Problem with water pH

I adjust my soft water to 160 ppm using Gypsum.

13.50 # Maris Otter and .50 # Carapils

Mash water adjust to 6.00 pH

Sparge water adjust to 5.25 pH

Total runoff into brew kettle = 6.05 pH

I'm using 10% phosphoric acid.

I never had this problem years ago.

Any clues on what's happening

What's the pH of the mash? That's the important thing.

Mash is around 6.00 also.

Can't understand why mash doesn't drop at all.

Brewer3401 said:

Mash is around 6.00 also.

Can't understand why mash doesn't drop at all.

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Well, the mash pH HAS to drop. The grains will bring it down- I almost think it would be too low, if you're using water with a pH of 6 (which is already acidic). Is your meter calibrated?

I'm using a Hanna Phep meter - runs around $ 80.00

I have not calibrated it in a while. But, my tap water is around 8.75 pH, which is what the meter is reading in tap water.

I'm going to calibrate my meter with 4.01 pH solution.

I'm going to check the pH when I rack to the brite tank.

If it is less than 5.00, then I'll know the meter was showing an incorrect reading.

Also, you're right. I used to start with a 6.50 - 6.75 pH mash water, and the mash dropped the pH by the time I started to recirculate.

Just calibrated meter. Before calibration, it read 4.28
Not that far off of 4.01

?

Once more.

I used to use 1.25 qt/# ratio and mash for 60 minutes. Never had pH problems. Mash water was 6.75 pH, and sparge water was 5.25 pH. Total wort in kettle was low 5.00 pH

I now use 1.50 qt/# ratio and mash for 20 minutes, then top off the mash tun with 5.25 pH water.

Maybe too much water for acidification to take place ?

Did get great conversion - efficiency was 82 %

When is the last time you had your water tested?

Bobby_M said:

When is the last time you had your water tested?

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I use hardness strips to verify I still have very soft water. I also check the pH of the untreated water before adding gypsum and acid.

I have a formula for gypsum, and use a pH meter with small mixer and titrate until I hit my desired pH.

I just checked the pH of my beer (in brite tank)

It's 4.15

If all of my other readings were so high, how can the finished product be in normal pH range ?