Gypsum additions for a hoppy extract brew?

[PlinyTheMiddleAged]

All,

My brew partner and I are going to brew an extract beer - a Pliny the Elder clone. I understand that the maltster has already taken care of pH and such so I don't have to worry about that, but what would you recommend for an addition of gypsum (or calcium chloride)? My plan is to use soft (distilled or RO) water since the tap water in drought stricken Southern California is awful.

Should I add a teaspoon of gypsum for every five gallons of wort in the kettle per the primer? Anything else like calcium chloride to help the yeast flocc?

I'm kind of in the dark here since I obviously have no knowledge of what the maltster cooked into the batch of extract I'll be using.

I understand that sulfate levels are somewhat subjective - I generally shoot for "moderate" levels of sulfates in my hoppy all grain beers - something on the order of 150 to 200 ppm.

Thanks in advance,
PlinyTheMiddleAged

 

[danimalt]

i dont understand how the maltster could have taken care of the pH but yes stick with the primer, you want both gypsum and calcium chloride and dont forget the acid malt. i brew my IPAs this way (using RO) and they come out great for my tastes but may differ from what you are looking for. As AJD reccommends start with the primer and then add gypsum and calcium chloride to the finished beer, taste, and adjust your future batch accordingly. you are better to start with less of both since you cant take away from the finished beer. Did i mention I dont understand how the maltster has taken care of the pH?

 

[PlinyTheMiddleAged]

danimalt,

Thanks for the advice.

I guess I didn't make myself clear - I'm brewing this beer as an extract batch. The mashing has already been done. The maltster has already set a base mineral profile when they made the extract. The pH of the mash that preceded the making of the extract was set. The wort was then turned into the extract.

I'm starting with the boil and not with a mash so mash pH doesn't matter to me; the maltster took care of that already.

Thanks again!

 

[danimalt]

danimalt,

Thanks for the advice.

I guess I didn't make myself clear - I'm brewing this beer as an extract batch. The mashing has already been done. The maltster has already set a base mineral profile when they made the extract. The pH of the mash that preceded the making of the extract was set. The wort was then turned into the extract.

I'm starting with the boil and not with a mash so mash pH doesn't matter to me; the maltster took care of that already.

Thanks again!

Gotcha, I thought you were doing a partial mash.