Water Taste Test Try each of the different waters, try to detect differences, take notes, and then discuss.

Water that was tasted A: RO (Reverse Osmosis B: Knoxville Unfiltered C: Knoxville Filtered D: Spring

Hard vs. Soft Water Hard Water contains a high concentration of dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Soft Water does not.

Why is hard water called hard?

Which is the preferred drinking water?

Which is the preferred brewing water?

Which is the preferred brewing water Which is the preferred brewing water? Chlorine/Chloramine free water Chlorinated water in brewing can lead to off flavors called: Chlorophenols

What is Chlorine and Chloramine and why are they in our water What is Chlorine and Chloramine and why are they in our water? Most municipal water is treated with chlorine or chloramine to kill bugs. This helps to guarantee that the stuff that comes out of your tap won't kill you. The problem for brewers is twofold: deadly organisms can't survive in beer anyway, and chlorine can do bad things to the flavor of your beer. Chlorine isn't so bad. Chlorine is volatile, and will leave your water pretty easily. You can either boil your water to remove it, or you can just let it sit out overnight. Furthermore, you can taste the chlorine in your water; no nasty surprises. Chloramine is stealthier. You can't taste it or smell it. You won't know it's there unless you read your city's water report. You can only see if it you fill a large, white container with a very large volume of water, and even then it is a very faint blue-green color that you might not even notice. Even worse, chloramine doesn't dissipate as easily. In fact, that's why cities are using it now: it is more likely to stay in your water, so they can use less and be sure that it keeps killing things all the way to your house. However, this means that it won't come out of your brewing water as easily as chlorine would.

Solutions Overnight dissipation Pros: Free and simple Cons: Slow and impractical at times Campden Tablets (1 tablet per 20 gallons) Pros: Cheap and simple Cons: Not always 100% effective Carbon filter Pros: extremely effective Cons: requires mantainence, somewhat costly setup Reverse osmosis Pros: most effective way of all Cons: Extremely costly setup, requires mantaince, strips minerals, wasteful

Which is the preferred brewing water once chlorine has been removed Which is the preferred brewing water once chlorine has been removed? Depends on the style Generally aggressive styles (IPA, Stout) require a harder water and more subtle styles (light lager, blonde ale) require a softer water.

Would there be a greater variety amongst hard waters or soft waters?

The answer is: Hard water Soft waters generally have a low concentration of all minerals, that's what makes them soft. Hard waters have a higher concentration of minerals but the ratios and amounts of each mineral can vary wildly. Although an IPA and a stout both prefer hard water, the type of hard water they require is quite different.

Water Reports

Where to find water reports Ward Labs ($40 one week turnaround) Local homebrew clubs

Why it matters

Effects of minerals in brewing http://www. beer-brewing Effects of minerals in brewing http://www.beer-brewing.com (Minerals in Brewing water) Sulfates positively affect protein and starch degradation, which favors mash filtration and trub sedimentation. However, its use may result in poor hop utilization (bitterness will not easily be extracted) if the levels are too high. It can lend a dry, crisp palate to the finished beer; but if used in excess, the finished beer will have a harsh, salty, and laxative character. Chlorides give body, palate fullness, and soft-sweet flavor to beer. The certain roundness on the palate given by sodium chloride (common table salt) makes this salt eminently suited for all types of sweet beers – for both dark beers and stouts.

Water profiles for styles Style Ca Mg Na Cl SO4 HCO3. 75. 5. 10. 50

Brulosophy http://brulosophy

Classic Brewing City Water Profiles http://howtobrew.com/book/section-3/understanding-the-mash-ph/balancing-the-malts-and-minerals

Beware of trying to copy classic brewing water profiles A Pale ale need not be brewed with Burton water, a Vienna Lager need not be brewed with Vienna water, and so on. There are likely elements of the water that lead brewers in these regions to brew the beers they did, but now that we can manipulate our profiles we need not adhere exactly to these classic profiles.

Personal Experience One of the biggest improvements I've noticed IPA Dark beers

Mineral additions to match water profiles EZ water calculator

Importance of pH in brewing The most important goal of any mash is to breakdown long starch molecules into simpler sugars to aid in fermentation. Enzymes are what makes this process happen and they work best at certain temperatures and pH levels. In order to have an efficient mash the pH must be in the correct range. To that end, we must anticipate and monitor pH.

What is pH pH is a measure of the hydorgen ion concentration of a solution. Solutions with a high concentration of hydrogen ions have a low pH and solutions with a low concentrations of H+ ions have a high pH. A difference of one pH unit (for example, from pH 2 to pH 3) is a ten fold (10X) difference in H+ ion concentration.

