Grinder12000

Recipes 

I used 5.2 buffer in my mini mashes with very good results! Since our water is crazy hard in the mash can I use 5.2 buffer in all grain brews???? I would have to add so much Gypsum the brew would taste hideous if I went that route!

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Grinders Island Brewery - Pipeline (Batch #)

Secondary Kentucky Common(83)
Primary #1 Scottish Ale 70(84)
Primary #2 The Black Pearl Porter(85)

Lennie

Recipes 

5.2 is a poor buffer, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Theres really no subsititute for adjusting your water to get the appropriate pH. Look into one of the water adjustment calculators, and err on the low side.

You can add calcium chloride, or acidify with lactic acid or phosphoric acid. I think NB sells a 10% phosphoric acid solution.

Grinder12000

Recipes 

I have and that is the problem - I would have to add so much chems it would spoil the brew. 15 teaspoons of Gypsum in a 10G batch can't taste good LOL

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Grinders Island Brewery - Pipeline (Batch #)

Secondary Kentucky Common(83)
Primary #1 Scottish Ale 70(84)
Primary #2 The Black Pearl Porter(85)

wildwest450

Recipes 

What was the mash ph when you checked it?

Lennie

Recipes 

Start with RO water from Walmart, $1.85 for 5gal. Then you aren't having to fight the stuff thats already in your water, for certain recipes. On the other hand your water is likely good for some styles and can be used with little additions.

Theres no way you should need to add 15tsp of CaSO4, either your water is super alkaline or you didn't enter something right.

david_42

Recipes 

I've always had good luck with pH 5.2 in all-grain mashes, but I admit to having very good water.

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Remember one unassailable statistic, as explained by the late, great George Carlin: "Just think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of them are even stupider!"

BigEd

Recipes 

That cannot be correct. What on Earth requires 15 tsp of gypsum and how did you determine that quantity?

Grinder12000

Recipes 

Sadly we have done the math.

I need to add 310 Ca in a 5G batch to get the correct PH for the mash I need 5 grams of gypsum at 1.25 teaspoons per gram.

__________________
Grinders Island Brewery - Pipeline (Batch #)

Secondary Kentucky Common(83)
Primary #1 Scottish Ale 70(84)
Primary #2 The Black Pearl Porter(85)

BigEd

Recipes 

Please post your water profile and recipe. Something is either wrong or extremely unusual. BTW, for future reference it's small p, uppercase H: pH.

Beerrific

Recipes 

Is the gypsum to lower the mash pH? Lactic acid or some other acid would also work (arguable better).