Brewing Water

Water adjustment can make the difference between a good beer and a
great beer if it is done right.

JOHN PALMER 3 years ago

What properties and characteristics does a brewer want from water?

What kind of water should be used to make stouts? IPAs? These are the
kinds of questions I am frequently asked. Fortunately, the answers aren’t
hard.

Brewing water affects the beer in three ways: It affects the pH of the beer,
which affects how the beer flavors are expressed to your palate; it
provides “seasoning” from the sulfate-to-chloride ratio; and it can cause
off-flavors from chlorine or contaminants.

In general, brewing water should be clean and free of any odors, such as
chlorine or pond smells. Usually, good brewing water for conducting the
mash and creating the wort should be moderately hard and have low-to-
moderate alkalinity. But it depends (doesn’t it always?) on the type of
beer you want to brew and the mineral character of your water.

Basically water comes from two sources: surface water from lakes, rivers,
and streams; and groundwater, which comes from aquifers underground.
Surface water tends to be low in dissolved minerals but higher in organic
matter, such as leaves and algae, which need to be filtered and
disinfected with chlorine treatment. Groundwater is generally low in
organic matter but higher in dissolved minerals.

Good beer can be brewed with almost any water. However, water
adjustment can make the difference between a good beer and a great
beer if it is done right. But you have to understand that brewing is cooking
and that seasoning alone will not make up for poor ingredients or a poor
recipe

The common conception is that the best beer is made from mountain
springwater, and this is generally true, although probably not for the
reasons you think. Mountain springwater (i.e., a clean surface water
source) is good for brewing because it is largely mineral free, which lets
the brewers add any mineral salts they feel are necessary for the beer.
And that leads us to a quick refresher in chemistry.

Ions

Recall that an ion is an atom or a group of atoms that has a net positive
or negative charge due to the loss or gain of an electron. The ions in
brewing water are the cation (positive) and the anion (negative)
components of the minerals dissolved in the water. The principal cations
we’re interested in are calcium (Ca+2), magnesium (Mg+2), and sodium
(Na+1). The principal anions are bicarbonate (HCO3–1), sulfate (SO4–2),
and chloride (Cl–1).

The calcium cation is the principal ion that determines hardness. It

promotes clarity, flavor, and stability in the finished beer. The magnesium
cation also contributes to hardness and affects the mash pH, but to a
lesser extent than the calcium. The sodium cation doesn’t contribute to
water hardness. In small amounts (<100 ppm) it is benign, but at larger
concentrations, it can cause the beer to taste minerally or metallic.
The carbonate family of ions is the big player in determining brewing
water chemistry. Carbonate (CO3–2) and bicarbonate determine the total
alkalinity of the water and raise the pH of the mash and beer. The sulfate
anion accentuates hop bitterness, making it seem drier and crisper. It’s
weakly alkaline but doesn’t contribute to the total alkalinity.

The chloride anion acts to make the beer seem fuller and sweeter. It has
the opposite effect of sulfate. In fact, the sulfate-to-chloride ratio is a good
way to gauge the effect of the brewing water on the balance of the beer.
For example, a sulfate-to-chloride ratio of 2:1 or higher will tend to give
the beer a drier, more assertive hop balance, while a beer with a ratio of
1:2 will tend to have a less bitter, rounder, and maltier balance. However,
this effect is just like salting and seasoning your food; it helps accentuate
the flavors that are there but will not fix a bad recipe. Finally, you should
understand that chloride is not the same as chlorine, which is used as a
disinfectant. The concentrations of each are unrelated to the other.

Hardness and Alkalinity

Water hardness is defined as the amount of dissolved calcium and

magnesium in the water. Hard water has a lot of calcium and magnesium;
soft water doesn’t. Water softeners work by chemically replacing the
calcium and magnesium in the water with sodium or potassium.

And here is the problem for brewers: recall that I said earlier that good
brewing water should be moderately hard. It should have a minimum level
of total hardness of about 150 ppm as calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Water
softeners remove the hardness but leave the alkalinity behind.

Hardness and alkalinity are opposites. While hardness is calcium and

magnesium concentration, alkalinity is carbonate and bicarbonate
concentration. Alkaline water is high in bicarbonates. The alkalinity in
water acts to raise the pH of the water and the beer, and this can be a
problem for the beer flavor, especially for the paler styles.
However, the pH of the water isn’t what really matters. What really
matters is the chemistry of the mash and wort. The grain bill can
significantly affect the pH of the mash. For example, using dark roasted
malts in the mash can neutralize alkaline water to achieve a proper mash
pH.

So while knowing the water pH is slightly useful, the mineral composition

of the water—and its effect on the wort and beer pH—is most important.
Higher beer pH makes the beer taste dull. (Try adding half a spoonful of
baking soda to a glass of tomato juice to taste the effect.) Low beer pH
attenuates the beer flavors, and the beer will lose complexity.
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How much alkalinity is high? Generally, high alkalinity is anything greater

than 100 ppm as calcium carbonate. However, alkalinity greater than 50
ppm can be considered high for extract brewing because you are
rehydrating a dehydrated wort that already has minerals and alkalinity in
it. The alkalinity in your water will add to what’s already there.

