Brewing Water Chemistry: The Final Frontier

You’ve mastered your grain bill, selected the perfect hops, and pitched healthy yeast. But your beer still doesn’t taste like the commercial examples you admire. Why? The answer is likely Water.

Water makes up over 90% of your beer, yet it is often ignored by homebrewers. Adjusting your water chemistry allows you to control the “texture” of the beer, the sharpness of the bitterness, and the efficiency of the mash.

1. The Basics: Remove the Bad Stuff

Before adding salts, you must remove the chemicals your city adds to tap water.

• Chlorine/Chloramine: These kill bacteria in pipes, but in beer, they react with phenols to create a medicinal “Band-Aid” flavor.
• The Fix: Use a carbon filter, or add 1/4 of a Campden Tablet (Potassium Metabisulfite) per 5 gallons of water. This neutralizes the chlorine instantly.

2. Mash pH: The Sweet Spot

Enzymes in the mash need a specific acidity to convert starch into sugar.

• Target pH: 5.2 – 5.6 (measured at room temperature).
• Too High (> 5.8): You get harsh tannins (astringency) from grain husks.
• Too Low (< 5.0): Poor conversion and thin body.
• Adjustment: Use Lactic Acid or Phosphoric Acid to lower the pH. Use Baking Soda or Slaked Lime to raise it.

3. The Major Ions: Seasoning Your Beer

Think of brewing salts like salt and pepper in cooking. They enhance flavors that are already there.

Calcium (Ca)

• Role: Protects enzymes, helps yeast flocculation, and lowers mash pH.
• Target: 50-150 ppm.

Magnesium (Mg)

• Role: Yeast nutrient. Too much tastes sour/bitter.
• Target: 0-30 ppm.

Sodium (Na)

• Role: Enhances sweetness and body. Too much tastes salty (like seawater).
• Target: 0-50 ppm.

Sulfate (SO4)

• Role: Accentuates hop bitterness, making it “crisp” and “dry.”
• Target: 50-350 ppm.

Chloride (Cl)

• Role: Accentuates malt sweetness, making the mouthfeel “full” and “round.”
• Target: 50-150 ppm.

Bicarbonate (HCO3)

• Role: Acts as a buffer to keep pH high. Great for dark beers (stouts), bad for pale beers.
• Target: 0-50 ppm for pale beers, 100-250 ppm for dark beers.

4. The Sulfate to Chloride Ratio

This is the most powerful dial a brewer can turn.

• Hoppy / Crisp (West Coast IPA, Pilsner)

  • High Sulfate, Low Chloride.
  • Ratio: 2:1 or 3:1 (e.g., 200ppm Sulfate : 75ppm Chloride).
  • Result: Sharp bitterness, dry finish.

• Malty / Full (NEIPA, Stout, Brown Ale)

  • Low Sulfate, High Chloride.
  • Ratio: 1:2 or 1:3 (e.g., 75ppm Sulfate : 150ppm Chloride).
  • Result: Soft mouthfeel, sweet finish, “juicy” character.

• Balanced (Pale Ale, Amber)

  • Equal amounts.
  • Ratio: 1:1.

5. Water Profiles by Style

Here are some target profiles (in ppm) to get you started:

Style	Calcium	Sulfate	Chloride	Profile Description
West Coast IPA	100	250	50	Very dry, sharp bitterness
NEIPA (Hazy)	100	75	150	Soft, pillowy, juicy
Pilsner (Soft)	50	50	50	Very soft, delicate
Stout / Porter	100	50	100	Malty, supports dark grains
English Bitter	100	200	50	”Burtonizing” the water for crispness

Conclusion

You don’t need a chemistry degree to adjust your water. Start simple:

1. Remove Chlorine.
2. Use a brewing calculator (like Bru’n Water or Brewfather) to calculate your additions.
3. Add Gypsum (Sulfate) for hops, or Calcium Chloride (Chloride) for malt.

Taste the difference in your next batch. It will be the single biggest upgrade to your brewing quality.