What is ideal mash pH. Generally accepted wisdom is: Mash Temp is 5 What is ideal mash pH? Generally accepted wisdom is: Mash Temp is 5.1 – 5.3 Room Temp is 5.4 – 5.6 *There is a difference in what pH your reading will give of about .3 between mash temp (150F) and room temp (70F)

How is pH adjusted? Acidulated Malt Phosphoric Acid Lactic Acid Now lets adjust a pH with this information

Matching water profile and pH to a recipe Objective: To have the class work together to adjust minerals and pH for a given recipe.

How to measure pH? Calculators such as EZ water calculator are effective predictors but are not perfect. You need to actually measure the pH to confirm the prediction and make adjustments if necessary. pH test Strips: Cheap and easy to use but only an approximation at best. pH meters: Require significant maintenance and can be expense but are extremely accurate when calibrated properly.

pH meter demonstration The green instrument on the left is known as the Electrode Probe, The other is known as the Temperature Probe.

pH meter demonstration Let's Use it!

Why is it Important to be accurate Why is it Important to be accurate? According to some mashing on the low end of the range can have many benefits. - The enzymatic activity in the mash is increased as all important enzymes get activated. (except for alpha amylase which starts to suffer at a pH below 5.6) - More zinc, an essential yeast nutrient, goes into solution - The extract yield (efficiency) is improved - The protein coagulation and precipitation is improved (improved break formation) - The redox potential is improved which results in a lower susceptibility to oxygen. - The run-off speed is improved - The color increase during the wort boil is reduced - Better trub precipitation and faster pH drop lead to faster fermentation and greater attenuation of the beer. Lover viscosity improves filterability

Why is it Important to be accurate Why is it Important to be accurate?. - The taste of the beer is more rounded, fuller and softer. The beer is crisper, more fresh and shows more character. - The hop bitterness is more pleasant and doesn't linger - The foam is more stable and denser - The color of the beer is lighter - Mash oxidation is reduced since the main culprit, the lipoxigenase enzyme, doesn't work well at low mash pH - Haze stability is improved - Beer digestion is stimulated. This is a positive effect of the lactic acid - Susceptibility to microbial spoilage is reduced through: Lower beer pH and Higher attenuation http://www.braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=How_pH_affects_brewing

What about for dark beers What about for dark beers? According to Martin Brungard, designer of Bruin' water, “The bottom line is that most dark beers 'taste' better when their pH is slightly higher than typical for pale beers. The roast flavors are softer and rounder instead of sharp and acrid. You are free to mash where you prefer, but experience by thousands of brewers suggest that you'll like the result better at a slightly higher pH.”

The prevailing wisdom. Stay within the magic window but The prevailing wisdom? Stay within the magic window but... For a dry, crisp beer shoot for the low end For a sweet, rich beer shoot for the high end Does this remind you of anything else we've covered?

Is Ph or mineral additions more important Is Ph or mineral additions more important? IMO, Ph is not that important, except when it is, and by that I mean it is extremely important and not important at the same time. Mineral additions will always have an effect on the finished beer. http://brulosophy.com/2017/07/24/water-chemistry-pt-9-evaluating-the-impact-of-high-mash-ph-exbeeriment-results/

What about those other minerals What about those other minerals? Calcium The calcium ion is by far the most influential mineral in the brewing process. Calcium reacts with phosphates, forming precipitates that involve the release of hydrogen ions and in turn lowering the pH of the mash. This lowering of the pH is critical in that it provides an environment for alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, and proteolytic enzymes. *many brewers claim that ppm of calcium should be at a minimum of 50.

What about those other minerals What about those other minerals? Magnesium Magnesium ions react similarly to calcium ions, but since magnesium salts are much more soluble, the effect on wort pH is not as great. Magnesium is most important for its benefit to yeast metabolism during fermentation. Magnesium carbonate reportedly gives a more astringent bitterness than does calcium carbonate. *many brewers claim that ppm of magnesium should be at a minimum of 10 for proper yeast health.

What about those other minerals What about those other minerals? Sodium Sodium has no chemical effect; it contributes to the perceived flavor of beer by enhancing its sweetness. Levels from 75 to 150 ppm give a round smoothness and accentuate sweetness, which is most pleasant when paired with chloride ions than when associated with sulfate ions. In the presence of sulfate, sodium creates an unpleasant harshness, so the rule of thumb is that the more sulfate in the water, the less sodium there should be (and vice versa)..

What about those other minerals What about those other minerals? Carbonates The presence of carbonate ions and their effect in raising pH can result in less fermentable worts (a higher dextrin/maltose ratio), unacceptable wort color values, difficulties in wort filtration, and less efficient separation of protein and protein-tannin elements during the hot and cold breaks. http://www.beer-brewing.com/beer_brewing/beer_brewing_water/minerals_brewing_water.htm

Residual Alkalinity (RA) What's the problem and why do we care about RA? Water Ph is normally around 7 and can quite often be higher. We usually want to mash right around 5.5 and sometimes lower. Our grain is acidic and will lower the Ph of the mash on its own, but it might not take it far enough.

