klnosaj

Recipes 

I know this guy who wants to know what would happen if, hypothetically speaking, of course, since what kind of idiot would ever actually do this? one were to add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to a mash instead of the 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda I....I mean this hypothetical person...meant to add?

jescholler

Recipes 

I think you'll probably be fine. The ingredients on my can of baking powder are cornstarch, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sodium aluminum sulfate, monocalcium phosphate.

I would think the cornstarch got converted in the mash, so shouldn't cause a haze. Baking power actually has baking soda. Sulfate, phosphate, and calcium (not sure what monocalcium is) are used in brewing:
http://www.beer-brewing.com/beer-brewing/brewing_water/minerals_brewing_water.htm
Not sure about the aluminum though. It's probably in small enough amounts that it won't be detectable.

__________________
Harsh Bitterness Experiment

Primary: Not until fall :(
Bottle: English Barleywine
On Deck: Session APA, Vanilla Oatmeal Stout

jescholler

Recipes 

I forgot to add, I doubt the baking powder had the same effect on the pH as the baking soda would have. Either way, it's pretty much guess work, until you actually measure, so I doubt it made a dramatic difference.

What kind of beer are you making? I've found baking soda to be mostly unnecessary in brewing (I admit, there probably are a few rare cases where it is). I have extremely soft water and assumed I needed baking soda for a CDA I was making. I added 3/8 tsp to my mash and ended up with a pH of 5.6! That may have been the last time I use baking soda for brewing. I haven't done anything dark since, but from now on, I'll probably wait until I measure the pH to add any baking soda.

__________________
Harsh Bitterness Experiment

Primary: Not until fall :(
Bottle: English Barleywine
On Deck: Session APA, Vanilla Oatmeal Stout

bobbrews

Recipes 

"Let's say, hypothetically of course, someone accidentally sat on an unsheathed banana covered in KY. I know this guy who wants to know what would happen if, hypothetically speaking, of course, since what kind of idiot would ever actually do this? one were to sit on an unsheathed banana covered in KY....I mean this hypothetical person...meant to add"

...You can see how this could be seen as unbelievable or even ridiculous, right? Just fess up and come clean that YOU actually added baking powder to your mash.

usfmikeb

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Lol

__________________
Primary: Apfelwein 6/12, Peach Pyment 2/12, Cherry Melomel 9/12
Secondary: Douglah Capsicumel 10/11, Chocolate Mead 10/11, Bochet Mead 11/11, Cranberry Mead 11/11, Elderbarrel Flanders Kriek 9/12, Skeeter Pee 6/12
Bottle Conditioning: Spiced Mead 5/11, Peach Mango Mead 7/11, Spiced Cherry Dubbel 8/11
Kegged: English Barleywine 11/11, Chocolate Stout 2/12, Apfelwein 2/12
On Tap: Porter 10/12, Cherry Dubbel 9/12, Yooper's Pale Ale 11/12
Gallons in 2012: 88

klnosaj

Recipes 

What kind of beer was I trying to make? You mean what kind of beer was the hypothetical brewer making, right?

And, hypothetically speaking, assume the addition was called for as a result of using water software, like, say, oh, I don't know...bru'nwater? Hypothetically, of course.

amandabab

Recipes 

baking powder is mostly corn starch and baking soda (with a few sulphates for co2 production)

so you added a little baking soda for a minor ph adjustment and a lot of starch that won't convert, your mash may fizz a bit.

it will ferment out a bit high but not be horrible, its only 1/2 a teaspoon of starch .

BTW: you need to freeze the hypothetical banana or the whole process gets messy.

Fid

Recipes 

^ win.

klnosaj

Recipes 

But the final taste, you think, won't be impacted in a noticeable (or at least negatively noticeable) way? It's the aluminum and Monocalcium Phosphate that had me concerned. I discovered they use the latter in fertilizer.

amandabab

Recipes 

I really don't think it will, the amounts of those are very small. diluted to 5-10 gallons its nothing.