{"id":20079,"date":"2019-04-08T08:30:26","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T12:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.filtersfast.com\/blog\/?p=20079"},"modified":"2019-04-08T08:30:26","modified_gmt":"2019-04-08T12:30:26","slug":"water-beers-most-important-ingredient","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.filtersfast.com\/blog\/water-beers-most-important-ingredient\/","title":{"rendered":"Water: Beer’s Most Important Ingredient"},"content":{"rendered":"

Attention Beer lovers!<\/p>\n

Have you ever thought about what it takes to make the beer you\u2019re enjoying so delicious?<\/p>\n

Believe it or not, water has A LOT to do with making a beer so delicious. \u201cWater is an extremely important aspect of brewing!\u201d<\/em> said homebrewer, Kelsey Black. Kelsey is part of a Father and Daughter Homebrewing duo from Raliegh, NC. She was nice enough to answer a few questions we had about water and the brewing process.<\/p>\n

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First things first, we\u2019re going to break down key aspects of water and how they relate to the brewing process.<\/p>\n

There are four main aspects of water we\u2019re going to explore:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. pH<\/li>\n
  2. Hardness<\/li>\n
  3. Alkalinity and Residual Alkalinity<\/li>\n
  4. Flavor Ions<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    pH <\/strong><\/p>\n

    What is pH? pH is the measurement of acidity in water. When testing the water, you\u2019re looking for concentrated hydrogen ions. This determines where a water sample will fall on the 0-14 pH scale. The ideal pH reading want is a 7 (seven) which indicates\u00a0that there is an even balance of hydrogen and hydroxide ions. Anything below 7 is moving towards acidic territory, and anything above 7 is moving towards the\u00a0base side of the scale.<\/p>\n

    Why is pH level of the water you are using to brew with so important? pH can influence everything from enzymatic activity and fermentability to the color and taste of your beer<\/p>\n

    Hardness<\/strong><\/p>\n

    We\u2019ve talked about \u201chard water\u201d before, but usually, it\u2019s something that you desperately want to get rid of. However, the calcium present is key to the brewing process. Water hardness can be used as an indicator of the amount of calcium and magnesium ions.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Alkalinity and Residual Alkalinity <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Alkalinity is a measurement of how much a water sample will resist a change in pH. This is often referred to known as water\u2019s buffering capacity. Hydroxide, carbonate and bicarbonate ions primarily contribute to alkalinity. They undergo reactions with acidic substances that increase water\u2019s pH value.<\/p>\n

    Water sources in the US can have medium to high alkalinity, which can cause the mash pH to increase, this can cause mash efficiency issues and it can carry over into the final product and can cause an overall dullness and other unfavorable characteristics.<\/p>\n

    The alkalinity remaining after phosphates present in malt react with the calcium and magnesium in the water, which precipitates out insoluble salts lowering the pH (residual alkalinity). The residual alkalinity and the acidity of the malts being mashed will determine the mash of the pH which will affect the outcome of the final product.<\/p>\n

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    Flavor Ions<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Flavor ions are essential in defining a beer\u2019s \u201ccharacter\u201d. Flavor ions include sodium, chloride, and sulfate. Calcium and magnesium affect hardness and carbonates and bicarbonates affect alkalinity. These three groups work together to affect pH and mash chemistry, define the overall flavor<\/u> of the beer.<\/p>\n

    Calcium<\/strong> affects enzymatic activity in the mash, protein coagulation during the boil and benefits yeast health. Calcium is essential in determining the clarity, flavor, and stability of the final beer.<\/p>\n

    Magnesium<\/strong>\u00a0affects mash pH, but not as much as calcium. Magnesium is responsible for enhancing a beer\u2019s flavor and sourness.<\/p>\n

    Sodium<\/strong>\u00a0helps to round out flavors, accentuating malt sweetness.<\/p>\n

    Chloride<\/strong>\u00a0will accentuate a fuller body and sweetness in beer, this is evident in malt-forward styles of beer. When used in appropriate quantities, Chloride can also improve the stability and clarity of a beer, but if too much is used, it causes a harsh drinking experience.<\/p>\n

    Sulfate<\/strong> is used to add dry crispness and hop bitterness in beer, especially in hop-forward styles. If the concentration of sulfate exceeds an appropriate amount, the beer can become harsh, sulfury and the hop bitterness can come across as harsh.<\/p>\n

    Bicarbonate<\/strong>\u00a0is the primary source of alkalinity. It will affect the pH, and can alter the pH, of wort and ultimately the final product.<\/p>\n

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    Now that we\u2019ve broken down the aspects of water that effect in the brewing process, we\u2019ve asked Kelsey to help clarify the use of water in homebrewing.<\/p>\n