Thanks Nash

[GuingesRock]

I have to say it Greg. I don’t that often have trouble, but I was perplexed so I had to PM you. I dropped off some beer for you at Jeff’s today for you to analyze because of the trouble and you haven’t tried it yet. I started using brewing salts. The dry hopped IPA was awesome but the rest of them I wasn’t happy with. I said to Kathleen, it tastes a bit like soap …she said “no, I love it”. I sent my water profile and additions to you, I didn’t even mention the dreaded soap, just said I wasn’t happy, and bugger me if you didn’t say “you don’t want your hops to taste like soap”. Fucking crazy, and then you "Nashed up" my additions for me and explained why in great detail.

Who needs to go to brewing school (much as I’d love to) when there’s Nash and the Brewnosers. I’d be fucked without you all. It would have taken me years to figure that out. I read the water book and was doing the best with the information I had.

[RubberToe]

Right on.

Greg helps us out a lot, we're lucky to have a kick ass brewer like him so involved in the community!

[Jimmy]

Right on.

Greg helps us out a lot, we're lucky to have a kick ass brewer like him so involved in the community!

Agreed!

Thanks . You're also not that bad at cooking

[GAM]

Yep.

Sandy

[Keith]

I can drink to this!

[Woody]

Agreed. I've always appreciated the help he has given me. You know he is a true wizard at his craft when he wants to help make everyone better.

[John G]

Greg is an awesome resource to us, and entertaining as well. Add my thanks to the list, he's always great at helping us amateurs out

Now, on that note...

and then you "Nashed up" my additions for me and explained why in great detail.

I'm curious as to what the details are. I'd hate to end up with soapy tasting hops. Do you guys mind sharing?

Cheers,
John

[GuingesRock]

I'm very happy if Greg wants to use my brew and chemistry as an example of what he was saying. I shouldn't post a PM though without his permission.

[NASH]

Geez guys! Thanks for the kind words, gents! Now who the fuck is going to help me???

Seriously, thank you. I'm happy to help where I can, and feeling a bit humbled too, so cheers to you all. This is a great community to be a part of, I think we all help to keep one another up on brewing practices among other things. You guys and gals challenge my knowledge, and memory, often. For me, it sure helps keep it real

Overall, my brewing knowledge approaches the tip of the iceberg, but nOOb homebrewers make me feel really smart!

[NASH]

I'm very happy if Greg wants to use my brew and chemistry as an example of what he was saying. I shouldn't post a PM though without his permission.

Feel free to share my non-scientific responses, and awful grammar.

[GuingesRock]

Here's the goods. Nash'd up profile attached also. He did the chemical additions (20g Gypsum + 3g Epsom salts) and and I added the 16OZ acid malt after he sent it to me, to bring the PH down. This is a full volume mash, double sized batch.

Well, there's your water treatment file back, I Nash'd it up for you. You need to ignore that ratio bullshit to make good beer The question is, how do you want attributes of the beer to be perceived. In a hoppy brew, you want to soften the harsh bitterness that it'd otherwise have, do this with high sulfate content. That sheet and many other places call higher sulfate levels "enhanced bitterness". It doesn't make it more bitter, it'll make it seem less bitter or simply seem to be a softer bitterness, more well integrated perhaps. You also don't want hops tasting like detergent or soap, do this with high sulfate content also. Chloride lends a full round mouthfeel, it enhances sweetness, none of which I want in an IPA so leave CaCl out of it. Again, ignore the ratio stuff. Try to get the mineral contents up to where they should be for proper enzymatic and yeast growth/activity while gearing the beer toward how you want it to taste, not per any ratio or PH. Get the PH in line with acids or acidulated malt.

IMO Hop stands may be a waste of time too. Just drop those hops in after the wort drops to 180 F, and just keep right on cooling. No need to leave them sit there for a 'stand' period of time, 5 minutes in the temp zone will 'soften' them so just keep cooling. Other than that you're just losing precious volatiles.

Not sure when I'll be seeing Jeff again but he sent a text to let me know you dropped some beer, so thanks. I'm sure it won't be too long before I see him again. I hope you're having a great weekend as well

G



Oh you're welcome, happy to help. Just try to keep the sulfate up over 200 ppm on the hoppy brews, generally you want most of that derived from CaSO4. Acid malt is good. You'll be able to tweak the quantity in using the PH meter. If you change malts or use different amounts of specialty malts in recipes it'll change the PH a little too. So don't assume 1 lb in every batch, etc. Once you get things in line you'll just need to bust out the ph meter now and then to double check things are staying in line.

You'll want to pull a small wort sample from the mash and cool it to get a reading with that meter, you should only stick something like that into the mash if it has automatic temp compensation and I'm pretty sure those ones do not. Even with my auto compensating meter I still cool a sample since the auto function never really seems to be that accurate. So mash in, get it all stirred up, rest 5 mins then pull a sample.

[NASH]

For some reason I thought 1 lb sounded like a lot of acidulated malt so I just had a look at your sheet with it added in. I don't really use that spreadsheet but I'd think it's more than you need to get the PH in line. Maybe try half that amount the first time and see where your PH is settling in....

[GuingesRock]

Thanks! It's 12 gal batch, but I think you saw that already. What's a nice PH for an IPA please?

[NASH]

Thanks! It's 12 gal batch, but I think you saw that already. What's a nice PH for an IPA please?

About the same as most mashes other than sour, generally speaking between 5.1 and 5.5. Fine tune that to 5.2-3 or so.

[GuingesRock]

Thanks! It's 12 gal batch, but I think you saw that already. What's a nice PH for an IPA please?

About the same as most mashes other than sour, generally speaking between 5.1 and 5.5. Fine tune that to 5.2-3 or so.

Thanks very much.

I'll start off with half a pound and add more if necessary.

[GuingesRock]

My Garrison entry (“Weizen Tropic”) on its way to you, was mashed in and rested (1st step) at PH 5.7 (according to the sheet) and 110F because I was after bubble-gum (following some of your advice on that, thanks), but I didn’t bring down the PH later. The odd thing was that unknowingly, I did almost exactly as you recommended in the Nash'd up additions sheet (but without the 3g of MgSO4). The only brewing salt I had at the time was Gypsum and I kept adding it using PH test strips in an amateurish way. I ended up putting 21g in, which is damn close to your 20g. The beer was out of style but has been well received, and I couldn’t detect soap.

Next brew APA or IPA, I’ll be using your recommended salt additions but bringing the PH in line. I’m really excited to get on and try it, but waiting for acidulated malt to come from OBK.