Hogan
Stalag Brewery
- Joined
- 3/8/05
- Messages
- 772
- Reaction score
- 2
I have been reading a lot of posts on adding salts to tank water to improve pH and conversion. The pH side of things does not worry me now that I am going to start using 5.2 pH stabiliser. The recommendation from their blurb is that, in addition to the stabiliser, salts should also be added.
There seems to be differing opinions in some posts on what Calcium Sulphate (gypsum) and Calcium Chloride (damprid) will do to improve the mash conversion process and subsequent boil for light and dark beers.
Most opinion is that Calcium sulphate (gypsum): "enhances hop bitterness and dryness." Both these improvements seem to be well suited to a Pilsner but only one of them (enhances hop bitterness) would seem appropriate for, say, an ESB where you are moving into the alpha amylase conversion zone.
Further that Calcium chloride (damprid): "provides fuller texture, maltiness and enhances sweetness." This does not seem to be of help to those who want a dry pilsner.
Other opinion is that Calcium sulphate should be added for ales and Calcium chloride should be added for lagers. This seems to be a complete reverse of the above opinion.
What do you do? Do you only use Gypsum in light beers and Cal. Chloride in dark beers or do you add both?
Cheers, Hoges.
There seems to be differing opinions in some posts on what Calcium Sulphate (gypsum) and Calcium Chloride (damprid) will do to improve the mash conversion process and subsequent boil for light and dark beers.
Most opinion is that Calcium sulphate (gypsum): "enhances hop bitterness and dryness." Both these improvements seem to be well suited to a Pilsner but only one of them (enhances hop bitterness) would seem appropriate for, say, an ESB where you are moving into the alpha amylase conversion zone.
Further that Calcium chloride (damprid): "provides fuller texture, maltiness and enhances sweetness." This does not seem to be of help to those who want a dry pilsner.
Other opinion is that Calcium sulphate should be added for ales and Calcium chloride should be added for lagers. This seems to be a complete reverse of the above opinion.
What do you do? Do you only use Gypsum in light beers and Cal. Chloride in dark beers or do you add both?
Cheers, Hoges.