Here is the bottom line: If your water is softened or highly alkaline, you
should not use it for either extract or all-grain brewing. The alkalinity of
water can be reduced by aeration and pre-boiling or by diluting it with
distilled or reverse-osmosis water.

A Word to the Wise

Historically, many famous beer styles were developed in conjunction with

the water from the region, but you need to understand that brewers have
been adjusting their water for hundreds of years. For instance, the water
of Pilsen (where Pilsner originated) is very soft, free of minerals, and very
low in bicarbonates. Brewers in this region typically added salts to raise
the hardness in the water. On the other hand, brewers in Burton-upon-
Trent (famous for its IPAs) frequently pre-boiled their water to reduce the
hardness.

So don’t assume that you have to use the exact water profile that you find
on the Internet for Dublin, Ireland, if you want to brew a good stout. The
water profile for a famous brewing city may be a step in the right direction,
but do your research and find out how the brewers of that region/style
actually used the water to brew their beer.

Water Report

How do you know your water’s alkalinity and hardness? Often that
information is contained in your city water report. Water reports are
primarily concerned with testing for contaminants, so you will usually find
Total Alkalinity and Total Hardness numbers in the Secondary Standards
or Aesthetic Standards section. As a brewer, you generally want to see
Total Alkalinity less than 100 ppm and preferably less than 50 ppm, but
that is not very likely. You will typically see Total Alkalinity numbers
between 50 and 150.
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For Total Hardness, you generally want to see a value of 150 ppm or
greater as calcium carbonate. Preferably, you would like to see a value
greater than 300, but that is not likely either. Typically, you will see total
hardness numbers in the range of 75 to 150 ppm because water
companies don’t want carbonate scale in their pipes. In fact, almost every
city’s tap water, everywhere in the world, is generally going to be higher in
alkalinity and lower in hardness than we would prefer for brewing.
You can also test your brewing water for total alkalinity and total hardness
by using a water test kit, such as the Lamotte BrewLab. These are simple
drop-test kits similar to what you would use for a swimming pool.

What You Can Do

Once you have your water’s information, you can use the calculations in
my book, How To Brew, and/or use brewing software to calculate how
much of what to add. A common practice is to start with a low hardness,
low alkalinity water source and add brewing salts to the mash and/or
kettle.

For hoppier beer styles such as American Pale Ale or American IPA, you
can add calcium sulfate (gypsum) to the water to make the beer taste
drier and have a crisper, more assertive bitterness. For maltier styles,
such as Oktoberfest or Brown Ale, you can add calcium chloride to the
water to make the beer taste fuller and sweeter.

Generally, you don’t want to exceed 400 ppm for sulfate or 150 ppm for
chloride. Sulfate and chloride are the seasoning for your beer, and their
ratio will affect the flavor balance to a large degree. A hoppy beer will
generally have a sulfate-to-chloride ratio of 3:1 or higher, and you don’t
want both of them to be at their maximum because that will just make the
beer taste like mineral water.
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Go deeper into brewing water and mash chemistry with Craft Beer &
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today!
Tips For All-Grain Brewers

I have only scratched the surface of what there is to know about water
chemistry and mash pH. Read chapter 15 in How To Brew (John Palmer,
Brewers Publications, 2006) or chapter 5 in the Water book (John Palmer
and Colin Kaminski, Brewers Publications, 2013) to learn more about
both.

>> Don’t add salts to your water without an understanding of how they will
affect your mash pH.

>> Measure the pH of your mash after you’ve added water to the grain.

It is that pH that affects the activity of the mash enzymes and the
propensity for the extraction of astringent tannins from the grain husks.
Start the mash, check the pH, and then make adjustments.

>> The mash pH should be in the range of 5.2–5.6, 10–15 minutes after dough-
in, after the sample has been cooled to room temperature.

Pour a wort sample (about 2 tablespoons or 30 milliliters) onto a large

plate to help it cool quickly.

Tips For Extract Brewers

Malt extract is concentrated wort, and the extract’s brewmaster has

already made the water decisions. All you really need to be concerned
about as an extract brewer is rehydrating the malt extract back to its
original composition. And for that, a low mineral mountain stream source
or distilled water source is ideal.
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If you want to add brewing salts to your water, I urge you to brew the beer
without the salts first and see how it tastes. This is where water
adjustment gets tricky for extract brewers: You don’t know how much
sulfate or chloride is already present in your malt extract. It doesn’t matter
whether you are brewing with dry malt extract or liquid malt extract; the
minerals are still there.

If you want to add brewing salts to enhance the flavor of the beer, use
either 1 gram of calcium sulfate per gallon (3.8 liters) of wort for bitterness
or 1 gram of calcium chloride per gallon (3.8 liters) of wort for fullness.
Don’t use both, and don’t exceed 1 gram per gallon (3.8 liters) until you
have brewed with that extract recipe and determined how it tastes.

Remember, don’t go overboard with water adjustment. Brewing is

cooking, and using brewing salts and acid additions can easily be
overdone, just like over-salting your food.

