Anyone think using acid malt tastes better than using lactic acid?

[zwiller]

Googled this one to death last night. The consenus seems to think acid malt is just pils malt sprayed with lactic acid. I am not entirely sure about that. If you dig deeper, you will find Weyermann states "Weyermann Acidulated Malt is produced by using lactic acid, which is generated by on grain natural occurring lactic bacteria." A quicker gander into lactic acid and I found a simple diagram how lactic acid is produced: http://www.lactic-acid.com/production_process.html Interesting that MSDS for my acid lists PURAC as the manufacturer.

I have always been sensitive to lactic acid and recently brewed a hefe with only .7ml of 88% lactic acid in it and I think it's still objectionable. Starting to wonder if acid malt might be a better option. Could an argument be made that acid malt tastes better or is less objectionable than 88% lactic acid?

Thanks in advance.

 

[IslandLizard]

If you're sensitive to lactic acid use phosphoric acid instead. It's taste threshold is way higher. Are you sure you're tasting lactic in that Hefe? That's a really minimal amount.

I've been using 88% lactic acid so far since the small 10% bottles the LHBS sells don't go very far. But I will switch as soon as I get my bottle of 85% phosphoric acid. I'll dilute some to a sensible percentage working solution, like 20-25%.

 

[masonsjax]

Yup, go with phosphoric acid. It's by far the least objectionable of the brewing suitable acids. I dilute mine down to 10% for easier measurement.

 

[ajdelange]

If you don't like the flavor of lactic acid then don't use sauermalz because whether it was made by sourmashing malt or spraying sauergut (wort fermented with lactobacillus) on malt it contains lactic acid.

Some feel that beer made with sauermalz does taste better than the same beer made with lactic acid because sauermalz is a malt and has its own flavor components. If it is made the way you would make it at home (add just enough water to cover some malt and hold for a few days at 47 °C then dry in an oven) you will clearly get something that tastes different from the malt with which you started. If you just spray lactic acid from a bottle onto some malt and let it air dry you won't change the character of that malt much. With sauergut, you will probably get some flavors other than just the lactic acid.

Weyermanns says that their sauermalz adds subtle flavors to beers made with it and I believe this to be true but others say they don't see any differences in flavor between beer made with sauermalz and beer made with just lactic acid. These are not the flavors one would associate with the acid (the levels used are kept below taste threshold) but rather those one would think of as coming from a caramel malt.

 

[zwiller]

Good points on the phosphoric acid guys. I use it with great results on beers other than german styles. I guess I could have prefaced that I do think there is a positive nuance of flavor that comes from lactic acid/malt that in german beers and I would prefer to try to keep things traditional as well.

AJ, do think there is a chance lactic acid when produced commercially could have off flavors? If I was forced to describe the objectionable flavor I would say it is a slightly metallic aftertaste. I think it is a defect not unlike say using cherry extract over fresh cherries.

 

[ajdelange]

It shouldn't - it should, in fact, taste purer because it is not 'contaminated' with all those other chemicals found in sauergut and sauermalz.

Which tastes better - triple distilled white vinegar made by chemically oxidizing ethanol or malt vinegar made by your local brewpub in the traditional way or balsamic vinegar?

 

[orangehero]

Is the tartness of weizen beer not a result of lactic acid contribution by the yeast? Maybe try a different strain, it could be you are sensitive to something in the particular one you used.

 

[ajdelange]

Possibly in part. Fermented beers contain lots of different acids. It has been observed (Narziß as cited by Warner) that wheat beer yeasts will take pH to around 4.1 irrespective of wort pH (as is being discussed in another thread) so perhaps it is not necessary to worry about mash pH with a Weizen but I think it is with the mash pH that OP is concerned here.

 

[zwiller]

Good analogy AJ. Although I agree with Warner that hefes may be more forgiving in terms of mash pH I think it would be wise to at least get it within range.

 

[ajdelange]

Definitely. Better to have the yeast put their backs into producing ethanol rather than acid.