Food Grade Gypsum for Brewing Water Adjustment
Calcium Sulphate (Gypsum) is a food-grade brewing salt used to adjust calcium and sulphate levels in brewing water.
Gypsum is particularly useful for pale ales, IPAs and other hop-forward beers, where increased sulphate can help enhance hop bitterness and contribute to a drier, crisper perception in the finished beer.
It is also a versatile food-grade mineral suitable for a range of other applications, including mushroom cultivation and substrate preparation.
Why You’ll Love It
- Food grade Calcium Sulphate (Gypsum)
- Popular brewing water adjustment salt
- Adds calcium and sulphate to brewing water
- Helps enhance hop bitterness and crispness
- Excellent for pale ales, IPAs and hop-forward beers
- Useful when building brewing water from RO or low-mineral water
- Also suitable for mushroom cultivation and substrate preparation
- Convenient sizes for home and craft use
Why Use Calcium Sulphate in Brewing?
Calcium Sulphate is one of the most commonly used salts for brewing water chemistry.
Adding gypsum increases both calcium (Ca²⁺) and sulphate (SO₄²⁻) levels in your brewing water.
Sulphate can help accentuate hop bitterness and contribute to a drier, crisper and more defined hop character, making gypsum particularly useful when brewing:
- American Pale Ale
- IPA
- West Coast IPA
- Double IPA
- British Pale Ale
- Bitter
- Other hop-forward beer styles
Calcium also plays an important role in brewing and can assist with mash performance, yeast health, clarification and overall brewing-water composition.
How to Use
The amount of Calcium Sulphate required depends on your starting water profile and target brewing-water profile.
Gypsum can be added to your mash water, sparge water or brewing liquor as required by your water treatment calculations.
For best results, use a brewing water calculator such as Brewfather together with an accurate analysis of your starting water.
Avoid using a fixed gypsum addition for every recipe, as different beer styles benefit from different calcium, sulphate and chloride balances.
Other Uses – Mushroom Cultivation
Food grade Calcium Sulphate (Gypsum) is also commonly used in mushroom cultivation, including grain spawn and substrate preparation.
Gypsum can help reduce grain clumping while also providing a source of calcium and sulphur to the growing medium.
Application rates vary depending on the grain, substrate and cultivation method being used.
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Product | Calcium Sulphate |
| Common Name | Gypsum |
| Grade | Food Grade |
| Primary Use | Brewing Water Adjustment |
| Adds | Calcium & Sulphate |
| Suitable Beer Styles | Pale Ale, IPA, West Coast IPA, Bitter & Hop-Forward Beers |
| Other Uses | Food Applications & Mushroom Cultivation |
| Pack Sizes | Select Available Size |
What’s Included
1 × Food Grade Calcium Sulphate (Gypsum)
Select your required pack size above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does gypsum do in brewing?
Gypsum adds calcium and sulphate to brewing water. Increased sulphate can help accentuate hop bitterness and create a drier, crisper perception in hop-forward beers.
Is calcium sulphate the same as gypsum?
Yes. Gypsum is the commonly used name for calcium sulphate and is one of the standard mineral salts used for brewing water adjustment.
What beers benefit from gypsum?
Gypsum is particularly useful for pale ales, IPAs, West Coast IPAs, bitters and other hop-forward beers where a more pronounced, crisp hop character is desired.
Can I use gypsum with RO water?
Yes. Calcium Sulphate is commonly used when building a brewing-water profile from RO or low-mineral water, together with other brewing salts as required.
How much gypsum should I add to my beer?
There isn't one correct dosage for every beer. The amount depends on your starting water chemistry and desired target profile. A brewing-water calculator should be used to determine the appropriate addition.
Can calcium sulphate gypsum be used for mushroom cultivation?
Yes. Food grade gypsum is commonly used in mushroom grain spawn and substrate preparation, where it can help reduce grain clumping while providing calcium and sulphur.
Why Buy from Border Brewing Supplies?
Border Brewing Supplies stocks a range of food-grade brewing salts and water treatment products for accurately adjusting your brewing water.
- Food grade brewing ingredients
- Convenient pack sizes
- Brewing salts for custom water profiles
- Australia-wide shipping
- Click & Collect from Tweed Heads South
- Convenient for Gold Coast, Tweed Heads and Northern NSW brewers
