Koelsch about to knockout

[Feurhund]

[Owenbräu]

I'm finding the ales can get by with less SMB, especially as you tighten up your system.

[Big Monk]

[Techbrau]

I am down to 50 mg/l now and my beers keep getting better and better as I tighten up my system and dial in my boil.

I'm not sure what the ultimate lower limit would be. You need some to handle dough-in even with an otherwise perfectly closed system (unless you have a vormaischer). My guess is that 25 mg/l is about as low as you'd ever want to go. That said, with 50 mg/l I'm measuring very little left over sulfite post boil (on the order of 20 ppm). I need to take some measurements of my most recent batches post fermentation, but I am hoping that my final sulfite levels are around 10 ppm, which is the concentration that most commercial breweries target in the package. If I'm around 10 ppm, then I see no reason to go lower than 50 mg/l.

[Owenbräu]

Once I built the mash cap, I found I could immediately go down to 50-60mg/l. I am brewing a kolsch today with 40mg/l, and its straw blond and delicious so far.

[Big Monk]

[Owenbräu]

[Brandon]

[Big Monk]

I appreciate the help guys. Will do. I'm doing it piece wise so I'll likely assemble the MLT, BK, automation, etc. in stages.

[Owenbräu]

You can always get the sulfite strips and monitor your levels. You can also just go by your nose. If the mash smells amazing (from a couple feet away, not with your nose over the kettle), then you've likely exhausted your dose.