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LD Carlson brewing and winemaking supplies

LD Carlson water salts, acids, finings, Campden tablets, enzymes, yeast nutrients, oak chips, corks and cleaners, used per each label.

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LD Carlson in our catalogue

Products by category

Brewing systems & chillersBrewing systems & chillers: 11Fermenters & temp controlFermenters & temp control: 11Bottling & cappingBottling & capping: 22Ingredients & millingIngredients & milling: 22Yeast & nutrientsYeast & nutrients: 22Brewing chemicals & waterBrewing chemicals & water: 1515Cleaning & sanitizingCleaning & sanitizing: 22Wine, cider, mead & kombuchaWine, cider, mead & kombucha: 33

What LD Carlson makes in our catalogue

LD Carlson is a US wholesaler whose small labeled packets fill the chemical shelf of many homebrew shops. For beer water: gypsum, calcium chloride, calcium carbonate, Burton water salts and lactic acid 88%. For clarity: Whirlfloc tablets (about 214 per pound), Irish moss, gelatin and Sparkolloid. For wine and cider: potassium metabisulfite, potassium Campden tablets, tartaric and malic acid, acid blend, amylase enzyme, and American and French oak chips.

The rest of the range: LD Carlson yeast nutrient (1 tsp per gallon per its listing) and Fermax, maltodextrin and flaked oats, priming sugar, #9 corks, a 45-bottle drying tree, a stainless immersion chiller, an oxygenation system with pump, and One Step and Easy Clean no-rinse cleaners.

Who LD Carlson suits

  • All-grain brewers adjusting water and mash pH
  • Wine and cider makers stabilizing and adjusting acid
  • Anyone who wants small packets instead of bulk bags

Use each product at the dose on its label. Concentrated acids need eye protection and gloves; add acid to water. Campden tablets and K-meta add sulfites.

Chemicals: label directions onlyUse sanitizers, cleaners, acids and salts only at the dilution and contact time on the label. Wear eye protection with acids and powders, add acid to water, keep them away from children and food prep. Star San is EPA-registered (Reg. No. 65001-1) as a no-rinse sanitizer at label dilution.Source: EPA Star San label
Sulfites and sensitive guestsCampden tablets and potassium metabisulfite add sulfites. Commercial wine at 10 ppm or more must say “Contains sulfites”; home wine is not labeled, so tell sulfite-sensitive guests (often people with asthma).Source: TTB: sulfite declaration

Alternatives from other brands

Craft A Brew sells many of the same additives in labeled small sizes, North Mountain Supply covers wine acids and sorbate, Five Star's 5.2 pH Stabilizer is a mash buffer, and Biofine Clear is a silica-based fining.

Brewing water chemistry calculatorSee how many ppm each gram of salt adds.

Before you buy

Pick sizes by how often you brew: 2 oz packets suit occasional batches, 1 lb bags suit regular wine and cider makers. Read each label for dose and storage, and keep acids and sulfites sealed and away from food prep.

LD Carlson products appear in these rankings: best yeast nutrients for mead, wine and beer, best immersion chillers and best wort aeration and oxygenation kits. For a closer look, read Bottling vs kegging homebrew and Whirlfloc vs Irish moss (and other finings).

LD Carlson: questions

How much gypsum should I add to brewing water?
It depends on your water report and target profile. One gram per gallon adds a fixed amount of calcium and sulfate; the water chemistry calculator shows the ppm. Follow the label.
Are LD Carlson Campden tablets potassium or sodium?
The LD Carlson tablets in our catalogue are potassium metabisulfite. They add sulfites; warn sulfite-sensitive guests.
Is One Step a sanitizer?
LD Carlson sells One Step as a no-rinse cleanser. Follow it with a registered sanitizer such as Star San or iodophor.
What is an alternative to LD Carlson additives?
Craft A Brew, North Mountain Supply, Five Star and BSG sell comparable salts, acids, finings and stabilizers.