Sant’Anna™ Revisited №2: Qì Yǔ Lǐ 氣與理 – PREVIEW

This recipe is still under development and may change in the future.

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This recipe focuses on the energy, vibrancy and charisma of tea. While providing a rather reliable brew, it should invigorate its strengths and character, offering an intense and charming experience. The recipe benefits from the unique effect on tea provided by the interaction of the sodium and chloride ions. When the right balance is achieved, they seem to work in unison to enhance the sapidity and liveliness of the brew.

Please keep in mind however, that because of the presence of calcium carbonate [CaCO₃] and magnesium carbonate [MgCO₃] – that are insoluble and need to be carbonated – sodium silicate [Na₂SiO₃·ₓʜ₂ᴏ] – that also needs to be neutralized – and hydrochloric acid [HCl], it may provide some measure of challenge to be prepared.

Sant’Anna™ Revisited recipes are inspired by the tea-caring clarity of Italian high-altitude alpine springs like Sant’Anna (Vinadio), Lurisia (M. Pigna), Sorgente Alba (Piccole Dolomiti), Pura di roccia (Valle dell’Elvo), Levico (Valsugana), Valverde (M. Rosa), and Etrusca (upper Val Bormida).

For 1 litre:

• 7.5 mg of calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum) [CaSO₄.₂ʜ₂ᴏ]
  (7.5 ml of a 0.1% concentrated solution)
  • alternatively: 6 mg of calcium sulfate (anhydrous) [CaSO₄]
    (6 ml of a 0.1% concentrated solution)
• 5 mg of calcium carbonate [CaCO₃]
  (5 ml of a 0.1% concentrated solution)
• 1 mg of magnesium sulfate heptahydrate [MgSO₄.₇ʜ₂ᴏ]
  (0.2 ml of a 0.5% concentrated solution)
• 2 mg of magnesium carbonate [MgCO₃]
  (0.4 ml of a 0.5% concentrated solution)
• Sodium silicate [Na₂SiO₃·ₓʜ₂ᴏ] (see below)
  [Na⁺] target concentration: 2.9 mg/L
• 0.8 mg of potassium bicarbonate (potassium hydrogen carbonate) [KHCO₃]
  (0.27 ml of a 0.3% concentrated solution)
• 2 mg of hydrochloric acid [HCl]
  (0.4 ml of a 0.5% concentrated solution)

Tips for the preparation of single-salt solutions:

CALCIUM CARBONATE [CaCO₃]
To achieve complete dissolution of a 0.1% solution (1 g/L) of calcium carbonate [CaCO₃], please fill up around half of the bottle of your carbonator with a precise amount of purified water, as to leave a large empty margin for water not to overflow and spill out during the following process. Refrigerate it until it is cold and then carbonate that water heavily. Calculate 1 mg of CaCO₃ for every mL of water you poured, and drop it into the bottle. Seal the bottle tightly and, holding it horizontally, delicately rotate it around its longer axis to distribute the powder homogeneously. Do not shake the bottle. Put it back in the fridge on its side and wait 24 hours. It is now ready to be used. Store this single-salt solution in the fridge if possible, and use it to dose CaCO₃ when you need to remineralize your brewing water.

MAGNESIUM CARBONATE [MgCO₃]
To achieve complete dissolution of a 0.5% solution (5 g/L) of magnesium carbonate [CaCO₃], please repeat the same procedure used for calcium carbonate, but calculate 5 mg of CaCO₃ for every mL of water.

