Brewing · Calculator

Brewing Water Calculator

Dial in your brewing water minerals. Enter your source water, pick a target profile, and get exact salt additions for any batch size.

Start calculating Read the guide
Brewing mineral additions weighed beside water and a kettle

How to use this calculator

Plan mineral additions from your source water and target beer profile.

  1. 1

    Set water volume and source. Choose units and volume, then select a source-water preset or enter the six mineral values from your report.

  2. 2

    Choose the target profile. Select the beer profile you want to approach.

  3. 3

    Read additions and final minerals. Weigh the suggested salts and compare the resulting mineral levels with the targets.

Use zero mineral values for RO or distilled water when appropriate. Review the resulting profile rather than assuming every target is matched exactly.

Live calculator

Your water

Your water now

Pick the closest match, or type the numbers from your water report (ppm = mg per litre).

Beer you are brewing

Ales, lagers, general purpose.

Salt additions for 20 L

Gypsum · CaSO₄·2H₂O1.9g≈ 0.5 tsp
Calcium Chloride · CaCl₂·2H₂O2.9g≈ 0.8 tsp
Epsom Salt · MgSO₄·7H₂O1.1g≈ 0.2 tsp
Baking Soda · NaHCO₃1.1g≈ 0.3 tsp
Chalk · CaCO₃1.6g≈ 0.9 tsp

Your water after the additions

Calcium Ca 93ppm target 80
Magnesium Mg 5ppm target 5
Sodium Na 16ppm target 15
Sulfate SO₄ 75ppm target 80
Chloride Cl 69ppm target 75
Bicarbonate HCO₃ 87ppm target 100
Sulfate to chloride 1.1 : 1 Balanced
See your 4 steps

What to do next

Treat your water in 4 steps

For 20 L of water.

  1. 1

    Measure the water

    5 min

    Measure 20 L of your source water for mash and sparge.

  2. 2

    Weigh the minerals

    5 min

    1.9 g gypsum, 2.9 g calcium chloride, 1.1 g epsom salt, 1.1 g baking soda, 1.6 g chalk.

  3. 3

    Split them

    Mash day

    Add the minerals to the mash and sparge water in proportion to how much water each uses.

  4. 4

    Brew and note the result

    Brew day

    Your sulfate to chloride balance is 1.1 : 1 (Balanced). Note how the beer tastes for next time.

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Water profiles by beer style

ProfileCaMgNaSO₄ClHCO₃Best for
Balanced805158075100Ales, lagers, general purpose
Hoppy / IPA10010152005050IPAs, pale ales, hop-forward styles
Malty / Amber75101550120100Amber ales, brown ales, malt-forward
Pilsner10325515Pilsners, light lagers, delicate styles
Stout10015505075200Stouts, porters, dark ales

All values in ppm (mg per litre).

Add the salts to your mash and sparge water before you mash in, and use non-iodized salt. Starting from RO or distilled water gives the most repeatable results.

Water chemistry guide

Understanding brewing water

Water is the largest ingredient in beer. Adjusting its mineral content is one of the simplest ways to elevate your brewing from good to exceptional.

How we calculate: Brewing methods

Use these reference values to interpret your results

  • Target calcium

    50–150 ppm

    The usual calcium range for healthy yeast, a working mash and clear beer.

  • Hoppy ratio

    2 : 1

    Sulfate-to-chloride ratio that emphasises hop bitterness and a dry finish.

  • Common salts

    6 salts

    Gypsum, calcium chloride, Epsom salt, table salt, baking soda and chalk cover nearly any water target.

Understand and use your results

Enter how much water you are treating and what is in it now: pick the closest match, or type the six numbers from your water report or test kit. Then pick the beer you are brewing. The calculator shows the grams of each salt to add, roughly how many teaspoons that is, and what your water will look like afterwards.

If you are starting from RO or distilled water, leave every mineral at zero. The calculator weighs all six salts against all six targets at once, so the side effects of each salt (the sodium in baking soda, the sulfate in Epsom salt) count against the result instead of quietly overshooting.

Why water chemistry matters

The minerals dissolved in your brewing water shape every aspect of the finished beer. Calcium supports enzyme activity in the mash, promotes yeast health, and helps proteins coagulate for clearer beer. It is the single most important mineral for brewers.

Sulfate sharpens hop bitterness and gives a dry, crisp finish. Chloride rounds out malt character and adds body. The balance between these two ions is one of the most powerful stylistic levers a brewer can pull.

Common mineral profiles by style

These profiles represent proven starting points for popular beer styles. Adjust to taste after your first batch.