Traducicon

El ajuste del agua puede marcar la diferencia entre

una buena cerveza y una buena cerveza si se hace
bien.
¿Qué propiedades y características quiere un
cervecero del agua? ¿Qué tipo de agua se debe
usar para hacer stouts? IPAs? Este es el tipo de
preguntas que me hacen con frecuencia.
Afortunadamente, las respuestas no son difíciles.
La preparación del agua afecta la cerveza de tres
maneras: afecta el pH de la cerveza, lo que afecta
la forma en que los sabores de la cerveza se
expresan en el paladar; proporciona "condimento"
a partir de la relación de sulfato a cloruro; y puede
causar sabores desagradables por cloro o
contaminantes.
En general, el agua de elaboración debe estar
limpia y libre de olores, como cloro u olores de
estanques. Por lo general, una buena preparación
de agua para realizar el puré y crear el mosto debe
ser moderadamente dura y tener una alcalinidad
de baja a moderada. Pero depende (¿no es así
siempre?) Del tipo de cerveza que desea preparar
y del carácter mineral de su agua.
Básicamente, el agua proviene de dos fuentes:
agua superficial de lagos, ríos y arroyos; y agua
subterránea, que proviene de acuíferos
subterráneos. El agua superficial tiende a ser baja
en minerales disueltos pero alta en materia
orgánica, como hojas y algas, que deben filtrarse
y desinfectarse con tratamiento con cloro. El agua
subterránea es generalmente baja en materia
orgánica pero más alta en minerales disueltos.
La buena cerveza se puede preparar con casi
cualquier agua. Sin embargo, el ajuste del agua
puede marcar la diferencia entre una buena
cerveza y una buena cerveza si se hace
correctamente. Pero debes entender que preparar
cerveza es cocinar y que el condimento solo no
compensará los ingredientes pobres o una receta
pobre
La concepción común es que la mejor cerveza
está hecha de agua de manantial de montaña, y
esto es generalmente cierto, aunque
probablemente no por las razones que piensas. El
agua de manantial de montaña (es decir, una
fuente de agua de superficie limpia) es buena para
la elaboración de la cerveza porque es en gran
parte libre de minerales, lo que permite a los
cerveceros agregar las sales minerales que
consideran necesarias para la cerveza. Y eso nos
lleva a una actualización rápida en química.
Iones
Recuerde que un ion es un átomo o un grupo de
átomos que tiene una carga neta positiva o
negativa debido a la pérdida o ganancia de un
electrón. Los iones en el agua de preparación son
los componentes catiónicos (positivos) y
aniónicos (negativos) de los minerales disueltos
en el agua. Los principales cationes que nos
interesan son calcio (Ca + 2), magnesio (Mg + 2)
y sodio (Na + 1). Los aniones principales son
bicarbonato (HCO3–1), sulfato (SO4–2) y cloruro
(Cl – 1).
El catión de calcio es el ion principal que
determina la dureza. Promueve la claridad, el
sabor y la estabilidad en la cerveza terminada. El
catión de magnesio también contribuye a la
dureza y afecta el pH del puré, pero en menor
medida que el calcio. El catión de sodio no
contribuye a la dureza del agua. En pequeñas
cantidades (<100 ppm) es benigno, pero en
concentraciones mayores, puede hacer que la
cerveza tenga un sabor mineral o metálico.

La familia de iones de carbonato es el gran

jugador en la determinación de la química del
agua de elaboración. El carbonato (CO3–2) y
el bicarbonato determinan la alcalinidad total
del agua y aumentan el pH del puré y la
cerveza. El anión sulfato acentúa la
amargura del lúpulo, haciéndolo parecer más
seco y crujiente. Es débilmente alcalino pero
no contribuye a la alcalinidad total. El anión
cloruro hace que la cerveza parezca más
abundante y dulce. Tiene el efecto contrario
del sulfato. De hecho, la relación de sulfato a
cloruro es una buena manera de medir el
efecto del agua de elaboración en el
equilibrio de la cerveza. Por ejemplo, una
relación de sulfato a cloruro de 2: 1 o
superior tenderá a dar a la cerveza un
equilibrio de lúpulo más seco y más firme,
mientras que una cerveza con una relación
de 1: 2 tenderá a tener un sabor menos
amargo y redondo. y balance de malta. Sin
embargo, este efecto es como salar y
condimentar la comida; ayuda a acentuar los
sabores que hay, pero no solucionará una
mala receta. Finalmente, debe comprender
que el cloruro no es lo mismo que el cloro,
que se usa como desinfectante. Las
concentraciones de cada uno no están
relacionadas con el otro. Dureza y alcalinidad
La dureza del agua se define como la
cantidad de calcio y magnesio disueltos en el
agua. El agua dura tiene mucho calcio y
magnesio; el agua blanda no. Los
ablandadores de agua funcionan
reemplazando químicamente el calcio y el
magnesio en el agua con sodio o potasio. Y
aquí está el problema para los cerveceros:
recuerden que dije antes que el agua de
elaboración correcta debería ser
moderadamente dura. Debe tener un nivel
mínimo de dureza total de aproximadamente
150 ppm como carbonato de calcio (CaCO3).
Los ablandadores de agua eliminan la dureza
pero dejan atrás la alcalinidad. La dureza y la
alcalinidad son opuestos. Mientras que la
dureza es la concentración de calcio y
magnesio, la alcalinidad es la concentración
de carbonato y bicarbonato. El agua alcalina
es alta en bicarbonatos. La alcalinidad en el
agua actúa para elevar el pH del agua y la
cerveza, y esto puede ser un problema para
el sabor de la cerveza, especialmente para
los estilos más pálidos.

