A hoppy English ale with earthy, floral hop character balanced by a firmer malt backbone than its American counterpart.
The target has a sulfate-to-chloride ratio of 3.5:1 (hop-forward, dry, crisp) - the balance that shapes how hoppy or malty the beer tastes.
| Ion | Target (ppm) |
|---|---|
| Calcium (Ca²⁺) | 150 |
| Magnesium (Mg²⁺) | 20 |
| Sodium (Na⁺) | 40 |
| Chloride (Cl⁻) | 95 |
| Sulfate (SO₄²⁻) | 330 |
| Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) | 85 |
Useful starting target, but recipe composition or regional interpretation can materially change the optimum. Verify mash pH and sensory balance.
Salts to add to reverse-osmosis or distilled water to reach this target, calculated by the BrewWaterSolver solver with the most common homebrew salts (calcium chloride, gypsum, Epsom salt, chalk and baking soda).
| Salt | 5 gal (18.9 L) | 20 L |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium chloride (CaCl₂) | 3.60 g | 3.81 g |
| Gypsum (CaSO₄) | 8.20 g | 8.66 g |
| Epsom salt (MgSO₄) | 3.68 g | 3.89 g |
| Baking soda (NaHCO₃) | 2.16 g | 2.29 g |
Resulting water: Ca 155.7, Mg 20.2, Na 34.3, Cl 94.9, SO4 318.5, HCO3 86.1 ppm. Split the salts between mash and sparge water in the solver if you prefer.
With RO water and the salts above, a typical English IPA grist is predicted to mash at pH 5.53, against a target of 5.35 (gold/amber color - crisp but rounded). To bring it down, add about 3.4 mL of 88% lactic acid for 5 gal (3.6 mL for 20 L).
Estimated from the style's typical color (SRM 10) without a real grain bill - enter your recipe in the solver for a sharper prediction, and always check with a pH meter.
British-Style India Pale Ale - these BA styles use the same water target.