BalancedCa 80, SO₄ 80, Cl 75, Mg 5, Na 15, HCO₃ 100 — versatile middle ground for pale ales and lagers.
Hoppy / IPACa 100, SO₄ 200, Cl 50, Mg 10, Na 15, HCO₃ 50 — high sulfate for crisp bitterness.
Malty / AmberCa 75, SO₄ 50, Cl 120, Mg 10, Na 15, HCO₃ 100 — chloride-forward for malt sweetness.
StoutCa 100, SO₄ 50, Cl 75, Mg 15, Na 50, HCO₃ 200 — extra alkalinity to balance roasted grain.
PilsnerCa 10, SO₄ 5, Cl 5, Mg 3, Na 2, HCO₃ 15 — very soft water for delicate malt and hop balance.

Brewing salt additions explained

Gypsum (CaSO4) raises both calcium and sulfate. It is the primary salt for pushing water toward a hoppy profile. Calcium chloride (CaCl2) raises calcium and chloride, steering the profile malt-forward.

Epsom salt (MgSO4) adds magnesium and sulfate. Use it sparingly — magnesium above 30 ppm can produce a bitter, astringent flavour. Table salt (NaCl, non-iodized) raises sodium and chloride and is useful for rounding out flavour at low levels. Baking soda (NaHCO3) raises alkalinity and sodium, and is the easy way to stop dark grains pulling the mash too acidic. Chalk (CaCO3) raises calcium and alkalinity but dissolves poorly; it is mainly used for very dark beers that need higher mash pH.

Getting started with water adjustment

The easiest path for beginners is to buy RO water from a grocery store and build up from zero. This eliminates variables from your tap water and gives you repeatable results. Five gallons of RO water typically costs under two dollars.

Invest in a small digital scale that reads to 0.1 grams — brewing salt additions are often in the 1–5 gram range, so a kitchen scale that reads only whole grams is not precise enough. Add salts to your strike water before mashing and stir until fully dissolved.

Brewing water chemistry adjustment guide

Adjust in this order, one batch at a time, and write down what you added.

  1. 1

    Know your starting water. Read calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfate, chloride and bicarbonate from your water report or a test kit. Starting from RO or distilled water, all six are zero.

  2. 2

    Pick a target for the style. Use the profiles above as a starting point: high sulfate for a hoppy IPA, chloride-forward for amber and malty beers, extra alkalinity for stouts, very soft water for pilsner.

  3. 3

    Set the sulfate-to-chloride balance. Around 2:1 or higher leans crisp and bitter, around 1:1 is balanced, and 1:2 or lower leans soft and malty.

  4. 4

    Weigh and add the salts. Enter the volume and both profiles in the calculator, weigh each salt to 0.1 g, and stir it into the strike water before mashing until it dissolves.

  5. 5

    Check the mash pH. Aim for about 5.2–5.6 measured at room temperature. Lower it with a little lactic acid, or raise it with baking soda for dark grain bills.

  6. 6

    Taste and adjust next time. Change one mineral at a time between batches so you can tell what each one did.

FAQ

Water chemistry questions, answered

Common questions about adjusting brewing water for better beer.

Why does water chemistry matter in brewing?
Water makes up over 90% of beer. Its mineral content affects mash pH, enzyme activity, hop perception, and mouthfeel. Sulfate accentuates hop bitterness and dryness, while chloride enhances malt sweetness and body. Matching your water to the style you are brewing can dramatically improve the finished beer.
What is the sulfate-to-chloride ratio?
The sulfate-to-chloride ratio determines whether a beer leans hoppy-dry or malt-forward. A ratio above 2:1 emphasises hops and crispness, typical for IPAs. A ratio below 1:1 highlights malt and roundness, suited for stouts and amber ales. A balanced 1:1 ratio works well for most pale ales and lagers.
What water profile should I start with?
If you are new to water adjustment, start by building up from reverse-osmosis (RO) or distilled water. This gives you a blank slate. Add minerals to match a classic profile like "Balanced" (80 ppm calcium, 80 ppm sulfate, 75 ppm chloride) and adjust from there based on the style and your taste preferences.
How much gypsum raises sulfate by 100 ppm?
One gram of gypsum (calcium sulfate) per gallon of water adds approximately 62 ppm calcium and 148 ppm sulfate. To raise sulfate by 100 ppm in 5 gallons, you need roughly 3.4 grams. This calculator handles the arithmetic automatically for your batch volume.
Can I use tap water for brewing?
Yes, if you know your tap water mineral content. Request a water report from your utility or use a home test kit. Enter the baseline numbers into this calculator and it will tell you how much of each salt to add (or whether you need to dilute with RO water to reduce existing minerals).
What are the main brewing salts?
The six common brewing salts are gypsum (calcium sulfate), calcium chloride, Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate), table salt (sodium chloride, non-iodized), baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and chalk (calcium carbonate). Each raises different mineral ions, so combinations let you fine-tune your water profile to any target.

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