Epsom Salt

I have used epsom in the water adjustment for my IPA's... It brings my magnesium up from about 10ppm up to 15ppm... Very minor addition, but helps adding some of that sulfate as well to up my sulfate/chloride ratio along with the gypsum and calcium chloride of course.

 

I use it, store it in an old WL vial.

 

<== Epsom salt (MgSO4) user

From the Bru'n Water spreadsheet ...
Astringent > 40 ppm
Preferred range: 0 - 30 ppm

Malts typically provide sufficient Mg to wort for proper yeast health and flocculation.
Add Mg when its bitter / sour taste is desirable (bitters; pale ales).
No need to add to other styles.

OldSock < 15
Palmer 10 - 30

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Martin suggested setting Mg and NaCl levels first before adding other salts / minerals (personal communication - 2015).

 

Not much new here. I target between 10 to 30 ppm of Mg.

My water source, well water, is high in minerals or all of the big 6.

I’m a little loose and generally speaking for light brews (i.e. Kolsch, Pale American Wheat, so on) I use 100% distilled water and therefore need the Epsom since the distilled is void of Mg. For medium brews (milds, Scottish ales) or dark brews (porters and stouts), I use between 20% to 40% max well water, which I get more than enough Mg and therefore don’t add Epsom. I’ve never don’t a controlled experiment with a recipe changing just the Epsom; I’ve still got too many high priorities in terms of recipe refinement.

 

I used to use Epsom Salt to hit 10 ppm Mg in my brews. I never looked at it for flavor or mouthfeel contribution so much as as I did for yeast nutrition.

 

It tastes horrible and is very easily overused or misused. I do use epsom on occasion but it is a very light fairy dust kind of amount like 1/8 teaspoon in 5 gallons. Do not - I repeat - do not use too much.

 

If anyone cares, I've noticed some Burton Salts contain Papain and others do not...those of you lamenting "gravy beer" might try a little papain and/or Potassium Chloride with their Epsom salts...don't think there was any papain in the water of Burton-On-Trent though

 

That is indeed correct: no papain in the brewing water of the region Burton-on-Trent.

Papain is an enzyme that is used in commercial brewing as a clarifer (to mitigate chill haze). I have no idea whether this was something that the breweries of Burton-on-Trent would have been using or not.

Cheers!

 

My water reported 70 ppm Mg, and EVERY SINGLE NON-STOUT/PORTER had an astringent bitterness that I associated with my 60/FWH addition (as low as .25 oz Columbus). Once I built up from RO, this issue is a non-issue.

 

We doo alright.

 

Do a MSG milk stout. That would be the official "Curt is sleeping on the couch tonight" beer.

 

The lactose makes you gassy and the MSG turns it rancid

 

Avoiding MSG is easy enough

Very curious to hear about your MSG brewing adventures though

 

Betty, you're getting a bit feisty. Maybe you should soak your feet in a nice Epsom salt bath.