pH Stabilizer

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enohcs

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I just picked up some pH 5.2 food grade stabilizer and am going to try it out this weekend. Anyone use this stuff? I'm looking for opinions on how well people think it works and what results they have seen.

Also

Do you add it to the mash? The boil? The HLT? All or some of the above?:mug:
 
add it to the mash water prior to dough in.

I use it, and it doesnt hurt that the way that I look at it. I have never had my water tested, so WH....why not use it.
 
I used it for the first time on my last brew and my efficiency went up a great deal. But I also did change a couple of other things, so I don't know how much the 5.2 had to do with it. I use RO water, so take that for what it's worth.

The directions say to add it right to the Mash, but I add it to the boil kettle when heating to it gets mixed good and I know I have the right ratio.
 
Tonedef131 said:
I used it for the first time on my last brew and my efficiency went up a great deal. But I also did change a couple of other things, so I don't know how much the 5.2 had to do with it. I use RO water, so take that for what it's worth.

The directions say to add it right to the Mash, but I add it to the boil kettle when heating to it gets mixed good and I know I have the right ratio.

Uhm...isn't the point of the pH 5.2 to buffer the mash water to a pH of 5.2 which is the ideal pH for enzymatic activity in converting your starches to sugars? I'm pretty sure adding it to the boil kettle is not the intended use for it.
 
I add it to the sparge water, particularly for lighter style beers (I have high carbonate water). As to adding it to the boil, the manufacturer's lit. says it improves hop utilization, which sugests there could be some benefit from a boil only adition.
 
I add it to both the mash and the sparge water. I just put it in the mash water while it's heating up. I have gotten 84% and 86% efficiency on my first two AG batches, so it must be doing something.
 
Bromley said:
Uhm...isn't the point of the pH 5.2 to buffer the mash water to a pH of 5.2 which is the ideal pH for enzymatic activity in converting your starches to sugars? I'm pretty sure adding it to the boil kettle is not the intended use for it.
I'm sorry, my post was very unclear. I add it to my stike water while heating it, which is done in my kettle. Then the water already has it in there when I dough in with it. I do this again when heating my sparge water.
 
I use it in the MLT but not the HLT. If you read the instructions, which are not very well written, you add an amount based on what ends up in the kettle (pre-boil).
 
I went from <70% eff to 80% when I started using it. I just use it in the mash but I'm going to try it in the sparge water and see if I gain anything else.
 
Great stuff all. Thanks.
I have to agree, the instructions written on the package are not well written.
 
I used it until I got pH strips. Turned out I didn't need it with the water I'm using. I'm right around 5.3-5.4 with my tap water. I don't think it can hurt in the recommended ratio though.
 
According to the test strip, my PH is 4.8 (which is surprising here in NYC).

What would that mean in terms of effecting the brew?
 
Is that before or after mashing in? If after, then your conversion will be slow as that is outside the desireable range. If you don't want to mess with things, then you might get OK results just by extending your mash time. If this is just fresh out of the tap, then chances are when you mash in (or add extract if not doing all grain), the pH will then be in the proper range due to the buffering compounds in the malt (or extract)
 
This is straight from the tap... I've been using PH 5.2 but never checked the readings til now. Of course this is assuming those test strips are accurate (are they??)

So, do I need to continue with the PH 5.2 would you say (I'm doing AG and typically add the appropriate amount of 5.2 to the mash water and the sparge water). Thanks!
 
Test what your PH is during the mash if you are at 5.2 or there about with out the 5.2 stabilizer then you don't need it.

I have never used it myself.
 
I am gonna be doing a brew with 2 rests and I am not sure when to add the 5.2. Dough in or when the rest of the water is added for the sac rest.
 
I found that using half the recommended dose in my mash gets me to 5.2 every time. I made the mistake of trying to test my water the first time as well.

You have to test the actual mash before and after adding the 5.2.
 
I have some and have used it a couple times... but I hesitate because I really don't know what is in it. Does it contain minerals? I use RO water and I want to make sure I have calcium in my mash. It probably doesn't have calcium compounds in it.. but I just don't know. I'm too picky about control to depend on it and not add other minerals.

Anybody know what's in it? I'm thinking it may have minerals.. on the Brewstrong podcast I think I remember Jamil Z. mentioning that he or someone he knew perceived heavy minerals in the taste of a beer brewed using 5.2.

Cheers all
 
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