Sin embargo, el pH del agua no es lo que

realmente importa. Lo que realmente importa
es la química del puré y el mosto. La factura
del grano puede afectar significativamente el
pH del puré. Por ejemplo, el uso de maltas
tostadas oscuras en el puré puede
neutralizar el agua alcalina para lograr un pH
de puré adecuado. Entonces, aunque
conocer el pH del agua es ligeramente útil, la
composición mineral del agua, y su efecto
sobre el pH del mosto y la cerveza, es lo más
importante. Un pH de cerveza más alto hace
que la cerveza tenga un sabor apagado.
(Intente agregar media cucharada de
bicarbonato de sodio a un vaso de jugo de
tomate para probar el efecto.) El pH bajo de
la cerveza atenúa los sabores de la cerveza
y la cerveza perderá complejidad. ¿Cuánta
alcalinidad es alta? Generalmente, la alta
alcalinidad es algo mayor que 100 ppm como
carbonato de calcio. Sin embargo, una
alcalinidad superior a 50 ppm puede
considerarse alta para la elaboración de
extractos porque está rehidratando un mosto
deshidratado que ya contiene minerales y
alcalinidad. La alcalinidad en su agua se
agregará a lo que ya está allí. Aquí está el
resultado final: si su agua está ablandada o
es altamente alcalina, no debe usarla ni para
extraer ni para elaborar cerveza integral. La
alcalinidad del agua puede reducirse por
aireación y pre-ebullición o diluyéndola con
agua destilada o de ósmosis inversa. Una
palabra para el sabio Históricamente,
muchos estilos famosos de cerveza se
desarrollaron junto con el agua de la región,
pero debe comprender que los cerveceros
han estado ajustando su agua durante
cientos de años. Por ejemplo, el agua
de Pilsen (donde se originó Pilsner) es muy
suave, libre de minerales y muy bajo en
bicarbonatos. Los cerveceros en esta región
generalmente agregan sales para aumentar
la dureza en el agua. Por otro lado, los
cerveceros en Burton-upon-Trent (famoso
por sus IPAs) frecuentemente hervían
previamente el agua para reducir la dureza.
Por lo tanto, no asuma que tiene que usar el
perfil de agua exacto que encuentra en
Internet para Dublín, Irlanda, si desea
preparar una buena cerveza negra. El perfil
del agua para una famosa ciudad cervecera
puede ser un paso en la dirección correcta,
pero investigue y descubra cómo los
cerveceros de esa región / estilo realmente
usaron el agua para elaborar su cerveza.
Informe de agua ¿Cómo sabes la alcalinidad
y dureza de tu agua? A menudo, esa
información está contenida en el informe de
agua de su ciudad. Los informes de agua se
refieren principalmente a las pruebas de
contaminantes, por lo que generalmente
encontrará los números de alcalinidad total y
dureza total en la sección Estándares
secundarios o Estándares estéticos. Como
cervecero, generalmente desea ver la
alcalinidad total menos de 100 ppm y
preferiblemente menos de 50 ppm, pero eso
no es muy probable. Por lo general, verá
números de alcalinidad total entre 50 y 150.
ANUNCIO Para la dureza total, generalmente
desea ver un valor de 150 ppm o más como
carbonato de calcio. Preferiblemente, le
gustaría ver un valor mayor que 300, pero
eso tampoco es probable. Por lo general,
verá números de dureza total en el rango de
75 a 150 ppm porque las compañías de agua
no quieren escamas de carbonato en sus
tuberías. De hecho, el agua del grifo de casi
todas las ciudades, en todas partes del
mundo, generalmente tendrá mayor
alcalinidad y menor dureza de la que
preferiríamos para la elaboración de la
cerveza.
Profundice en la preparación del agua y la
química del puré con la clase en línea de Craft
Beer & Brewing, _Brewing Water: A Practical
Approach. _¡Regístrate hoy!

Consejos para cerveceros de grano entero

Solo he arañado la superficie de lo que hay que
saber sobre la química del agua y el pH del puré.
Lea el capítulo 15 en How To Brew (John Palmer,
Brewers Publications, 2006) o el capítulo 5 en
Water book (John Palmer y Colin Kaminski,
Brewers Publications, 2013) para obtener más
información sobre ambos.

>> No agregue sales a su agua sin comprender

cómo afectarán el pH de su puré.
>> Mida el pH de su puré después de haber
agregado agua al grano.
Es ese pH el que afecta la actividad de las
enzimas de puré y la propensión a la extracción de
taninos astringentes de las cáscaras de grano.
Comience el puré, verifique el pH y luego realice
los ajustes.

>> El pH del puré debe estar en el rango de 5.2–

5.6, 10–15 minutos después de la masa, después
de que la muestra se haya enfriado a temperatura
ambiente.
Vierte una muestra de mosto (aproximadamente 2
cucharadas o 30 mililitros) en un plato grande
para que se enfríe rápidamente.

