stealing water profiles

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Liberatiscioli, Apr 22, 2016.

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  1. Liberatiscioli

    Liberatiscioli Initiate (0) Oct 3, 2013 Pennsylvania

    Thoughts on this idea....

    Instead of sending a water sample why not send a (insert favorite beer here), sample possibly flat to get tested for water profile?

    Think that would work??
     
  2. drink1121

    drink1121 Initiate (0) Mar 23, 2009 California

    bro, I have no clue what you are proposing. maybe use some sort of punctuation. would love to help!
     
  3. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I don't know if you can count on the beer's mineral profile being the same as the starting water's profile. But I would bet you can't.
     
    LuskusDelph likes this.
  4. FenderOffset238

    FenderOffset238 Zealot (627) May 27, 2012 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    I think all the solubles from malt, hops, adjuncts would mess with the results.
     
    LuskusDelph likes this.
  5. Liberatiscioli

    Liberatiscioli Initiate (0) Oct 3, 2013 Pennsylvania

    So the next idea is get a sample of a homebrew after brewing to see how it compares to the water profile before brewing. Super curious just trying to figure out ways to brew a better ipa such as those New Englanders and Vermonters.
     
  6. drink1121

    drink1121 Initiate (0) Mar 23, 2009 California

    up your chloride (a lot - around 100), bring down your sulfate (around 75) and you will be close. I am playing with my levels of sodium as well, so I cant be certain on those, but I have a feeling they are fairly high as well
     
  7. Liberatiscioli

    Liberatiscioli Initiate (0) Oct 3, 2013 Pennsylvania

    What I mean to say is I want to brew a heady clone( for example) and want to get pretty close. Water chemistry is often overlooked but a big part of the process. I would like to send a sample of a heady to a company that tests water and can send you a complete water profile. Trying to figure a way to get to that finished beer/water profile of a heady topper since its not info given out by the brewers.
     
    Oktoberfist and drink1121 like this.
  8. drink1121

    drink1121 Initiate (0) Mar 23, 2009 California

    check out my response above. that should help you out
     
  9. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    This seems like a difficult way to solve a problem that I think is really is of little consequence. This is my opinion, and perhaps it reflects that way I brew. I don't try to "nail" a clone recipe but am happy if I can make a beer that is good and reminds me of Favorite Brand X. I may just have lower standards. But I also suspect that matching the water profile is a minor concern here. I would be more concerned about matching many other things. For starters, do you pitch the right amount of yeast, do you aerate the wort appropriately, do you ferment at the right temperature, etc. At the same time, you need to recognize that your equipment and process are different. How you treat your yeast in a bucket fermenter and how you treat your yeast in 15 barrel brewhouse might need to differ to get you to a comparable effect. Without thinking too deeply, because it is after 5PM on Friday, I am imagining that there could be ways that water chem interacts with system and process, too, so that matching the brewery's water chem may not lead you to the same place. If you really want to nail a homebrewed clone, arming yourself with the sort of info you seek could be a first step, but I think the second, third, and umpteenth steps involve rebrewing your beer repeatedly with methodical tweaking until you are satisfied.
     
    tngolfer likes this.
  10. chavinparty

    chavinparty Zealot (653) Jan 4, 2015 New Hampshire

    I have a dug well in nh that has 70 ppm chloride and 45 ppm sodium. everything else about my profile is low and I brew solid IPAs. There's a lot of ways to get to the end result.
     
  11. Liberatiscioli

    Liberatiscioli Initiate (0) Oct 3, 2013 Pennsylvania

    I agree no more thinking for the weekend unless you work Saturday ....like I have to! Basically looking to back solve to hopefully play with the same water styles our favorite breweries are playing with. This hobby will keep us all busy till we are pushing up daisies! Thankful for such a great community to share ideas with!
     
    pittvkyle7 likes this.
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