as you can - not the amount of Ca.
Really just a curiosity question, haven't seen much written on the effect of high Ca.

I researched the effect of calcium and magnesium on yeast a couple of years ago after having a Boh Pils lager fermentation do some really strange things. It turns out that there is plenty of existing research and journal articles on the effects of calcium and magnesium on yeast. Its just that we brewers have ignored that research and substituted that with the mantra that we need at least 50 ppm Ca for yeast health and performance. That research was published in the Brewers Association The New Brewer magazine and in Zymurgy.

In the case of lager yeasts, it turns out that they can be sensitive to high Ca content. Ca actually displaces Mg from yeast and the yeast actually needs the Mg more than it needs Ca. So that can be a bad thing. The good news is that most ale yeast appear to be adapted to higher Ca in our brewing water. Lager yeast appears to be less tolerant.

With respect to the minimum Ca content, zero Ca in the water is OK since the malt supplies all the Ca the yeast need for their health. The need for 50 ppm is a real thing for ale yeast since that minimum content does help promote good flocculation and beer clearing. Burton beers were known for their clarity...probably because their water had 100+ ppm Ca in it. Regarding the maximum Ca, I have no idea! However, we should recognize that bad effect of Ca and its tendency to displace Mg, so don't get carried away for no reason. In my opinion, don't add any more Ca than necessary to provide the level of SO4 and Cl that you want in your beer.

 

[MHB]

Cheers, the old all good things in moderation...
I generally park my Ca at around 150ppm, my local water is pretty soft, 23ppm Ca and 6ppm of Mg, most of those two as Sulphate (Zn at .005ppm, that I do fix)
I have read lots on the benefits of Ca, as well as the ones you mentioned, 3-4 X Oxalate to prevent gushing, thermal protection of Amylase...
Will have to look a bit harder at the effects of Mg, its not like there is too much in my water.
Thanks again Mark

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Well

In the case of lager yeasts, it turns out that they can be sensitive to high Ca content.

makes sense considering Lagers where originally made from fairly soft water

 

[dr K]

Bit off the op but in line with the current.
Salts (OK their ions) have three major, at least, impacts on the process and final beer, these impacts must not be looked at as singular effects.
pH (increase, decrease, buffering)
yeast health
hop perception (bitterness)
Moderation (as mhb points out) is a good start.

K