Consejos para los extractores de cerveza

El extracto de malta es mosto concentrado, y el
maestro cervecero del extracto ya ha tomado las
decisiones sobre el agua. Todo lo que realmente
debe preocuparle como elaborador de extracto es
rehidratar el extracto de malta a su composición
original. Y para eso, una fuente de corriente de
montaña baja en minerales o una fuente de agua
destilada es ideal.
Si desea agregar sales de elaboración de cerveza a
su agua, le insto a que prepare la cerveza sin las
sales primero y vea cómo sabe. Aquí es donde el
ajuste del agua se vuelve difícil para los
fabricantes de extractos: no sabes cuánto sulfato o
cloruro ya está presente en tu extracto de malta.
No importa si está elaborando cerveza con
extracto de malta seco o extracto de malta líquido;
Los minerales todavía están allí.

Si desea agregar sales de elaboración para mejorar

el sabor de la cerveza, use 1 gramo de sulfato de
calcio por galón (3.8 litros) de mosto para
amargor o 1 gramo de cloruro de calcio por galón
(3.8 litros) de mosto para saciedad. No use ambos,
y no exceda 1 gramo por galón (3.8 litros) hasta
que haya preparado con esa receta de extracto y
haya determinado cómo sabe.

Recuerde, no se exceda con el ajuste del agua. La

elaboración de la cerveza es cocinar, y el uso de
sales de preparación y adiciones de ácido puede
exagerarse fácilmente, al igual que la sal en
exceso de los alimentos.
Water and Mash pH
If you are an all-grain brewer, the most important
thing to worry about is mash pH. Brad Smith
delves into why and how to achieve the right pH.

PH de agua y puré Si eres un cervecero de

granos integrales, lo más importante es
preocuparte por el pH del puré. Brad Smith
profundiza en por qué y cómo lograr el pH
correcto. Water chemistry for brewing is a complex topic, which is
why entire books have been written about water and brewing.
Unfortunately, many of these books assume you have a good knowledge
of chemistry, along with microbiology and brewing.

Assuming you have access to a “reasonably good” water source, you

should not have to do much to your water to use it to brew beer. Most
municipal water in the United States can be used right out of the tap with
no adjustment. If, however, you have a well or other source with
particularly hard or soft water, then you can purchase bottled water from
your grocery store and use that instead.

Interestingly, extract brewers can use distilled water for their brewing
because all the minerals needed for brewing are already in the malt
extract. When the maltster created your malt extract he/she mashed
grains and then concentrated the wort down by removing the water, which
means the ideal set of ions for brewing are already in the concentrated
malt.
If you are an all-grain brewer with a “good” water source, the most
important thing to worry about is mash pH. The proper mash pH has a
number of positive effects on your beer—improving both the flavor and
stability of the finished beer. Mash pH is simply the pH of the mixture of
water and grains in the mash tun. You can best find it by measuring it with
a pH meter or pH test strips. Ideally, you want a mash pH of 5.2–5.6
when you mix the water and grains.

You might recall from high school chemistry class that pure distilled water
has a pH of 7.0, but most municipal water sources have a higher (slightly
alkaline) pH above 7.0, due to minerals they pick up from ground and
surface sources.
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Grains, in contrast, are acidic, meaning they will lower the pH of the
water/grain mixture. Dark roast malts are very acidic and will have the
largest effect, while pale malts are only slightly acidic.

So when we mix our slightly alkaline water with our acidic grains, we get a
pH that is often in the range of 5.0–7.0. That will depend on how alkaline
the water was to start with, how much acid the water itself can absorb
(which is measured by the water’s residual alkalinity), and how much dark
vs. light malt we use.

Since we want to get the mash pH down to 5.2–5.6, we often need to use
additional acid to drive it down further. This is particularly true for light
beers, which don’t have enough acidic dark malts to reach the desired
range. For a homebrewer, this means adding small amounts of lactic
acid, phosphoric acid, or acidulated malt to the mash until you get the pH
down to the range you need. Lactic acid is probably the most easily found
in an average homebrew store.

So to summarize: start with a good “drinkable” water source and start

your mash. Use a pH meter or high-quality pH strips to measure the
actual pH of your mash. Finally, if needed, add small amounts (typically
only a few ounces/milliliters total) of lactic acid to bring the mash down to
the 5.2–5.6 range and then continue brewing your beer.

Learn how to evaluate your water chemistry and make adjustments

to brew the best beer possible with Craft Beer & Brewing
Magazine®’s online course, Brewing Water: A Practical
Approach. Register today!

La química del agua para la elaboración de la

cerveza es un tema complejo, por eso se han
escrito libros completos sobre el agua y la
elaboración de la cerveza. Desafortunadamente,
muchos de estos libros asumen que tienes un buen
conocimiento de química, junto con microbiología
y elaboración de cerveza.

Suponiendo que tenga acceso a una fuente de

agua "razonablemente buena", no debería tener
que hacer mucho para utilizarla para elaborar
cerveza. La mayoría del agua municipal en los
Estados Unidos se puede usar directamente del
grifo sin ningún ajuste. Sin embargo, si tiene un
pozo u otra fuente con agua particularmente dura
o blanda, puede comprar agua embotellada en su
supermercado y usarla en su lugar.
Curiosamente, los fabricantes de extractos pueden
usar agua destilada para su elaboración porque
todos los minerales necesarios para la elaboración
ya están en el extracto de malta. Cuando el
maltster creó su extracto de malta, él / ella
machacó los granos y luego concentró el mosto
eliminando el agua, lo que significa que el
conjunto ideal de iones para la elaboración ya está
en la malta concentrada.

