Principle

The objective of liquor treatment is to convert your water supply into acceptable brewing liquor.

Chloride ions have a huge impact on beer flavour characteristics, chloride imparts palate fullness and to an extent sweetness.

Application and rates of use

PDV salt is normally added to the grist prior to mashing and should NOT be added to the hot liquor tank (HLT).

Rates of PDV salt should be determined based on the final brew-length and are dependant on the levels of chloride present in your untreated liquor.

Levels of the relevant ions present in your liquor can be obtained from your Local Water Authority or you can send in 50ml of your raw liquor to Murphy’s laboratory for analysis and suggested treatment rates. Please note Local Authority reports can provide results that are not up to date and this may affect your calculations for ideal dosage rates. It is advisable to check the analysis of your water at least once a year, or on a more regular basis if the supply changes.

Once you have obtained your analysis of your raw liquor you can then calculate your dosage rates by selecting which beer type you wish to brew and refer to table 1, this will help you determine how many ions to add.

17g of PDV Salt per hl of your brew-length increases chloride levels by 103 mg/litre (ppm). It is advised not to exceed 28 g per hl as it can cause a salty taste in your beer.

Knowing this information you can calculate the amount of PDV Salt needed to increase the relevant ions to the ideal level.