What are you doing for pH?

**dsmith1279** · 02-08-2012, 02:07 AM

Folks, making a majorn upgrade in my brew system. Im trying to get smart on the effects of pH on the outcome of the beer. What are you doing for pH measurement? When are you taking them and what are you using? These fancy techno meters look enticing but arent strips just as good?

Anything you'd recommend reading to educate myself?

Chrisl77 · 02-08-2012, 02:24 AM

From what i have read if your just trying to be in the pH range the strips could work, but if your trying to be in the sweet spot of that range you need something more accurate. I just ordered my first meter looking foward to reading what others have to say with more experience then me.

**Spunkmeyer** · 02-08-2012, 02:24 AM

Be sure to read Palmer's "How to Brew" chapters on pH:

http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15.html

Chrisl77 · 02-08-2012, 02:27 AM

Here is the wiki i have read through sofar if it helps. http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

**sudsmcgee** · 02-08-2012, 02:29 AM

I started with strips but quickly moved to an electronic pH meter. Well worth it IMHO.

**BrewMU** · 02-08-2012, 02:31 AM

I've been using ph strips since I started brewing. To be honest, I've never had wort climb above ~ 5.5, but I keep checking. That being the case, I don't see the need to spend my hops and grain money on a device that is more precise than I need. All the standard brew-books cover this; basically they all say you don't want to let ph get above 5.6. The reason given is potential tannin extraction under more basic conditions. If your beer ever gets a mouth puckering orange-pekoe quality, high ph is probably the culprit. One situation where it may be more critical is during a decoction mash - high ph + boiling is ideal for tannin leaching.
There may be situations where more precision than the strips give is called for - I'd be interested in hearing from someone who uses a meter.

Chrisl77 · 02-08-2012, 02:32 AM

Here is the meter that i have on the way. pH meter
For $65 and a +/- accuracy of .01 i couldnt pass it up.

**sudsmcgee** · 02-08-2012, 02:35 AM

I like the meter simply to attempt to gain better control and understanding of my brewing process, but that's just my personality type.

kgoode25 · 02-08-2012, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spunkmeyer

be sure to read palmer's "how to brew" chapters on ph:

http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15.html

+1

**Grinder12000** · 02-08-2012, 03:20 AM

PH is way over rated and is not what you want to learn to fix. Go to the brew science forums and read the primer. It's an eye opener.

Fixing PH is like having a one number chlorestrial number you know the number but not how it's made. I just spent a week obsessing over water.

You can have great PH and horrible water.c all PH tells you is how your mash is. Not the rest of the story for making good beer.