brackbrew

Recipes 

For a couple years now, I've been brewing using a partial mash method, with paying much attention to some of the finer points of what actually goes on in mashing. Only now, after re-reading some of my brewing lit. do I realize how important pH is, even for partial mashing, to get the most out of the bit of base malt that I does use.

I've also gotten into the habit of brewing using distilled water (read that somewhere too, I suppose). I'm gearing up to do a brown porter and was reading about acidity/tannins in the dark malts and just overall pH stuff for partial mashing. As long as I can keep the pH between 5.0 and 5.5 in the mash (looks like I'll probably have to have some calcium carbonate on hand), is using distilled water still a safe bet or should I be looking for something else (like spring water) to use in the mash?

Grinder12000

Recipes 

Not that I'm an expert but make sure you add some sort of yeast nutrient when using distilled water to help the yeast!

I see no problem (but again - I'm not an expert chemist).

BTW - 5.2 buffer will do wonders if you are doing a lighter brew.

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