Residual Alkalinity (RA) (RA) is a measure that helps us determine how resistant our water pH is to change. If you have a very high residual alkalinity, then it will take quite a bit of acid, either in the form of malts or additives to get our pH in the desired range. Low RA indicates the pH value is relatively easy to change and in many cases the grain additions alone may be enough to get to our desired mash pH. RA is determined by your base brewing water’s profile. In particular the Calcium, Magnesium and Bicarbonate ions play the dominant role. You can also use the Alkalinity (ppm as CaCO3) measure in place of the bicarbonate if you don’t have the bicarbonate value. These ion measurements can be found on your local water report or can be measured using a home water test kit or by sending a sample of your water to a lab. http://beersmith.com/blog/2016/02/23/residual-alkalinity-and-ph-for-all-grain-beer-brewing/

Residual Alkalinity (RA) What's the take away Residual Alkalinity (RA) What's the take away? RA is a measure of how resistant your water is to change in pH. Water with a pH of 7.7 but a low RA might come in at a lower mash pH than a water with 7.2 pH but a very high RA, etc.

Residual Alkalinity (RA) equation Note – all of the equations are in parts per million (ppm) – first we can determine the effective hardness: Effective_hardness (EH) = Ca_ppm/1.4 + Mg_ppm/1.7 If working from the Alkalinity_as_CaCO3 (ppm) we can calculate the Residual_alkalinity (as CaCO3 in ppm): RA= Alkalinity as CaCO3 – EH Alternately if your water profile includes the Bicarbonate (ppm) instead you can use: RA= (50 * Bicarbonate)/61 – EH

Determining RA Note – all of the equations are in parts per million (ppm) – first we can determine the effective hardness: Effective_hardness (EH) = Ca_ppm/1.4 + Mg_ppm/1.7 If working from the Alkalinity_as_CaCO3 (ppm) we can calculate the Residual_alkalinity (as CaCO3 in ppm): RA= Alkalinity as CaCO3 – EH Alternately if your water profile includes the Bicarbonate (ppm) instead you can use: RA= (50 * Bicarbonate)/61 – EH What is the RA of this water profile? Ca Mg Na Cl SO4 HCO3 29 6 16 21 7 80

Determining RA Note – all of the equations are in parts per million (ppm) – first we can determine the effective hardness: Effective_hardness (EH) = Ca_ppm/1.4 + Mg_ppm/1.7 If working from the Alkalinity_as_CaCO3 (ppm) we can calculate the Residual_alkalinity (as CaCO3 in ppm): RA= Alkalinity as CaCO3 – EH Alternately if your water profile includes the Bicarbonate (ppm) instead you can use: RA= (50 * Bicarbonate)/61 – EH What is the RA of this water profile? Ca Mg Na Cl SO4 CaCO3 98 15 24 28 45 216

Determining RA (EH) = Ca_ppm/1. 4 + Mg_ppm/1 Determining RA (EH) = Ca_ppm/1.4 + Mg_ppm/1.7 RA= Alkalinity as CaCO3 – EH Alternately if your water profile includes the Bicarbonate (ppm) instead you can use: RA= (50 * Bicarbonate)/61 – EH Pick two classic water profiles and calculate the RA.

What about pH after the mash What about pH after the mash? There are 3 main points after the mash in which the Ph will change: 1. During Sparge (rinsing of residual sugar from grist) pH will increase. 2. During Boil: pH will drop. 3. During Fermentation: pH will drop even further.

Why would sparging raise pH? .

Boiling and pH The commonly accepted wisdom is the maillard reactions occur less often at a lower pH and therefore once boil is reached lighter beers should be at a lower pH. The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavor.

Boiling and pH Wort boiled for 15 min at pH 5.5 (left) and pH 6.5 (right). The increased color of the higher pH wort is remarkable. It is a result of stronger Maillard reactions at higher pH. http://www.braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=How_pH_affects_brewing

pH during fermentation The pH of beer typically drops during fermentation and even starting from different mash ph, two beers that are otherwise similar will quite often finish at a very similar pH

pH during fermentation

pH during fermentation The pH of fermenting beer drops very rapidly once fermentation begins, usually getting close to its final value after 24 h. In general, ales have a slightly lower pH than lagers; typical values for ale are 4.0–4.5, for lager 4.4–4.7. Each yeast strain, however, has its own characteristics. If you usually work with only a few strains of yeast, you may want to check the pH of your fermented beers to get an idea of what your yeast is giving you. If the pH goes up or down over successive batches, it may be a symptom of contamination and a signal to go to a fresh yeast culture. This can be especially valuable because you may not notice a gradual change in your beer, especially if it is slow and not terribly obnoxious in character.

Let's take another Ph Taking Ph is something you will be doing nearly everyday in a profession brewery or distillery. Let's get some more practice.

How does all of this apply to my brewing/distilling? Discussion

Challenge Best of luck and I'll see you Monday!