Increasing Calcium
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You will raise the pH with the lime, then add lactic acid to get to the proper pH? How much of each are you thinking, as there could be a flavor impact.
Why not use calcium chloride to increase your calcium?
If you are trying to increase calcium, you could use lime and neutralize it with an acid. The water will end up with calcium and lactate ions. You can do the same thing with chalk and acid. Since you are using a stronger acid, it WILL dissolve the chalk. I have brewed Bavarian styles by including some homemade calcium lactate that I created by dissolving 1.66 mL of 88% lactic acid with each gram of dry chalk. This process creates calcium lactate. Adding that mixture to 2 gallons (7.6L) of water will contribute about 150 mg/L lactate and 50 ppm Ca to the water. Ratio that amount as needed to fit your water volume.
Unless your tap water sulfate levels are already high, don't worry too much about having too much sulfate. At a level of less than 100 ppm sulfate in a hoppy beer, there shouldn't be any detriment. If trying to produce a malty style, then you do probably want to keep the sulfate less than 50 ppm.
By the way, unless your yeast are not flocculating fast enough for you, there is no need to add calcium to brewing water. Somewhere in the vicinity of 20 to 40 ppm Ca could be OK for many beers.
Unless your tap water sulfate levels are already high, don't worry too much about having too much sulfate. At a level of less than 100 ppm sulfate in a hoppy beer, there shouldn't be any detriment. If trying to produce a malty style, then you do probably want to keep the sulfate less than 50 ppm.
By the way, unless your yeast are not flocculating fast enough for you, there is no need to add calcium to brewing water. Somewhere in the vicinity of 20 to 40 ppm Ca could be OK for many beers.
Thanks for the quick replies.
I have several reasons why I want to keep my sulfate levels on the lower end and my calcium up a bit. I want to brew a well balanced American Amber Ale and keep the really dry bitterness to a minimum. I'm looking at a chloride to sulfate ratio of approx 1.20 (higher end of the balanced range). Also, in a few discussions I have had with breweries and articles that I have read they tend to say that harder water with calcium in the 150 ppm range is a good start for amber ales.
Here is what I am working with. My water is as follows:
Ca: 22.5
Mg: 6.1
Na: 32.5
Cl: 20
SO4: 48
CaCo3: 71
With the following additions to my mash water (3.57 gal):
Calcium Chloride - 2g
Epsom Salt - 1g
Slaked Lime: 2g
Lactic Acid: 3ml (added to mash)
With these additions I should hit a mash PH of approx 5.4 (Actual ph will likely be 5.3 as I'm usually a tenth lower than EZWater Estimates) with the following water profile:
Ca: 143
Mg: 13
Na: 33
Cl: 91
SO4: 77
I'm all ears to recommendations. Thanks.
I have several reasons why I want to keep my sulfate levels on the lower end and my calcium up a bit. I want to brew a well balanced American Amber Ale and keep the really dry bitterness to a minimum. I'm looking at a chloride to sulfate ratio of approx 1.20 (higher end of the balanced range). Also, in a few discussions I have had with breweries and articles that I have read they tend to say that harder water with calcium in the 150 ppm range is a good start for amber ales.
Here is what I am working with. My water is as follows:
Ca: 22.5
Mg: 6.1
Na: 32.5
Cl: 20
SO4: 48
CaCo3: 71
With the following additions to my mash water (3.57 gal):
Calcium Chloride - 2g
Epsom Salt - 1g
Slaked Lime: 2g
Lactic Acid: 3ml (added to mash)
With these additions I should hit a mash PH of approx 5.4 (Actual ph will likely be 5.3 as I'm usually a tenth lower than EZWater Estimates) with the following water profile:
Ca: 143
Mg: 13
Na: 33
Cl: 91
SO4: 77
I'm all ears to recommendations. Thanks.
Dumb question- but if you don't want to raise your sulfate, why are you adding magesium sulfate? I don't understand that.
Calcium of 150 ppm is unnecessarily high. I'd go with 50-75 ppm if you want enough for good yeast health and flocculation. Martin is the water expert- so I'd defer to him, but I've gone with 75 ppm with great results when I wanted to add chloride and/or sulfate.
The sulfate/chloride ratio is not important. It's more the amount. For example, you could have 100 ppm of chloride and 200 ppm of sulfate, which is the same ratio as 25ppm and 50 ppm- but the beers would be markedly different and the first one may be undrinkable. Instead, target the amount of each that makes the best beer.
Calcium of 150 ppm is unnecessarily high. I'd go with 50-75 ppm if you want enough for good yeast health and flocculation. Martin is the water expert- so I'd defer to him, but I've gone with 75 ppm with great results when I wanted to add chloride and/or sulfate.
The sulfate/chloride ratio is not important. It's more the amount. For example, you could have 100 ppm of chloride and 200 ppm of sulfate, which is the same ratio as 25ppm and 50 ppm- but the beers would be markedly different and the first one may be undrinkable. Instead, target the amount of each that makes the best beer.
I guess I was just trying to keep my profile within Palmer's recommended ranges. I really appreciate your help Yooper. I'm new to water chemistry so bare with my stupidity!
Is there a chart available anywhere with recommended water profiles for styles of beer? I think I have read people talking about a few but I can't seem to find them.
Based on your recommendations I have changed my salt additions to the following:
1.5g Calcium Chloride.
This gets my mash water to:
Ca: 53
Mg: 6
Na: 33
Cl: 74
SO4: 48
2ml of lactic acid added to mash gets me a ph of 5.41.