Si usted es un cervecero de granos integrales con

una "buena" fuente de agua, lo más importante es
preocuparse por el pH del puré. El pH de puré
adecuado tiene varios efectos positivos en su
cerveza, mejorando tanto el sabor como la
estabilidad de la cerveza terminada. Mash pH es
simplemente el pH de la mezcla de agua y granos
en el puré de puré. Puede encontrarlo mejor
midiéndolo con un medidor de pH o tiras
reactivas de pH. Idealmente, desea un pH de puré
de 5.2–5.6 cuando mezcla el agua y los granos.

Puede recordar de la clase de química de la

escuela secundaria que el agua destilada pura
tiene un pH de 7.0, pero la mayoría de las fuentes
de agua municipales tienen un pH más alto
(ligeramente alcalino) por encima de 7.0, debido a
los minerales que recogen de las fuentes
subterráneas y superficiales.
La química del agua para la elaboración de la
cerveza es un tema complejo, por eso se han
escrito libros completos sobre el agua y la
elaboración de la cerveza. Desafortunadamente,
muchos de estos libros asumen que tienes un buen
conocimiento de química, junto con microbiología
y elaboración de cerveza.

Suponiendo que tenga acceso a una fuente de

agua "razonablemente buena", no debería tener
que hacer mucho para utilizarla para elaborar
cerveza. La mayoría del agua municipal en los
Estados Unidos se puede usar directamente del
grifo sin ningún ajuste. Sin embargo, si tiene un
pozo u otra fuente con agua particularmente dura
o blanda, puede comprar agua embotellada en su
supermercado y usarla en su lugar.

Curiosamente, los fabricantes de extractos pueden

usar agua destilada para su elaboración porque
todos los minerales necesarios para la elaboración
ya están en el extracto de malta. Cuando el
maltster creó su extracto de malta, él / ella
machacó los granos y luego concentró el mosto
eliminando el agua, lo que significa que el
conjunto ideal de iones para la elaboración ya está
en la malta concentrada.

Si usted es un cervecero de granos integrales con

una "buena" fuente de agua, lo más importante es
preocuparse por el pH del puré. El pH de puré
adecuado tiene varios efectos positivos en su
cerveza, mejorando tanto el sabor como la
estabilidad de la cerveza terminada. Mash pH es
simplemente el pH de la mezcla de agua y granos
en el puré de puré. Puede encontrarlo mejor
midiéndolo con un medidor de pH o tiras
reactivas de pH. Idealmente, desea un pH de puré
de 5.2–5.6 cuando mezcla el agua y los granos.

Puede recordar de la clase de química de la

escuela secundaria que el agua destilada pura
tiene un pH de 7.0, pero la mayoría de las fuentes
de agua municipales tienen un pH más alto
(ligeramente alcalino) por encima de 7.0, debido a
los minerales que recogen de las fuentes
subterráneas y superficiales.
Los granos, por el contrario, son ácidos, lo que
significa que reducirán el pH de la mezcla de agua
/ grano. Las maltas tostadas oscuras son muy
ácidas y tendrán el mayor efecto, mientras que las
maltas pálidas son solo ligeramente ácidas.

Entonces, cuando mezclamos nuestra agua

ligeramente alcalina con nuestros granos ácidos,
obtenemos un pH que a menudo está en el rango
de 5.0–7.0. Eso dependerá de qué tan alcalino era
el agua para empezar, cuánto ácido puede
absorber el agua en sí (que se mide por la
alcalinidad residual del agua) y cuánta malta
oscura versus clara utilizamos.

Dado que queremos reducir el pH del puré a 5.2–

5.6, a menudo necesitamos usar ácido adicional
para reducirlo aún más. Esto es particularmente
cierto para las cervezas claras, que no tienen
suficientes maltas oscuras ácidas para alcanzar el
rango deseado. Para un cervecero casero, esto
significa agregar pequeñas cantidades de ácido
láctico, ácido fosfórico o malta acidulada al puré
hasta que baje el pH al rango que necesita. El
ácido láctico es probablemente el más fácil de
encontrar en una tienda de cerveza casera
promedio.

Para resumir: comience con una buena fuente de

agua "potable" y comience su puré. Use un
medidor de pH o tiras de pH de alta calidad para
medir el pH real de su puré. Finalmente, si es
necesario, agregue pequeñas cantidades
(generalmente solo unas pocas onzas / mililitros
en total) de ácido láctico para llevar el puré al
rango de 5.2–5.6 y luego continúe elaborando
cerveza.

Aprenda cómo evaluar su química del agua y

hacer ajustes para preparar la mejor cerveza
posible con el curso en línea de Craft Beer &
Brewing Magazine®, Brewing Water: A Practical
Approach. ¡Regístrese hoy!

