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Just re-read my local water report/correcting a beer's pH after kegging


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#1 Bklmt2000

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Posted 12 March 2017 - 08:44 AM

Turns out there are some changes since the last time i read my water report: more carbonate/alkalinity, less calcium, and the pH is slightly higher.  Armed with this updated info, I can ensure future batches turn out better.

 

This helps explain why some of my recent batches have been a bit off.  Which brings me to my current dilemma:

 

I have a pale ale currently in the keg, and it's cloudy like orange juice; kinda thin, and the hop character is a bit harsh.  None of these are what I was aiming for with this batch.

 

I have some 88% lactic acid on hand; anyone see a good reason why i couldn't add some to the keg (i'm thinking a mL or less) and see if it helps clear the beer and/or at least make it taste better?



#2 Big Nake

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Posted 12 March 2017 - 08:48 AM

The lower pH seems to bring out a refreshing *SNAP* to the beer where a beer with a higher-than-desired finished pH (flabby beer) doesn't seem as good. Do you use a pH meter when you brew? I only ask because when changes occur in your water without your knowledge you would be able to see that and adjust on-the-fly. The way you describe this pale ale, I'm not sure that acid will help it. You could gel it in the keg which may clear it up and if it's "harsh", maybe you need to boil some water and add a bit of calcium chloride (a gram?) and add that to the keg to smooth it out. I'm just thinking out loud based on your description. I've had beers turn out like that... thin, watery, sort of 'dirty', hop character is not right, the depth is wrong, etc. I don't know how it happens but I've been there.

#3 Bklmt2000

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Posted 12 March 2017 - 09:14 AM

The lower pH seems to bring out a refreshing *SNAP* to the beer where a beer with a higher-than-desired finished pH (flabby beer) doesn't seem as good. Do you use a pH meter when you brew? I only ask because when changes occur in your water without your knowledge you would be able to see that and adjust on-the-fly. The way you describe this pale ale, I'm not sure that acid will help it. You could gel it in the keg which may clear it up and if it's "harsh", maybe you need to boil some water and add a bit of calcium chloride (a gram?) and add that to the keg to smooth it out. I'm just thinking out loud based on your description. I've had beers turn out like that... thin, watery, sort of 'dirty', hop character is not right, the depth is wrong, etc. I don't know how it happens but I've been there.

 

Thanks Ken, as always.

 

I have a pH meter (that i've never been able to get to work), so if I can figure out to make that work, that'll  help avoid these kinds of surprises.

 

Another possibility might be that the yeast (US-05) is taking its sweet time dropping, even though this beer had a 10-day cold crash before kegging.  Didn't look especially cloudy going into the keg.

 

It doesn't taste especially yeast-bitey, but I'm going sample it later, and then probably let it sit a few days before sampling again.



#4 Bklmt2000

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Posted 12 March 2017 - 05:25 PM

Ok, after a pre-dinner pint-sized sample, I'm beginning to think that the yeast (for some unknown reason) didn't floc as well as I'd like,  even with a 10-day cold-crash before kegging.

 

I think i'll let this one sit a few days and try again (sometime around St. Patty's day) and see if things are improved.

 

This might also be the beginning of the end for US-05 as my house ale yeast.  Time to search for a more dependably-flocculant strain.



#5 Stains_not_here_man

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Posted 12 March 2017 - 05:31 PM

1056

#6 MyaCullen

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Posted 12 March 2017 - 05:33 PM

Ok, after a pre-dinner pint-sized sample, I'm beginning to think that the yeast (for some unknown reason) didn't floc as well as I'd like,  even with a 10-day cold-crash before kegging.

 

I think i'll let this one sit a few days and try again (sometime around St. Patty's day) and see if things are improved.

 

This might also be the beginning of the end for US-05 as my house ale yeast.  Time to search for a more dependably-flocculant strain.

I've had this happen to me several times with 05, just call it New England Style

 

or pick a new yeast


1056

I prefer 1450



#7 Big Nake

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Posted 12 March 2017 - 06:07 PM

I never really cared for US05 primarily because I found it to be unpredictable. At times it would do exactly as I envisioned. Other times I would get a peachy-apricot ester to the point where some people were asking what fruit I put in the beer. It definitely attenuates well... that much is reliable. But for a standard, neutral yeast strain I would much rather use 1056 or even 1028 if you want better floccing. Better yet, go with 1099, 1728 or 1968 which floc like crazy. S-04 could also slip in to help with your US05 issues but it will produce diaceytl if you're not careful.


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