Vienna, Austria. Extremely hard water with low residual alkalinity - suited to pale beers, with a sulfate-forward balance that sharpens hop bitterness.
| Ion | ppm |
|---|---|
| Calcium (Ca²⁺) | 200 |
| Magnesium (Mg²⁺) | 60 |
| Sodium (Na⁺) | 8 |
| Chloride (Cl⁻) | 12 |
| Sulfate (SO₄²⁻) | 125 |
| Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) | 150 |
| Brewing numbers | |
|---|---|
| Total hardness (as CaCO₃) | 746.5 ppm |
| Alkalinity (as CaCO₃) | 123 ppm |
| Residual alkalinity (as CaCO₃) | -55 ppm |
| Sulfate-to-chloride ratio | 10.4:1 |
Salts to add to reverse-osmosis or distilled water, calculated by the BrewWaterSolver solver with the most common homebrew salts.
| Salt | 5 gal (18.9 L) | 20 L |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium chloride (CaCl₂) | 0.35 g | 0.37 g |
| Gypsum (CaSO₄) | 0.02 g | 0.02 g |
| Epsom salt (MgSO₄) | 7.16 g | 7.56 g |
| Chalk (CaCO₃) | 2.14 g | 2.26 g |
| Baking soda (NaHCO₃) | 0.32 g | 0.34 g |
Closest match with these salts; it can't reach Ca 53.5 ppm vs 200, Mg 38.3 ppm vs 60, SO4 148.9 ppm vs 125 exactly.
Chalk (CaCO₃) doesn't dissolve well directly in mash or sparge water without dissolved CO₂ - slurry it in carbonated water (e.g. sparkling water) before adding it, rather than mixing it into still water or sprinkling it in dry, or the calculated amount may not fully dissolve. How to dissolve chalk with CO₂
Commonly attributed to John Palmer's How to Brew (as cited directly by the BJCP's own exam study guide); BrewWaterSolver's figures diverge from Palmer's published table - see the burton entry's note for why that happens.