Malt: The Soul of Beer

Without malt, beer would be lifeless and flat. Hops bitterness only works
in balance with malt sweetness, and yeast requires sugars and nutrients
for fermentation, both of which malt-based wort offers. Here's a malt
primer.
DAVE CARPENTER 4 years ago

Twenty-five years ago, Prof. Dr. Anton Piendl of the Technical University
of Munich’s renowned Brewing Science and Beverage Technology
program at Weihenstephan observed, “Malt is the soul, hops the spice,
yeast the spirit, and water the body of beer.” Maltless beer would be an
astringent, one-dimensional shell of itself. To study malt, then, is to peer
deeply into beer’s very being.

What Is Malt?
Malt is simply a cereal seed that has been tricked into thinking it is about
to grow into a plant and then abruptly denied the opportunity to do so.
Mother Nature packs raw grains full of all the nutrients and enzymes a
newborn plant needs before it grows old enough to photosynthesize its
own food. Malting makes those nutrients and enzymes available to
brewers. Just about any cereal grain can be malted, but some are better
suited to brewing than others.

Barley

If malt is the soul of beer, then barley must surely be the élan vital,
the qi, the aura. More than any other grain, barley means beer. Barley’s
morphology and biochemical constitution make it the ideal brewer’s grain.

 The tough outer husks that surround barley kernels protect the
grains during malting, and they collectively form an effective filter
during lautering (wort runoff).
 Barley is rich in diastatic enzymes, which convert starches to
sugars during mashing. In fact, barley is so rich in these enzymes
that it can even convert the starches of other grains as it converts
its own.
 Barley’s low protein content enhances beer clarity and promotes
easy lautering in the brewery.
 Barley is low in lipids (fats) that can degrade head retention in the
finished beer.
Without barley, there would be no beer. Sure, we would certainly brew
other grain-based fermented beverages such as sake and chicha (Homo
sapiens possesses an unquenchable thirst to turn things into alcohol), but
we wouldn’t have beer as we know it.

Wheat and Rye

German brewers love to go on about the Reinheitsgebot, the famous

Bavarian beer purity law of 1516. What they fail to mention is that this
decree had as much to do with the price of bread as it did the drinking
experience. Wheat and rye were in such demand for brewing that bakers
were left with little choice but to raise prices. Declaring wheat and rye
verboten to brewers was a price-control wolf in a quality-assurance
sheep’s clothing.
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Barley may take center position on the Olympic podium of malt, but wheat
and rye flank it on the left and right. Wheat has long enjoyed celebrity
status in Bavarian Weißbier, Berliner Weisse, Belgian wit, and American
wheat ale. Rye has recently gained prominence in American craft ales
and lagers alike.
Malted wheat and rye are high in protein and lack outer husks, promoting
gumminess (think oatmeal) in the mash, difficulty in lautering, and haze in
the final beer. They follow their own malting schedules and require a deft
hand in the brewhouse. But the rewards are great for those who choose
to work with them.

Other Cereal Grains

Almost any cereal grain can be malted: oats, maize (corn), spelt, millet,
triticale, and even buckwheat. But for diastatic purposes (a malt’s ability
to convert starches to sugars), barley, wheat, and rye reign supreme.
With the notable exception of gluten-free beers, other cereal grains are
almost always combined with barley.

Malt Preparation
The conversion of raw grain to malt is achieved in stages. Every malt
house has its own unique process, but the general idea is the same
across the board.

A series of steep-dry cycles hydrates the raw barley, activates the

enzymes within the grain, and prompts the kernels to sprout new
seedlings. Maltsters alternate these cycles every eight hours or so for one
to two days, or until chits (small rootlets) begin to emerge from the
kernels. The moisture content of each barleycorn more than triples during
this stage.
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Germination is the process during which grain seeds hastily prepare to
develop into plants. Acrospires (shoots) begin to grow lengthwise within
the kernels, and the chits continue to develop and lengthen. At the same
time, enzymes begin to degrade the seed’s internal starches and
proteins, nutrients that would normally support a developing plant. This
rapid growth generates enough heat that the maltster must turn the grain
to aerate and cool it. Such turning also prevents the rootlets from binding
the sprouts together into an unmanageable mass.

The germination process lasts several days, up to a week, until the

acrospire has grown to nearly the length of the grain kernel itself. At this
point, the grain is referred to as green malt, and its germination must be
stopped.

Kilning halts germination with a combination of heat and air. Hot air is
drawn through the green malt to evaporate moisture and preserve the
diastatic enzymes, which are crucial to starch conversion when the
brewer conducts a mash. When the moisture content of the malt has
fallen to acceptable levels, the maltster increases the temperature of the
hot air to cure the malt. Different curing temperatures yield different kinds
of malt.
When the malt has reached the desired color and moisture level, kilning
ends, and the basic malting process is complete. But maltsters have other
tricks up their sleeves to create the myriad malt varieties available to
today’s brewers.

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Malt Classification
Malts are generally categorized according to their color and function. In
the United States, color is measured in degrees Lovibond (°L). The darker
the malt, the higher the Lovibond rating.

Malts are also classified according to the roles they play. Base malts,
caramel and crystal malts, and roasted malts offer brewers unlimited
ways in which to build up a wort.
Base Malts

Base malts form the canvas upon which brewers paint the malt character
of a beer. Some base malts are neutral, while others supply their own
distinctive flavors and aromas. Base malts must be mashed and, in fact,
they supply the enzymes necessary to convert mash starches to
fermentable sugars. All beer recipes are built on a foundation of base
malt.

