BlueHouseBrewhaus
Well-Known Member
So on my latest brew (a DIPA) I had some issues adjusting pH on my brewing water. I have very soft water:
Ca 5
Na 17
Mg 1
SO4 6
Cl 9
Carb <1
Bicarb 28
Alk 23
PH 7.6
I added gypsum, CaCl and epsom to get (according to Bru'nwater):
Ca 55
Na 17
Mg 10
Cl 50
SO4 110
Bicarb -7
Alk -9
RA -54(!)
I usually use acid malt to get my mash pH around 5.4 but I forgot to figure out how much before I went to my LHBS. So, I just got my grains and figured I would adjust my mash water with lactic acid, which is what I do for my sparge water.
I have never had a problem adjusting my sparge water. I usually go for a sparge pH of about 5.8. Bru'nwater has always been pretty good for figuring that. However, this time, I added the recommended amount and got a pH of 6.5. I added a little more and got 6.2. I recalibrated my pH meter and then added a little more (by now about double the original amount) and it came down to 6.0. At that point I didn't want to push my luck so I stopped. I had the same experience, not surprisingly, adjusting my mash water. I eventually gave it a best guess and doughed in. Fortunately, my mash came in about 5.5 so my guess was close enough.
I've never had this issue before. Was it the minerals I added? I've brewed with a similar profile before without this problem. However, I don't think I've ever had an RA as low as -54. Could that have been the issue? I usually don't use much (or any) epsom salts but the "amber bitter" profile allowed for more Mg and I wanted to boost the sulfates for a DIPA. Could the Mg be the issue?
In the end, the brew went fine and the mash and sparge pHs stayed in their preferred ranges. It was just a strange experience and it would be good to know what caused it so I can avoid the issue in the future.
Ca 5
Na 17
Mg 1
SO4 6
Cl 9
Carb <1
Bicarb 28
Alk 23
PH 7.6
I added gypsum, CaCl and epsom to get (according to Bru'nwater):
Ca 55
Na 17
Mg 10
Cl 50
SO4 110
Bicarb -7
Alk -9
RA -54(!)
I usually use acid malt to get my mash pH around 5.4 but I forgot to figure out how much before I went to my LHBS. So, I just got my grains and figured I would adjust my mash water with lactic acid, which is what I do for my sparge water.
I have never had a problem adjusting my sparge water. I usually go for a sparge pH of about 5.8. Bru'nwater has always been pretty good for figuring that. However, this time, I added the recommended amount and got a pH of 6.5. I added a little more and got 6.2. I recalibrated my pH meter and then added a little more (by now about double the original amount) and it came down to 6.0. At that point I didn't want to push my luck so I stopped. I had the same experience, not surprisingly, adjusting my mash water. I eventually gave it a best guess and doughed in. Fortunately, my mash came in about 5.5 so my guess was close enough.
I've never had this issue before. Was it the minerals I added? I've brewed with a similar profile before without this problem. However, I don't think I've ever had an RA as low as -54. Could that have been the issue? I usually don't use much (or any) epsom salts but the "amber bitter" profile allowed for more Mg and I wanted to boost the sulfates for a DIPA. Could the Mg be the issue?
In the end, the brew went fine and the mash and sparge pHs stayed in their preferred ranges. It was just a strange experience and it would be good to know what caused it so I can avoid the issue in the future.