Brewing Water,

Residual
Alkalinity, and
Mash pH
Beer and Loafing
NHC 2004
Las Vegas, NV

The First Rule

Know what your local
water chemistry is!

The Second Rule

Know WHY you want
to adjust your water!

The Third Rule

If its not broken,
Dont Fix It!

Local Water And

Beer

Beer Styles came from local brewing water

Burton Ale came from hard, high

carbonate water
Vienna Lager came from hard,
medium carbonate water
Guinness Stout came from medium
hard, high carbonate water
Oktoberfest came from medium hard,
medium carbonate water.
Pilsner came from very soft, low
carbonate water

Hard vs. Soft Water

Hard water refers to the scale
that forms on pipes, and being
hard for soap to lather.
Hardness is a function of
Calcium, Magnesium, Iron,
Mangenese,
etc.

Soft just means that there is

low Calcium and Magnesium.
Hard and Soft are only half the
story, the other half is the
Alkalinity.

Reading a
Water Analysis

Parameter

Measurement

Alkalinity as CaCO3

133

Arsenic

.002

Cadmium

ND

Bicarbonate

162

Calcium

72

Table 1 - Water Report for

Las Vegas Valley WD (2003)

Chloride

87

Chromium

.002

Copper

1.120 2( 5 RDA)

Hardness(as gpg)

17

HardnessasCaCO3

290

Iron

ND

Lead

.003

Magnesium

26

Manganese

ND

Nitrate

458

pH

7.6

Zinc

.145

Sodium

88

Sulfate

230

(All values, except pH, in parts per million (ppm)

(1 ppm = 1 mg/l)
17 ppm = 1 grain of hardness/gallon (gpg)

Moderate Bicarbonate
Moderate Hardness
High Sulfate
Moderate Sodium
Moderate Chloride

Famous Brewing Waters

These Numbers are Annual
AVERAGES!
The averages are probably
not representative of real
ratios.

WaterProfiles F
rom Not
ableBrewing Cit
ies
City

Calcium Magne
sium Bicarbonate Sulfate Sodium

Chloride Beer Style

(Ca+2)

(Mg+2)

(HCO3-)

SO4-2

Na+1

Cl-1

Pilsen

10

Dortmund

225

40

220

120

60

60

Vienna

163

68

243

216

39

Munich

109

21

171

79

36

Oktoberfest

London

52

32

104

32

86

34

British Bitte
r

Edinburgh

100

18

160

105

20

45

Scottish Ale

Burton

352

24

320

820

44

16

IndiaPale
Ale

Dublin

118

319

54

12

19

Dry S
tout

Numbers are give

n inparts per milli
on (ppm).
These numbers are ANNUAL A
VERAGES

Pilsener
Export
Lage
r
Vienna
Lage
r

Mash pH Ions
Calcium (Ca): 50-150 ppm
Important for most brewing
biochemical reactions.
Magnesium (Mg) 10-30 ppm
An essential nutrient, but usually not
deficient. Acts similar to calcium.
Bicarbonate/Carbonate
0-50 ppm for pale beers
50-150 for amber beers
150-250 for dark beers
Balances the natural acidity of the
malt.

Flavor Ions
Sodium (Na) 0-150 ppm
Accentuates the sweetness of the
malt. Excess can cause harsh
bitterness w/sulfate.
Chloride (Cl) 0-250 ppm
Rounds out the maltiness.
Sulfate (SO4) 50-150 ppm
Accentuates the hop bitterness,
makes it crispier. Excess causes
harsh bitterness.

Water Adjustment for Extract

Brewing
Pre-treatment
Odors/tastes: Chlorine, Iron, Sulfur, metallic, etc.
Carbon Filters, Campden Tablets, Water
Softeners, Green Sand

Flavor Tweaking
Sulfate for hop bitterness
Sodium/Chloride for Malt accentuation

Fermentation Issues (Rare)

Zn, Ca, Mn, Mg = Yeast Nutrition, Beer Haze
30 Years ago, malt extract was for baking
Now, mineral levels for mash chemistry
fermentability have been done for you.

Water Adjustment for

Steeping
(Na, Cl, SO4) Same as for Extract
(Ca, Mg, HCO3) Steeping pH
If your water is very high in bicarbonate,
you may need calcium.
Use a steeping ratio similar to mash
2-4 qts/lb.
Ratio can be more dilute with darker malts
Astringency is usually due to being too
hot.

Water Adjustment for AllGrain

(Ca, Mg, HCO3) Mash pH
Calcium, Magnesium, and Bicarbonate
control the Residual Alkalinity.
Residual Alkalinity combines with the
grain bill to determine the mash pH
Mash pH determines fermentability,
clarity, flavor, etc.

