Briess malt extract water analyses

[loebrygg]

Anyone knows the mineral content of Briess LME and DME
Since I often use some extract in my high gravity beer it would be useful to know

Also whats the pH and would it affect the pH of my wort when I add it after mashing (I guess not)?

 

[oliver]

yes, I've done a fair bit of research and asking, and came up with these numbers.

Bear in mind these numbers are approximations

When diluted at about 1.050

Ca: 50-100 ... Mg: 0? (no info) ... Sodium: 115, (or well over 100ppm) ... Cl: ~30 ... SO4: ~60
Use this as your source water profile in the water chem section, and also keep in mind this profile is good for when you're using approximately 2 cans of LME or 2 x 3 lbs bags of DME. Adjust accordingly as you increase or decrease amount of extract depending on the beer.


Biggest issue I've heard about Briess extract is that they use municipal water in Chilton County Wisconsin, and their water is very high in Sodium. I've since switched to Muntons extract in my shop, and Muntons QA department was kind enough to contact me back and let me know a more exact profile.

Muntons diluted at 1.050
Ca: 21 ... Mg: 0 ... Na: 4 ... Cl: 10 ... SO4: 14 ... HCO3: 42

A much softer profile that allows for much higher success in softer beer styles, or better mineral manipulation for your IPAs and such.

Hope this helps!

 

[Sunfire96]

yes, I've done a fair bit of research and asking, and came up with these numbers.

Bear in mind these numbers are approximations

When diluted at about 1.050

Ca: 50-100 ... Mg: 0? (no info) ... Sodium: 115, (or well over 100ppm) ... Cl: ~30 ... SO4: ~60
Use this as your source water profile in the water chem section, and also keep in mind this profile is good for when you're using approximately 2 cans of LME or 2 x 3 lbs bags of DME. Adjust accordingly as you increase or decrease amount of extract depending on the beer.


Biggest issue I've heard about Briess extract is that they use municipal water in Chilton County Wisconsin, and their water is very high in Sodium. I've since switched to Muntons extract in my shop, and Muntons QA department was kind enough to contact me back and let me know a more exact profile.

Muntons diluted at 1.050
Ca: 21 ... Mg: 0 ... Na: 4 ... Cl: 10 ... SO4: 14 ... HCO3: 42

A much softer profile that allows for much higher success in softer beer styles, or better mineral manipulation for your IPAs and such.

Hope this helps!

Wow great info, thanks!

If I have my water analysis report for my tap water, would I add the mineral values together for an estimate of the total values? Or does it not work like that

 

[oliver]

Wow great info, thanks!

If I have my water analysis report for my tap water, would I add the mineral values together for an estimate of the total values? Or does it not work like that

off the top of my head, yes. Your tap water, any volume, is set as those ppms... while the extract profile set at a certain gravity dilution, and I after rereading my notes, I think I miscalculated and didn't read close enough on the Briess profile. It should be those numbers diluted at 1.064, so at 1.050 it would decrease the numbers from above down about 20%.

Some one correct me if I'm wrong, I might be, but it sounds like you're going to want to take your tap water profile, and then calculate the gravity of the extract you're using and adjust accordingly, and then add the two together to get total minerality in your "source" water.

 

[loebrygg]

No HCO3 in Briess? I’ve heard it’s quite high

 

[Donoroto]

Mineral ions are additive. If tap water has 35 Ca and Muntons has 21 Ca, together you end up with 56 Ca.

Dilution affects the extract mineral levels.

If you boil off tap water prior to mashing you can concentrate those minerals more. 2 gallons at 18 Ca moves to 36 Ca if you boil off a gallon.

Similarly you can dilute tapwater with distilled / RO water to reduce minerals

 

[Craigerrr]

Your profile says that you have been on BF since 2016, but you have only posted here on the forum 4 times.
I would say that calls for a: Hello, and welcome to Brewers Friend!
At least to the forum.
Interesting post, sorry I don't have any useful input, other than to say that I don't think it is relevant, or at least of any consequence.
Sounds like you are adding ME in the boil to increase gravity. As long as your ion levels are where you want them in your mash, I would think that the make up of the ME you might use would have little to no effect.
Just my opinion for what it is worth