A general-purpose pale ale target, useful when no more specific pale ale substyle applies.
The target has a sulfate-to-chloride ratio of 1.7:1 (balanced) - the balance that shapes how hoppy or malty the beer tastes.
| Ion | Target (ppm) |
|---|---|
| Calcium (Ca²⁺) | 75 |
| Magnesium (Mg²⁺) | 5 |
| Sodium (Na⁺) | 10 |
| Chloride (Cl⁻) | 60 |
| Sulfate (SO₄²⁻) | 100 |
| Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) | 45 |
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) | 2.23 g | 2.36 g |
| Gypsum (CaSO₄) | 2.77 g | 2.92 g |
| Epsom salt (MgSO₄) | 0.78 g | 0.82 g |
| Chalk (CaCO₃) | 0.36 g | 0.38 g |
| Baking soda (NaHCO₃) | 0.49 g | 0.51 g |
Resulting water: Ca 76.8, Mg 5.1, Na 10, Cl 59.9, SO4 98.6, HCO3 45 ppm. Split the salts between mash and sparge water in the solver if you prefer.
With RO water and the salts above, a typical Pale Ale grist is predicted to mash at pH 5.57, against a target of 5.35 (gold/amber color - crisp but rounded). To bring it down, add about 4.2 mL of 88% lactic acid for 5 gal (4.4 mL for 20 L).
Estimated from the style's typical color (SRM 7) without a real grain bill - enter your recipe in the solver for a sharper prediction, and always check with a pH meter.