(Na, Cl, SO4) Same as for Extract

Brewing

Residual Alkalinity
Mash pH is the net effect of the
hardness, alkalinity, and the
grainbill.
Residual Alkalinity = alkalinity - (Ca/3.5 +
Mg/7)
High RA means you should brew dark beers
Low RA means you should brew light beers

Residual Alkalinity Nomograph

Determine your Base Malt Mash
pH
Suggested Beer Color/Style Guidefor
Residual AlkalinityMash pH

Mash pH
(@room temp)
5.1

5.2

-350

-300

5.3
-250

5.4
-200

5.5
-150

5.6

-100

5.7

-50

5.8

50

5.9
100

6.0
150

6.1
200

250

6.2
300

Residual Alkalinity
asCaCO3 (ppm)
Alkalinityas CaCO3(ppm)

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550

[HCO3](ppm)

[Mg](ppm)
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Effective Hardness

Note:This is not thesameas

Total Hardnessas CaCO3

[Ca] (ppm)

0 10 20 30 40 50

100

150

200

250

300

350

UsageNotes:
1. Assume an error of +/- .1pH due toindividual mash chemistry.
2. Theactual pH ofthe mash at mashtemperature (~150F)is typically.35 pH lessthan it measuresat room temperature.

400

Raising RA with Bicarbonate

Suggested Beer Color/Style Guidefor
Residual AlkalinityMash pH
Mash pH
(@room temp)
5.1

5.2

-350

-300

5.3
-250

5.4
-200

5.5
-150

5.6

-100

5.7

-50

5.8

50

5.9
100

6.0
150

6.1
200

250

6.2
300

Residual Alkalinity
asCaCO3 (ppm)
Alkalinityas CaCO3(ppm)

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550

[HCO3](ppm)

[Mg](ppm)

Add 140 ppm HCO3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Effective Hardness

Note:This is not thesameas

Total Hardnessas CaCO3

[Ca] (ppm)

0 10 20 30 40 50

100

150

200

250

300

350

UsageNotes:
1. Assume an error of +/- .1pH due toindividual mash chemistry.
2. Theactual pH ofthe mash at mashtemperature (~150F)is typically.35 pH lessthan it measuresat room temperature.

400

Lowering RA with Calcium

Suggested Beer Color/Style Guidefor
Residual AlkalinityMash pH
Mash pH
(@room temp)
5.1

5.2

-350

-300

5.3
-250

5.4
-200

5.5
-150

5.6

-100

5.7

-50

5.8

50

5.9
100

6.0
150

6.1
200

250

6.2
300

Residual Alkalinity
asCaCO3 (ppm)
Alkalinityas CaCO3(ppm)

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550

[HCO3](ppm)

[Mg](ppm)
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Effective Hardness

Note:This is not thesameas

Total Hardnessas CaCO3

[Ca] (ppm)

0 10 20 30 40 50

100

150

200

250

300

350

UsageNotes:
Add 190 ppm Calcium
1. Assume an error of +/- .1pH due toindividual mash chemistry.
2. Theactual pH ofthe mash at mashtemperature (~150F)is typically.35 pH lessthan it measuresat room temperature.

400

Neutralizing Alkalinity
Suggested Beer Color/Style Guidefor
Residual AlkalinityMash pH
Mash pH
(@room temp)
5.1

5.2

-350

-300

5.3
-250

5.4
-200

5.5
-150

5.6

-100

5.7

-50

5.8

50

5.9
100

6.0
150

6.1
200

250

6.2
300

Residual Alkalinity
asCaCO3 (ppm)
Alkalinityas CaCO3(ppm)

50

100

150

100

300

350

400

450

[HCO3](ppm)

Neutralize 225 ppm Alkalinity as CaCO3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

50

250

50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550

[Mg](ppm)

200

150

200

250

300

350

Effective Hardness

Note:This is not thesameas

Total Hardnessas CaCO3

[Ca] (ppm)

0 10 20 30 40 50

100

150

200

250

300

350

UsageNotes:
1. Assume an error of +/- .1pH due toindividual mash chemistry.
2. Theactual pH ofthe mash at mashtemperature (~150F)is typically.35 pH lessthan it measuresat room temperature.

400

Neutralizing Alkalinity
cont

Alkalinity can also be neutralized by adding acid

to the mash.
Lactic Acid (88% soln.) =
Sulfuric Acid (96% soln.) =
Phosphoric (86% soln.) =

11.8 mEq/ml
35 mEq/ml
30 mEq/ml

Divide Alkalinity As by 50 to get mEq/L

225 mg/L 50 = 4.5 mEq/L
If mash water volume is 4 Gal (15 L), then
15 x 4.5 = 67.5 mEq of acid are needed.
Using Lactic acid: 67.5/11.8 = (6) ml of Lactic Acid

Read New Brewing Lager Beer pp. 60-73 for

more info

Acidifying the Sparge

Usually Unnecessary!
Malts have a lot of buffering power, which
lasts until runnings fall below 1.008
Acidifying the the mash water or sparge to
5.5 or 6 pH can cause the mash pH to be
less than 4.5, which inhibits beta amylase
and will affect the taste.
Batch Sparge and No-sparge techniques
can ensure that runnings never fall below
1.016

Summary
You can adjust your brewing
water chemistry if:
You know where you are
You know where you are going
You know how to get there
For more info, see
How To Brew (Palmer) Chapter 15
New Brewing Lager Beer (Noonan)
Chapter 3