57 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

Yeah, I don't care for numbers that want to vary wildly. If it's any help... I have 138ppm of bicarb and total alkalinity of 113. I typically add about 3g total of CaCl and/or CaSO4 to my beers to get my Ca up to about 60ppm. That 3g of additions might be all CaCl if I'm making a helles or something or it might be about 1.5g of each on a pale ale, amber ale, red ale, etc. I generally have to add about 4ml of 88% lactic to 5 gallons of strike water for my pH to be in the 5.2 - 5.4 range. On a pale beer, I might end up at 5.4 in which case I'll dribble a few more drops of acid into the mash. On a darker, beer, it might be closer to 5.2 because the darker grains are more acidic.

[HVB]

Downloaded ES Water to see what that comes up with.  All three give me the same final values but each has a different pH value.  I am going to go with this and see what I get and compare.

 

9# pils

1.5g Gypsum

1g CaCl

5ml Lactic

 

this will give me

Ca - 47

Cl - 55

SO4 - 41

 

pH predictions are 5.36,5.37 and 5.44

[Bklmt2000]

drez, that profile and predicted pH look fine; at the very least, it's a good starting point for when you re-brew this recipe.

 

As always, some pics of the final product would be lovely. 

[HVB]

Downloaded ES Water to see what that comes up with.  All three give me the same final values but each has a different pH value.  I am going to go with this and see what I get and compare.

 

9# pils

1.5g Gypsum

1g CaCl

5ml Lactic

 

this will give me

Ca - 47

Cl - 55

SO4 - 41

 

pH predictions are 5.36,5.37 and 5.44

Did this yesterday and none of the pH estimates came close.

Mash time = 5min pH = 5.24

Mash time = 35min pH = 5.41

 

Pre-boil pH - 5.49

 

In fermenter pH = 5.48

 

I guess Bru'n Water was the closest today.  In the end it will be fine.

[BlKtRe]

Yes, I can try that test.  For the Patersbier I was thinking I would want that final pH to give me that nice "snap".

I'm looking for PH in the low 4's for the final number. I use up to 10% of Acid Malt. 

Edited by BlKtRe, 26 June 2017 - 07:23 AM.

[HVB]

I'm looking for PH in the low 4's for the final number. I use up to 10% of Acid Malt. 

I agree with that.  While I still have some acid malt kicking around I have moved towards lactic just because it is easier to predict and no variance batch to batch.

[Big Nake]

I agree with that.  While I still have some acid malt kicking around I have moved towards lactic just because it is easier to predict and no variance batch to batch.

Same. I have acid malt but rarely use it. I just don't see the point when I have lactic acid available.

[BlKtRe]

I have a bunch of AM from a group buy. I guess I've never experienced fluctuations when using it. I do see LA would be easier to use but I'm already standing at my mill so no big deal. 

[positiveContact]

Same. I have acid malt but rarely use it. I just don't see the point when I have lactic acid available.

 

I keep telling myself I'll just use up the small amount I have but then I get lazy and use lactic acid.

[Big Nake]

I keep telling myself I'll just use up the small amount I have but then I get lazy and use lactic acid.

If I had 20 pounds of it or something, I would use it. I buy it in 1-pound bags and my guess is that I have a pound or less at this point. I should probably just toss it into an upcoming batch to get the gravity out of it and then wash my hands of it.

[positiveContact]

If I had 20 pounds of it or something, I would use it. I buy it in 1-pound bags and my guess is that I have a pound or less at this point. I should probably just toss it into an upcoming batch to get the gravity out of it and then wash my hands of it.

 

yeup.

[Big Nake]

I have a hoppy blonde coming up this week and I just retooled it to use 8 ounces of acid malt in place of some of the 2-row and it comes to 5.4%. Is that a reasonable percentage? The label on the acid malt says 1% to 5%. It also says that for every 1% of the grist that the acid malt takes up it's .1 on the pH scale which sounds optimistic. That would mean that a pH of 5.5 without the acid malt would drop to 5.0 with this much acid malt. Thoughts?

[positiveContact]

I let bru'n water do the pH predicting for me.  1/2 lb of acid malt in a 5 gal batch doesn't sound too crazy to me.

[Big Nake]

I think I'll just go with it and maybe add less lactic acid to the mash and adjust based on the reading.

[shaggaroo]

All I know is that on my light colored beers with my water, I always use 4 oz of AM, and I'm assuming the pH is fine because I get about 80% eff.

[positiveContact]

All I know is that on my light colored beers with my water, I always use 4 oz of AM, and I'm assuming the pH is fine because I get about 80% eff.

 

it's unclear to me how high or low you can go before efficiency actually starts to suffer.  the main question would be, "does the beer taste good?"  if the answer is yes I wouldn't worry about it.

[Big Nake]

It seems like the mash pH is for efficiency... the conversion of starches to sugars so 5.2 to 5.4 is the zone. For me, the sparge pH is to make sure that water and grains won't be mixed together at a pH higher than 6.0 were tannin extraction could occur and turn your beer into a dreadful trainwreck. The kettle pH usually lines up as long as the first two are good but that one might be for a flavor component. I rarely adjust the pH of the wort sitting in the kettle because it's ordinarily in the 5.2 to 5.3 range which I'm calling good for the boil.

[shaggaroo]

it's unclear to me how high or low you can go before efficiency actually starts to suffer.  the main question would be, "does the beer taste good?"  if the answer is yes I wouldn't worry about it.

it does taste good... and not worried... but, in general, yes I would agree

[positiveContact]

It seems like the mash pH is for efficiency... the conversion of starches to sugars so 5.2 to 5.4 is the zone. For me, the sparge pH is to make sure that water and grains won't be mixed together at a pH higher than 6.0 were tannin extraction could occur and turn your beer into a dreadful trainwreck. The kettle pH usually lines up as long as the first two are good but that one might be for a flavor component. I rarely adjust the pH of the wort sitting in the kettle because it's ordinarily in the 5.2 to 5.3 range which I'm calling good for the boil.

 

I can't be fully certain but I think I often end up on the low side of pH.  no problems here.

[HVB]

I can't be fully certain but I think I often end up on the low side of pH.  no problems here.

Wish I had that problem.  I tend to end up on the high side.