Are You Monitoring/Adjusting Your pH Throughout The Mash Process?

[awoitte]

In a facebook group (Advanced Home Brewing) topic/discussion there was a note about how pH drops throughout the mash process.

Is it important to monitor the pH throughout the 60 mins and attempt to adjust accordingly to keep it exactly where you want it. Or, is the change during 60 minutes marginal to where the only thing a brewer should worry about is the pH when the mash is started?

 

[mabrungard]

In a facebook group (Advanced Home Brewing) topic/discussion there was a note about how pH drops throughout the mash process.

Is it important to monitor the pH throughout the 60 mins and attempt to adjust accordingly to keep it exactly where you want it. Or, is the change during 60 minutes marginal to where the only thing a brewer should worry about is the pH when the mash is started?

It is definitely not always true that mash pH drops during the mash. It may trend up or down depending on the mash.

I don’t worry about initial mash pH since it will change during the mash. It’s not until 30 to 45 minutes that the pH will stabilize. Using software to understand the necessary water additions and likely ending pH is how I manage pH. Don’t chase pH, target it and let it go. The final mash pH is more important than initial pH.

 

[Robert65]

What Martin said, and...

Arguably, mash pH is less critical than starting and finishing kettle pH. The mash enzymes are happy across a fair range of conditions, and other factors like time and temperature are more effective in manipulating them. But it is quite desirable to have the wort going into the kettle at a pH around 5.4 for good hop utilization and quality of hop character, DMS formation and reduction where needed, and other goals like good color and clarity. It is even more important to adjust the pH of the wort near the end of the boil to 5.0 or just above, in order for kettle finings to be effective, to provide the conditions required by yeast for a healthy and complete fermentation, and to achieve a final beer pH that provides optimal flavor and stability.

 

[fun4stuff]

It is definitely not always true that mash pH drops during the mash. It may trend up or down depending on the mash.

I don’t worry about initial mash pH since it will change during the mash. It’s not until 30 to 45 minutes that the pH will stabilize. Using software to understand the necessary water additions and likely ending pH is how I manage pH. Don’t chase pH, target it and let it go. The final mash pH is more important than initial pH.

The pH that is calculated with Bru’n water is supposed to be the pH at what point during the mash?

 

[fun4stuff]

What Martin said, and...

Arguably, mash pH is less critical than starting and finishing kettle pH. The mash enzymes are happy across a fair range of conditions, and other factors like time and temperature are more effective in manipulating them. But it is quite desirable to have the wort going into the kettle at a pH around 5.4 for good hop utilization and quality of hop character, DMS formation and reduction where needed, and other goals like good color and clarity. It is even more important to adjust the pH of the wort near the end of the boil to 5.0 or just above, in order for kettle finings to be effective, to provide the conditions required by yeast for a healthy and complete fermentation, and to achieve a final beer pH that provides optimal flavor and stability.

so you’re adjust the ph at the end of the boil?

 

[Robert65]

so you’re adjust the ph at the end of the boil?

Yes.

 

[hopjuice_71]

I know I am reinventing the wheel here but chasing mash pH hasn't given me better efficiency or better better (with confines of the pH my good water gives me). However, adjusting kettle pH to a tighter range has given me better and more consistent beer (in my opinion).