SODIUM SILICATE [Na₂SiO₃·ₓʜ₂ᴏ]
You can find sodium silicate commercially sold as either a solid compound (fine powder / crystals / beads), or as a liquid solution; both can have various Na₂O – SiO₂ mass ratios or concentrations. Although it is dangerous to handle, a liquid solution must be preferred in order to simplify the process. Please only purchase a solid sodium silicate compound if the weight ratio of SiO₂ is at least 3 times higher than that of Na₂O (e.g. 60% SiO₂, 20% Na₂O): this is sometimes sold as low-alkalinity sodium silicate.
In order for monomeric orthosilicic acid [H₄SiO₄] to form, a sodium silicate single-salt solution must have a SiO₂ concentration not higher than 124 mg/L (equivalent to the saturation of monomeric OSA). Please open the pre-filled Water Recipe Calculator for this recipe (see below), and input the percentage values for the mass ratios or concentrations of Na₂O and SiO₂ indicated on the specifications sheet of your commercial product. The spreadsheet will then calculate the recommended concentration for your sodium silicate single-salt solution.
If you purchase sodium silicate as a liquid concentrated solution, to obtain a usable monomeric-H₄SiO₄-saturated solution, you need an HDPE water container with a capacity of at least 1 litre, and a carbonator. First, decide the volume of concentrated solution you are going to produce, and carbonate heavily that same amount of purified water, storing it into the HDPE container. Then, you need to increase the solubility of silica and force it to dissolve by temporarily raising the temperature of the solution. For this you need a microwave oven and a small high quality borosilicate glass beaker. Carefully pour the exact calculated volume of product required for your concentrated solution into the beaker. Heat the solution in the oven until it is boiling and then keep it boiling for another 30 seconds. Please be extra careful, as you will obtain a very hot and caustic solution. As a last step, dilution, to achieve the recommended concentration, and neutralisation (acidification) of the pH are required. The simplest way to achieve both goals, is by immediately pouring the heated solution into the HDPE container previously filled with the carbonated purified water.
Should you decide instead to buy a low-alkalinity solid sodium silicate compound (e.g. powdered), the procedure to dissolve it is similar, but slightly more complex. Again, you need a large HDPE water container with a capacity of at least 3 litres, and a carbonator. First, decide the volume of concentrated solution you are going to produce, and carbonate heavily that same amount of purified water, storing it into the HDPE container. Then, please multiply the recommended weight per litre of your solid compound by the volume of your water container in litres (e.g. 0.2 g/L * 3 litres = 600 mg). Then, multiply 10 ml for the same number (e.g. 10 ml * 3 = 30 ml). Now, you need to dissolve the calculated amount of solid compound into the calculated amount of purified water (e.g. dissolve 600 mg in 30 ml of purified water). After that, using a microwave oven, heat the solution until it is boiling and then keep it boiling for another 30 seconds. Please be extra careful, as you will obtain a very hot and caustic solution. Again, as a last step, dilution and neutralisation of the pH are required. To achieve both goals, immediately pour the solution into the HDPE container filled with the previously carbonated purified water (e.g. pour the 30 ml solution into the container, full of ∼3 litres of carbonated purified water).¹
Store the solution you obtain at room temperature. When you need to remineralize your brewing water, please dose enough solution to obtain a sodium concentration of 2.9 mg/L.
Skin contact with a strongly basic solution can cause serious chemical burns. Exposure to sodium silicate fumes can be irritating for the respiratory tract. Always wear skin, eyes, and breathing protection while handling sodium silicate compounds in concentrated, non-neutralized forms.
Thanks and credits to Max of the teasecrets blog for the CO₂ neutralization method!

To calculate the amounts of salts and solutions required to produce larger quantities of water, or to fine-tune the recipe according to your personal preferences, please use the following Google Sheets document (please be careful not to completely deplete the alkalinity buffer):

Sant’Anna Revisited №2: Qì Yǔ Lǐ 氣與理 – CALCULATOR

PROFILE

For an in-depth look at the theoretical composition of this water, please refer to the following table:

Sant’Anna™ Revisited №2: Qì Yǔ Lǐ 氣與理 – Google Sheets

Many thanks to Harald Kalka for creating Aqion, that I used to obtain these values.

REFERENCES and notes

1. Crouse, D. N. (2016). Prevent Alzheimer’s, Autism and Stroke. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
2. Since the composition of liquid and solid sodium silicate commercial products can vary, and we are using a sodium concentration as a target reference for dosing, listed silica concentrations only have indicative value