I was gonna try Ed worts hefe recipe but looking around I see other recipes use acid malt his does not, seems like a good recipe anyway but didn't know if I'm not doing a decoction mash is acid malt necessary.
Is acid malt necessary in a hefeweizen
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Conan
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I've never used acidulated malt in a hefe. If EdWort's recipe doesn't call for if I wouldn't use any. In fact, don't change a thing on his recipes...they're stellar! Kyle
I always, always include a little aciduated malt in a hefeweizen.
It's not a flavor contribution, it's to get the mash pH in the proper range. Hefeweizens, including EdWort's, use light malts like Pilsner and white wheat. If you mash those grains on their own, the mash pH will be too high. Acid lowers the pH to the right range.
It's not a flavor contribution, it's to get the mash pH in the proper range. Hefeweizens, including EdWort's, use light malts like Pilsner and white wheat. If you mash those grains on their own, the mash pH will be too high. Acid lowers the pH to the right range.
LLBeanJ
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Yeah, I'd say any light beer like that is going to need some acid from somewhere to bring the pH into the proper range.
Edit to add: Before I started treating my brewing water, I brewed quite a few wheats with no acid and they turned out fine, at least as far as I could tell. I do have really soft water, though.
Edit to add: Before I started treating my brewing water, I brewed quite a few wheats with no acid and they turned out fine, at least as far as I could tell. I do have really soft water, though.
Given the very pale kilning of the typical grain of a weizen grist, it is very likely that an acid will be needed in the mash. Even if you started with distilled or RO water, the mash pH would likely be a little too high. So plan on adding some form of lactic acid to the mash. If your tap water has much alkalinity, then more lactic acid will be required.
PS: acid malt supplies lactic acid.
PS: acid malt supplies lactic acid.
olotti
Well-Known Member
As far as water goes At the moment I use bottled spring water. How much of the grain bill should be acid malt?
"Bottled Spring Water" doesn't tell you what you need to know. If it reports the alkalinity and the calcium and magnesium content, then you have something to work with.
What you are asking is like asking if you would need to pay a fine if you drove 40 in a 30 zone. We can't even give a reasonable answer without knowing some things. Most of us would need to because those light color grains cannot reduce the pH of our water enough. Your water? Who knows?
Natdavis777
Well-Known Member
We really cannot give you a specific amount due to not knowing what your water profile is like. One thing you can do is switch to RO water, use a water program like Bru'n Water or Brewers Friend (I recommend Bru'n) plug in your grain bill and water volumes, set water to 100% RO dillution, and then check your final mash pH. You can then add small amounts of acid malt in the grain column to dial in the desirable pH.
I use 100% RO and my 10gal Weissbier calls for 4oz acid malt which puts my mash pH @ 5.3 with a 60/40 ratio of Pils/wheat
olotti
Well-Known Member
Gotcha. Ok I'll take a look at this. I'll prob just leave it out for this batch and see how it goes.
CAvellan
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I know this is an old thread but as ironic as it may sound, do you use acidulated malt to avoid tartness in a Hefe? The tart flavor in my hefes seem to eclipse any banana/clove taste.
Reference escapes me but a higher mash pH can help with increasing ferulic acid in the wort helping with 4VG formation during fermentation (clove). This makes acidification of sparge water and/or RO sparge water necessary so the pH doesn't get TOO high, and then likely kettle acidification necessary as well, but is an argument against using acidulated malt in particular but against much acidification of the mash more generally.
In broader terms beyond Hefe, any time acid malt or acid is included it's best viewed strictly in the confines of your water. The acidification needs of very low alkaline water (RO or thereabouts) and very highly alkaline water are very different.
In broader terms beyond Hefe, any time acid malt or acid is included it's best viewed strictly in the confines of your water. The acidification needs of very low alkaline water (RO or thereabouts) and very highly alkaline water are very different.
CAvellan
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I've come to the conclusion that I need to focus on the water for my next Hefe batch... I will try to get to the 5.2-5.3 PH target.
My normal (~70F measured) mash pH target is 5.45. For Hefe I target more like 5.7-5.8 and then acidify the kettle down to 5.2
I don't fret 5.3 in the mash but 5.2 is too low a mash pH for just about anything in my experience. Now if you're measuring at mash temp (not good for the meter electrode apart from very specific meters designed for that high of a temperature), then 5.2-5.3 is a more reasonable target (note that this is a chemical change and NOT something pH meter ATC can accommodate).
TL;DR: I wouldn't target 5.2-5.3 mash pH for a Hefe at room temp, maybe not even at mash temp.