Pale malt, often simply called 2-row, forms the basis for most American
and British beer styles. U.S. pale malt is frequently (but certainly not
always) very mild in flavor, while British pale malts often contribute nutty
or toast-like flavors. Typical color is 2–5°L.

Pilsner malt is the lightest malt available and serves as the backbone for
most beer styles of Continental European origin. Pilsner malt lends
delicate grainy or bready notes to light-colored beers and serves the
same role as pale malt in most German, Czech, and Belgian styles.
Typical color is 1–2°L.
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Munich and Vienna malts are highly kilned malts that offer intense, chewy
malty flavors. Some of these may be used for up to 100 percent of a
beer’s malt bill, but extended kilning reduces the diastatic potential of
darker varieties, which are more commonly combined with other base
malts. Look for them in Oktoberfest, Bock, and other malty German
styles. Color can range from 4–20°L.

Wheat malt, because of wheat’s soft, grainy flavor, is largely responsible

for the refreshing nature of German Hefeweizen, Belgian Wit, Berliner
Weisse, and American wheat beers. Its high protein content lends haze to
the final beer. Wheat malt is usually 4°L or lighter.

Rye malt is increasing in popularity. It brings a spicy flavor and silky,

almost oily, texture to traditional German Roggenbier and exciting new
American craft beers. Color is typically 3–5°L.

Six-row malt has been the grain of choice for mass-market lager brewers
and has rarely been used in craft beer. You may come across 6-row in
recipes for a pre-Prohibition pilsner or light American lager, but it has
been otherwise fairly obscure until very recently (see “Craft Malt: Taking
Beer Back to Its Historical Roots” for one craft malthouse that is
successfully making 6-row barley its main product). Six-row malt has a
rough, husky quality and high diastatic power, which is why it is often cut
with adjuncts such as rice and maize. Six-row is similar in color to Pilsner
malt, less than 2°L.

Some base malts—especially those from the British Isles—are identified

by their specific cultivar of barley. While Maris Otter and Golden Promise
are the most common, you might also come across such varieties as
Halcyon, Optic, and Pipkin.
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Caramel and Crystal Malts

Caramel and crystal malts supply a wide variety of flavors to beer,

ranging from subtle biscuit and toffee to dark plum and raisin. To produce
these specialty malts, the malster skips the kilning stage and instead
diverts green, moist malt to a roasting chamber.

In the roaster, the malt is heated to mash temperatures, and alpha- and
beta-amylase enzymes convert the starchy endosperms to sugars—
essentially pre-mashing the malt within its husk. The longer the malt is
heated, the darker and more intensely these sugars caramelize, yielding
the wide range of caramel malts available to today’s brewers.

These specialty malts are frequently confusing to the beginning

homebrewer because of the many trademarked names that maltsters
assign their proprietary products. All caramel/crystal malts are, however,
named according to color. The chart below indicates the relative colors of
different types of caramel and crystal malts, although flavors vary
considerably from one maltster to another.
Roasted Malts

Maltsters can also roast malt, much as one might roast coffee. Roasted
malts go through the entire process, all the way through kilning, but these
malts are then further kilned at a high temperature or for longer periods of
time to yield roasted qualities. These can range from the subtle to the
severe.
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Black malt, also called black patent malt, is an exceedingly dark malt that
contributes burnt-coffee notes. Used sparingly, it lends bitterness. Used
with abandon, it can make a beer undrinkable. Black malt is 500°L or
darker.

Debittered black malt has had the husk removed, which eliminates much
of the acrid and astringent flavors associated with black malt. Debittered
black malts are also 500°L or darker.

Chocolate malt contains no chocolate whatsoever, but its flavor and color
are reminiscent of dark baker’s chocolate, hence the name. It’s available
in a range of colors from 180–450°L.

Roasted barley isn’t malt at all but rather raw barley that has been
roasted. It supplies the signature roast flavor of Irish stouts such as
Guinness and Murphy’s. When the English taxed beer according to the
amount of malt it contained, the Irish got around it by using roasted raw
barley for flavor.

The world of malt is varied, complex, and sometimes confusing. But it’s
always interesting and always flavorful. Great malt in the hands of a
skilled brewer can make ordinary beer sing.
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From Pilsner to pale and crystal to chocolate, good malt makes good
beer. And that is most certainly good for the soul.

More Resources
Brewing With Wheat, 1st Edition, by Stan Hieronymus. (Brewers
Publications, 2010).

The Oxford Companion To Beer, 1st Edition, by Garrett Oliver. (Oxford

University Press, 2012).

https://www.google.com/search?q=industria+acido+fosforico&rlz=1C1PRFI_enPE783PE783&s
xsrf=ACYBGNQfmy0fS5IEKLJMhMM9zAhDEv_ALA:1571422313523&source=lnms&tbm=isch&s
a=X&ved=0ahUKEwjInqimtKblAhXRrVkKHeqyBlAQ_AUIEigB&biw=1093&bih=526#imgrc=7TMc
Sjakzk4IkM:

https://beerandbrewing.com/water-and-mash-ph/

https://www.chimicamo.org/chimica-generale/acido-fosforico-produzione.html

https://ppqujap.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/proceso-de-c3a1cido-fosfc3b3rico.pdf