A historic American lager-adjacent ale, amber and lightly sour, brewed with a corn adjunct.
The target has a sulfate-to-chloride ratio of 0.8:1 (malt-leaning, balanced) - the balance that shapes how hoppy or malty the beer tastes.
| Ion | Target (ppm) |
|---|---|
| Calcium (Ca²⁺) | 90 |
| Magnesium (Mg²⁺) | 10 |
| Sodium (Na⁺) | 20 |
| Chloride (Cl⁻) | 100 |
| Sulfate (SO₄²⁻) | 80 |
| Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) | 100 |
Water chemistry is highly recipe-dependent or the style is broad/historical. Treat this as a starting hypothesis, not a style requirement.
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) | 3.80 g | 4.01 g |
| Gypsum (CaSO₄) | 1.44 g | 1.52 g |
| Epsom salt (MgSO₄) | 1.74 g | 1.84 g |
| Chalk (CaCO₃) | 0.80 g | 0.84 g |
| Baking soda (NaHCO₃) | 1.18 g | 1.25 g |
Resulting water: Ca 92.3, Mg 10, Na 20.1, Cl 99.8, SO4 79.2, HCO3 99.9 ppm. Split the salts between mash and sparge water in the solver if you prefer.
With RO water and the salts above, a typical Kentucky Common grist is predicted to mash at pH 5.61, against a target of 5.40 (amber/brown color - balanced pH for malt character). To bring it down, add about 4 mL of 88% lactic acid for 5 gal (4.3 mL for 20 L).
Estimated from the style's typical color (SRM 12) without a real grain bill - enter your recipe in the solver for a sharper prediction, and always check with a pH meter.
Kentucky Common Beer - these BA styles use the same water target.