Using brewing salts and acids with multiple infusion schedule

Just wondering how I might go about using brewing salts and acids for flavor/pH adjustments when performing a multiple infusion mash schedule. Generally what I'm afraid of is setting my mash at an acid rest, getting my salts added and my pH correct only to add in new boiled water with a higher pH and thus ruining my acid rest work?

Also wondering how would I get from an acid rest to perform salt/pH adjustments and then perform a single infusion. Again same question how do I prevent the higher pH water (7.0-7.77) from ruining my acid rest work?

I'd rather not get into the flame war over Single vs. Multiple infusion. I want to perform some experiments, but I want to make sure my technique doesn't get me off to a bad start!

Cheers and thanks in advance!

caps_phisto said:

Just wondering how I might go about using brewing salts and acids for flavor/pH adjustments when performing a multiple infusion mash schedule. Generally what I'm afraid of is setting my mash at an acid rest, getting my salts added and my pH correct only to add in new boiled water with a higher pH and thus ruining my acid rest work?

Click to expand...

If you are going to do an acid rest then why would you want to add acid and why do you think you would need to?

caps_phisto said:

Also wondering how would I get from an acid rest to perform salt/pH adjustments and then perform a single infusion.

Click to expand...

By definition, if you are doing an acid rest you are going to be doing a multiple step mash, whether infusion or decoction.

caps_phisto said:

Again same question how do I prevent the higher pH water (7.0-7.77) from ruining my acid rest work?

Click to expand...

I think you need to do more research before embarking on your experiment. The pH of the water is essentially irrelevant. There is lots of info in the Brew Science section here on brewing water and what to do with it.

caps_phisto said:

I'd rather not get into the flame war over Single vs. Multiple infusion. I want to perform some experiments, but I want to make sure my technique doesn't get me off to a bad start!

Cheers and thanks in advance!

Click to expand...

More specific and/or intelligent answers to some of your questions might be possible if you supplied more information as to what you were actually trying to do and what you were trying to do it with (grain types, beer style, etc).

If you need a little lower pH mash, what about using a little acid malt? It would most likely eliminate the need for acids or an acid rest, unless you have a ton of alkaline. Then go RO water dilution.

If you insist on performing multi-step mashes, you are better off treating all your mashing water at one time and then pulling out water quantities from the HLT as needed for your infusions.

mabrungard said:

If you insist on performing multi-step mashes, you are better off treating all your mashing water at one time and then pulling out water quantities from the HLT as needed for your infusions.

Click to expand...

Simplicity itself! I like it!:rockin: Why didn't I think of it?

An additional question. How would I handle sparge water? Pull that from HLT as well?

Thanks again!

You probably would do well to consider a small test mash to figure out in advance what you need to do to your water instead of screwing around in the middle of a brew session. Once you know what needs to be done, the water adjustments become easy on brew day.

Check out the Brew Science thread for more info on the test mash. I've never had to do it because we live in Brew Water Nirvana Portland.

As said above. Just treat your water. Add your salts or acid to the water directly before you add your grains. You're over-thinking it.