Expert: John Snyder - 6/19/2008

Question
Hi, the local water supply in our district has a PH of 8 to 8.5 and I was thinking of lowering it to around a level between PH 5- PH 6 for my beer. Would it be fine to use Hydrochloric acid or Muriatic acid to achieve this ?

Answer
Definitely not,never under any circumstance.Brewing water treatment is done with brewing salts,such as Gypsum,or Burton salts.
If you are extract brewing,you do not need to use any water treatment.

Water used for brewing must be chlorine free.
Brewing water treatment additives are:
Gypsum
Burton Salts
These are used when all grain brewing


                       John