tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445569787371915337.post5196980833363340626..comments2024-03-28T13:20:29.156-07:00Comments on Shut up about Barclay Perkins: Danish brewing in 1960 - boiling and coolingRon Pattinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03095189986589865751noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445569787371915337.post-65553511641055135442014-09-25T22:59:29.380-07:002014-09-25T22:59:29.380-07:00"Adding gypsum to the grist would have effect..."Adding gypsum to the grist would have effectively hardened the water, so why soften it first?"<br /><br />I guess they would soften it first to remove bicarbonates which the water in Denmark is often rich in, and make the bitterness seems harsh.<br /><br />Then they would add gypsum to add calcium which is vital to yeast health and clarification and sulfate to increase perceived "crispness".Christian Skovdal Andersenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00551955110368254995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445569787371915337.post-64131248655556769802014-09-25T08:01:17.527-07:002014-09-25T08:01:17.527-07:00"Adding gypsum to the grist would have effect..."Adding gypsum to the grist would have effectively hardened the water, so why soften it first? Was gypsum being used as a sort of Burtonisation?"<br /><br />They softened it with lime to reduce the bicarbonate alkalinity of the water by precipitating it out as CaCO3. This was necessary because they were not using any dark malt, which is acidic and balances alkalinity. But this also reduces the Ca++, which is necessary for starch conversion, so they must add it back with the gypsum.Jeff Rennernoreply@blogger.com