Forgot to add phosphoric acid to my mash water.

[Powercat]

I recently made a cream ale and forgot to add 6 ml of phosphoric acid that bru'n water recommended to lower the ph to 5.4. My mash efficiency was 87% and the brew house efficiency was 80%, Will the beer have a flat taste without the acid and can I still add the acid. The beer is now fermenting and looking great.

 

[plazola86]

Don't worry about it. You got great efficiency and its fermenting just fine just let it ride.

 

[cswis86]

Don't worry about it. I wouldn't add any acid now. The main purpose of adding acid is that the enzymes in the mash work best between 5.2-5.5. If your got good conversion you'll be fine. The proper pH also helps with hot break formation during the boil and the pH of the finished beer helps inhibit bacterial growth and stability. Maybe your beer won't be as good as it could have been but if you did everything else right it will still be great!

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Assuming that this is a nominal 5 gallon batch, 6 ml of 10% phosphoric acid is almost nothing. I can't imagine it moving the mash pH enough to matter.

After all, mash pH calculating software is only ballparking it based upon a string of educated guesses anyway. To do it differently (as in more precisely than hopefully merely getting you into the ballpark) would require that you analyze for the actual DI mash pH of each ingredient. And likewise analyse your water (the analysis for which changes day to day if you are using city or well water, and even changes with time for RO water as the RO units elements capacity to purify diminishes with time).

 

[RustyHorn]

You might get some strange flavours. The best thing I ever did for my beers was to control my mash/sparge PH. Especially when making light beers. I don't know what your water is like so I couldn't say it will definitely ruin your beer. All I know is that it would ruin my beer if I forgot to add acid!

 

[bajaedition]

The acid is just to get the mash to 5.4 which is optimum for the enzyme to work while converting beer. Once the mash is finished the PH is a moot point. Fortunately the PH does not need to be exact and anything in the 5 range works real well. 5.4 is just best.
I would not worry

I practice having a list of each step I need to make so I can check them off. It really helps, but even with that sometimes I can skip something. Notes and list, notes and list, had that drilled in my head years ago. Good policy

 

[RustyHorn]

http://drunkalchemist.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/effect-of-ph-on-flavor-profile.html?m=1
This is quite interesting.

 

[Soulshine2]

The acid is just to get the mash to 5.4 which is optimum for the enzyme to work while converting beer. Once the mash is finished the PH is a moot point. Fortunately the PH does not need to be exact and anything in the 5 range works real well. 5.4 is just best.
I would not worry

I practice having a list of each step I need to make so I can check them off. It really helps, but even with that sometimes I can skip something. Notes and list, notes and list, had that drilled in my head years ago. Good policy

Sounds like you've worked in the nuclear power industry...they circle-slash the **** out of every procedure. Circle the step you're working on , slash through it once you've finished that step. move on and repeat.

 

[bajaedition]

Sounds like you've worked in the nuclear power industry...they circle-slash the **** out of every procedure. Circle the step you're working on , slash through it once you've finished that step. move on and repeat.

Actually the safety industry where we review incidents to find root cause.
And yet for all our effort we still have those who fight us and do unsafe acts because they feel it will never happen to them.
I do commend you assessment of the nuclear industry, the alternative is a melt down.

 

[Soulshine2]

Actually the safety industry where we review incidents to find root cause.
And yet for all our effort we still have those who fight us and do unsafe acts because they feel it will never happen to them.
I do commend you assessment of the nuclear industry, the alternative is a melt down.

Not always. Im a carpenter and work around the millwrights who do the turbine work . Just a place keeping method so the procedure doesn't stray between one shift or worker to another on the same task. that alternative is a turbine that needs to be dismantled sooner than it should (18 months) .