Stout Alkilinity

What's the range for brewing Stout, how much affect does it have on end product from a dry to a sweet stout?

Do you normally treat your water?

Here in bonny scotland I've never needed to - water's water here

Do you normally treat your water?

Here in bonny scotland I've never needed to - water's water here

I have to, with a starting 240ppm this time of year, the mash struggles to get below 5.7 pH and my ales can end up with some astringency and harsh bitterness and conversion suffers, I aim for 100ppm for dark bitter type beers, which puts the mash around 5.4 pH. Calcium is already at 125ppm which is ideal.

I normally go between 80-125 depending on just how much dark/crystal malt is in the grist

[GrowlingDog]

I like a good Full stout, I used to use plenty of dark crystals. It was the one thing I could brew with absolutely no water treatment. Essex finest did an excellent job at about 180.

Never bother with AMS when brewing stouts... Need to add around 0.8ml per litre tho for blonde ales.