Ferulic Acid Rest, Reaching pH >5.7, adn treating water....

[Kidagora]

I'm trying to understand how best to approach a ferulic acid rest for a Dunkelweizen. Problems are probably related to a poor understanding of the software I'm using, a poor understanding of water in general, and/or poor recipe. So feedback appreciated...and examples (recipe, water additions, etc) are extremely welcomed.

Via Bru'n Water, I've chosen the Munich Boiled profile

Ca, Mg, Na, SO4, Cl, HCO3
12, 17, 4, 18, 8, 100

and decided to use distilled water as the base. I'm having a hard time reaching the recommended Mg without MgCl. In addition to that, I get a pH of 5.22 before adding salts. If I want to do a ferulic acid rest, my understanding that a pH of >5.7 is recommended. Does that mean I need to add NaHCO3/CaHCO3 to raise the pH prior to adding salts for the remainder of the mash?

So my questions is, how do I approach the pH and salt additions? Is this a rare situation? Grist is 6oz Chocolate, 6lb Dark Wheat, 4lb Munich, 8oz Caramunich.

 

[douglasbarbin]

Your problem is excessive acidification. You will want to add the darkest malts after your ferulic acid rest. Put just enough of the dark wheat and Munich into the mash to reach your desired pH. You may want to do two separate, small mashes like this if you cannot add a significant amount of base malt without dropping your pH too low.

After your ferulic acid rest, assuming that you are only doing saccharification rest(s), you can combine everything into one big mash, add the rest of your grains and salts, and mash like normal.

For what it's worth, there have been a few exBeeriments that showed a ferulic acid rest to have no effect on a homebrew scale. So it may be more trouble than it's worth.

 

[mabrungard]

Don't pursue the bicarbonate content too doggedly. In most cases, the brewers there would be neutralizing that alkalinity with some form of lactic acid in order to produce an acceptable mash and wort pH.

 

[Kidagora]

Understood. Never thought of separate mashes. And I'll scale back and measure before bicarb additions. Thanks for the help!