A pale, malt-focused German lager with soft bready sweetness and restrained hop bitterness.
The target has a sulfate-to-chloride ratio of 0.4:1 (very malty, round, sweet) - the balance that shapes how hoppy or malty the beer tastes.
| Ion | Target (ppm) |
|---|---|
| Calcium (Ca²⁺) | 50 |
| Magnesium (Mg²⁺) | 5 |
| Sodium (Na⁺) | 10 |
| Chloride (Cl⁻) | 80 |
| Sulfate (SO₄²⁻) | 35 |
| Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) | 20 |
Water target is a strong practical fit for the style family. Use as an RO starting point, then verify mash pH from the actual grist.
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) | 3.00 g | 3.17 g |
| Gypsum (CaSO₄) | 0.57 g | 0.60 g |
| Epsom salt (MgSO₄) | 0.81 g | 0.85 g |
| Baking soda (NaHCO₃) | 0.45 g | 0.47 g |
Resulting water: Ca 53.2, Mg 5.2, Na 9.4, Cl 79.5, SO4 34.4, HCO3 20.1 ppm. Split the salts between mash and sparge water in the solver if you prefer.
With RO water and the salts above, a typical Munich Helles grist is predicted to mash at pH 5.72, against a target of 5.30 (pale color - lower pH enhances crispness). To bring it down, add about 7.9 mL of 88% lactic acid for 5 gal (8.3 mL for 20 L).
Estimated from the style's typical color (SRM 4) without a real grain bill - enter your recipe in the solver for a sharper prediction, and always check with a pH meter.
Bamberg-Style Helles Rauchbier, Munich-Style Helles - these BA styles use the same water target.