Salt Additions - Where To Get

[himzol]

Hi Folks,

I'm going to have a play with some water chemistry this weekend. I'm having trouble getting some of the salts though, namely Gypsum, Calcium Chloride and Calcium Carbonate (chalk).

Does anybody in Adelaide know where I can get this stuff, or conversly who I can order it from so that it arrives by Friday?

Himzo


I may not reply until this evening due to work commitments, need to leave the office

 

[BOG]

Craft Brew should have everything you they are generally very quick to ship.

BOG

 

[kabooby]

You should be able to get these from the hardware

Gypsum = Gypsum
Calcium Chloride = Damprid

You can get Calcium Carbonate from good homebrew stores. Grain and Grape sell it.

kabooby

 

[Weizguy]

MHB also sells these from his shop, FWIW.

A pm or email can confirm price

 

[RobB]

You should be able to get these from the hardware

Gypsum = Gypsum
Calcium Chloride = Damprid

You can get Calcium Carbonate from good homebrew stores. Grain and Grape sell it.

kabooby

I've often wondered about gypsum from the hardware shop. Is this what everyone else generally uses?

My concern was that there might be traces of other chemicals in there, anti-clumping agents for example, which they might not be obliged to list on the packet. After all, it's not like anyone's going to drink the stuff is it?

 

[kabooby]

Thats what I use as well as a few other local brewers. No problems yet

kabooby

 

[himzol]

You should be able to get these from the hardware

Gypsum = Gypsum
Calcium Chloride = Damprid

You can get Calcium Carbonate from good homebrew stores. Grain and Grape sell it.

kabooby

Thanks for that,

H

 

[MHB]

Where ever you buy your water chemicals, make sure they are Food Grade.

There can be some very unpleasant contaminants in industrial chemicals that arent intended for use in food or food processing. Leachable heavy metals would be the first thing to watch for; you know things like Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic.

These metals are Cumulative Poisons, that means you dont notice the harm until later when the amount in you system builds up to dangerous levels.

Frankly the miniscule cost difference between made for the job products and the low grade industrial chemical makes it a no brainer for me.

Buy Food Grade.

MHB

 

[himzol]

Where ever you buy your water chemicals, make sure they are Food Grade.


MHB

This was my dilemma to start with. I don't mind paying the extra for peace of mind so I might make some calls to some of the chemical supply places around Adeliade tomorrow before I do anything.
Though quite frankly I don't think I've ever heard of food grade chalk, so I might get some interesting responces, should be fun.. :lol:

H.

 

[bigfridge]

This was my dilemma to start with. I don't mind paying the extra for peace of mind so I might make some calls to some of the chemical supply places around Adeliade tomorrow before I do anything.
Though quite frankly I don't think I've ever heard of food grade chalk, so I might get some interesting responces, should be fun.. :lol:

H.

Fully agree with MHB.

Just google for australian 'homebrew supplies calcium chloride'

All the local HB shops will be listed.

HTH,
Dave

 

[buttersd70]

Does Wayne (beerbelly.com.au, ahb username domonsura) have the salts? Must admit, I;ve never asked him....give him a bell or a PM. And post the results here, you've got me curious now.

 

[dr K]

Another thread talks about 5 Star 5.2 for mash stabilisation.
I tend to use the old 10cc.

K

 

[Bribie G]

Back to basics, while this thread is live, I know that breweries historically clustered around water supplies that produced superior beers, such as Pilsen, or Tadcaster and Burton in the UK.

Do the minerals, such as gypsum, result in great beers because of the effect of the water in the mash, or during the fermentation? I'm keen to adjust my water for UK bitters and will try to get a water report from my local council but obviously need to do WATER 101 to get a handle on all this.

 

[glennheinzel]

Back to basics, while this thread is live, I know that breweries historically clustered around water supplies that produced superior beers, such as Pilsen, or Tadcaster and Burton in the UK.

Do the minerals, such as gypsum, result in great beers because of the effect of the water in the mash, or during the fermentation? I'm keen to adjust my water for UK bitters and will try to get a water report from my local council but obviously need to do WATER 101 to get a handle on all this.

Do the minerals affect the ideal style of beer? Yes!
http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15-2.html

 

[3G]

I recently bough all my salts from a combination of the following, epsom salt and table salt from coles, all the others from both Gaganis in Hindmarsh and from that beer and wine makind supplies in Regency park opposite Regency tafe.(sorry cant remember which from where)

 

[himzol]

I recently bough all my salts from a combination of the following, epsom salt and table salt from coles, all the others from both Gaganis in Hindmarsh and from that beer and wine makind supplies in Regency park opposite Regency tafe.(sorry cant remember which from where)

Thanks Gregg,

I went to Gaganis and they didn't seem to have anything I didn't already have. I heard that they do stock Calcium Chloride but I couldn't find it. As for the Wine place, it's just around the corner from my office, drove past there and it looked like it had closed down.. I might just pop out and see if that's the case.

H.

 

[himzol]

As for the Wine place, it's just around the corner from my office, drove past there and it looked like it had closed down.. I might just pop out and see if that's the case.

H.

Yep, nothing but an empty showroom.

H.

 

[Bribie G]

Local council are going to charge me $90 for a test. In the long term it might be an investment in good beer but shyte that's a sack of Maris Otter <_< , does anyone know of a way to get it done privately for less, or do any chemists on the forum have an idea about how to test for myself? Are there any kits available?

 

[Maple]

I would have thought your local water provider would have to publish these reports anyway, look to the provider of the water.

 

[RussTaylor]

Does anybody in Adelaide know where I can get this stuff, or conversly who I can order it from so that it arrives by Friday?

Himzo

Ace Chemicals should have it all in stock - http://www.acechem.com.au/ Give them a ring first and make sure you ask for the food grade stuff.

119 A Mooringe Av, Campden Park.