pH "issue"
Hi everybody,
I am looking for advice as I do not seem to be able to dial in the pH of my mash as well as I'd like.
Let me start by saying that I have a cheap pH meter, one of those you buy on eBay for a small bill.
Though the meter correctly reads the two buffer solutions I use for calibration, provided the buffers are at the right temperature.
I am predicting the pH using Martin's calculator. I measure the water GH, KH and Ca prior brewing using aquarium tests, calculate Mg and factor this numbers in the pH predictions along the color and type of grains used.
Initially I started aiming for 5.4, and got 5.6. Added extra 1ml of 85% phosphoric to the mash, 10 min later pH was 5.6.
The following brew I aimed for 5.3, and got 5.6. Again 1ml of acid and the pH stayed at 5.6.
The post boil pH is 5.4 and the beers are finishing at about 4.4 - 4.5
It almost seems that I am not punching through the malt buffers or something. Although I don't have a great number of samples to come to a conclusion, both light and dark colored beers behave the same given that the water I am working with is hard 300ppm+ and highly alkaline 250ppm+ so it does require a good amount of phosphoric to tame it, less for dark beers. Having said that, I have also brewed with soft water with the same results ..
The beer tastes fine, but then again, I don't know enough about beer to understand if it could be better.
Beside the advice of getting a better meter, which will not happen unfortunately. What are your thoughts?
Should I stop worrying about this until I do get the chance of getting a better meter? Should I keep adjusting?
thanks
pp
Hi everybody,
I am looking for advice as I do not seem to be able to dial in the pH of my mash as well as I'd like.
Let me start by saying that I have a cheap pH meter, one of those you buy on eBay for a small bill.
Though the meter correctly reads the two buffer solutions I use for calibration, provided the buffers are at the right temperature.
I am predicting the pH using Martin's calculator. I measure the water GH, KH and Ca prior brewing using aquarium tests, calculate Mg and factor this numbers in the pH predictions along the color and type of grains used.
Initially I started aiming for 5.4, and got 5.6. Added extra 1ml of 85% phosphoric to the mash, 10 min later pH was 5.6.
The following brew I aimed for 5.3, and got 5.6. Again 1ml of acid and the pH stayed at 5.6.
The post boil pH is 5.4 and the beers are finishing at about 4.4 - 4.5
It almost seems that I am not punching through the malt buffers or something. Although I don't have a great number of samples to come to a conclusion, both light and dark colored beers behave the same given that the water I am working with is hard 300ppm+ and highly alkaline 250ppm+ so it does require a good amount of phosphoric to tame it, less for dark beers. Having said that, I have also brewed with soft water with the same results ..
The beer tastes fine, but then again, I don't know enough about beer to understand if it could be better.
Beside the advice of getting a better meter, which will not happen unfortunately. What are your thoughts?
Should I stop worrying about this until I do get the chance of getting a better meter? Should I keep adjusting?
thanks
pp