The newest Brun Water also includes calculations for CaCl2 solution.
Thanks for the mention. However, I had a brain fart when coding the liquid algorithm. Supporters will be receiving version 3.4 over the next few weeks that corrects the error in liquid CaCl2 calculations. If you will be using a liquid solution before that, be sure to send me a note and I'll get you to the top of the list.
This hygroscopic (sucks up water) behavior of calcium chloride is kind of a pain in the rear. Over time, it will draw water out of the atmosphere and attach that water to the solids. We brewers end up not knowing how much calcium and chloride we are actually adding to our brewing water.
The problem lies not so much in the liquefaction (though that is a mess) as in the weight gain from atmospheric moisture so that if the scale says you have a gram of powder you may have in reality really only 900 or 800 mg of CaCl2 with 100 or 200 mg water. If you have a sensitive balance, one that indicates to the mg, you can put a gram of powder on the pan and watch the numbers increase before your eyes. The early posts here show you how to estimate the water of hydration in your CaCl2 from a hydrometer reading. You can use that technique to determine how much water your material stored in a zip locked bag has picked up and it might be a good idea for you to do that to see whether your method is effective or not.I keep my calcium chloride in a zip lock bag. I also live in a very humid climate and I've never had an issue with the salt liquefying. I open the ziplock, spoon out what I need, then squeeze out any air from the bag then rezip it.
Dump all of my CaCl little white round balls into a quart of water. Let them dissolve and then get the mixture to around 77 degrees.
Yes. And the simplicity of measurement is a lot of the appeal. You shouldn't need to recheck the SG as the solution, while it will exchange water with the air trapped in the bottle when you open it, doesn't do so nearly as dramatically as the powder.
Use a plastic bottle as the solution will corrode a metal closure.
77 degrees F or C? Is this just to make it soluble in water?
Exchange water with the air trapped in the bottle when you open it? Isn't it already fully liquified?
77 degrees F or C? Is this just to make it soluble in water?
Yes. And the simplicity of measurement is a lot of the appeal. You shouldn't need to recheck the SG as the solution, while it will exchange water with the air trapped in the bottle when you open it, doesn't do so nearly as dramatically as the powder.
Use a plastic bottle as the solution will corrode a metal closure.
Is it really that critical to the average homebrew recipe?
Thanks for the mention. However, I had a brain fart when coding the liquid algorithm. Supporters will be receiving version 3.4 over the next few weeks that corrects the error in liquid CaCl2 calculations. If you will be using a liquid solution before that, be sure to send me a note and I'll get you to the top of the list.
If I needed 5 grams CaCl2 and had a solution of SG 1.050 I'd use the formula in No. 1 to calculate that the solution contained 61 grams per liter and measure out 5/61 = 0.082 L (82 mL) of that solution but if you wanted to you could go further to calculate that the 82 mL of this solution weighs 82*1.050*0.998203 = 85.9453 grams, tare a container and weigh out 85.9453 grams of the solution. Seems like extra trouble to me and not justified by the accuracy required of this application. And it introduces the risk of accidentally dripping or pouring CaCl2 solution into your balance. For the program to be really useful it should take in the SG of the solution and convert any CaCl2.0H20 weight to cc of that solution. It could, of course, also calculate the weight of that solution.
My solution has a SG of 1.060, or 6.7% w/w according to Bru'n Water. The Pale Ale profile suggests 55 ppm of Chloride and to get there, starting with RO water, I need 37 grams of CaCI2. This comes out to ~500ml of solution assuming I want to get to the number using CaCI2 alone.
Yes. 503 mL vs 500 mL is 10*log(503/500) = 0.0259 dB. I don't worry until error get to a dB or more.Does this seem right?
To be honest I don't worry about it. I just assume my CaCl2 is about 80%. If it's actual strength is 100 % of as little as 60% that's only ±1.2 dB and it really doesn't matter. From time to time I check my CaCl2 stock to see what the CaCl2 concentration actually is and adjust the 80% assumption accordingly.For those of you who use a solution, what is your typical strength and how much do you make at a time?
This is why the formula is given in g/L of solution:
g/L = -684.57 + 175.12*SG + 509.45*SG*SG
If your SG is 1.060 you have
-684.57 + 175.12*1.06 + 509.45*1.06^2= 73.4752 grams per liter and if you want 37 grams you then need 1000*37/73.4752 = 503 mL
That is a lot of CaCl2. Are you doing a couple of barrels?
BTW as a liter of your solution weighs 1.06*998.203 grams its strength is
100*( -684.57 + 175.12*1.06 + 509.45*1.06^2)/(1.06*998.203)=6.9441% w/w so there is apparently a small problem in Bru'n water but there is no need to worry about w/w strength if you use the w/v formula as given in the sticky.
Yes. 503 mL vs 500 mL is 10*log(503/500) = 0.0259 dB. I don't worry until error get to a dB or more.
To be honest I don't worry about it. I just assume my CaCl2 is about 80%. If it's actual strength is 100 % of as little as 60% that's only ±1.2 dB and it really doesn't matter. From time to time I check my CaCl2 stock to see what the CaCl2 concentration actually is and adjust the 80% assumption accordingly.
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