grv
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- Dec 10, 2012
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So I did search, but it seems like there are two camps when it comes to water: 1) don't care and 2) chemistry major. I do care, but....
I am resisting the slippery slope of playing with water chemistry and trying to keep things simple. Generally, I get good efficiency but on occasion, my numbers are off, so I wanted to test the waters of mash pH adjustment, so to speak.
I got a pH meter, calibration and storage solutions, and some lactic acid. I followed the calibration instructions, and measured a sample of my Maibock at the beginning of the mash today, letting the sample cool first.
I got 5.8 - yikes! Probably due to the absence of anything remotely dark in the recipe. Well, I looked around on the internet and found a post on another forum that suggested adding 1 ml per 10 L mash water. For me, BIAB, that meant 3 ml.
I sort of winged it, as I have nothing that measures liquid on such a small scale yet, but I did manage to get the pH down to 5.3.
So, after all that, here's my question: Those calculators like EZwater and BrunWater look pretty powerful, but as I said, I am following the KISS principle for now. I want to measure mash pH directly, and adjust up or down. Is there some tool I can use just to figure out lactic acid additions, assuming I need to adjust down? The rule of thumb I found does not seem to take into account starting pH, so I don't trust it.
Thanks for any guidance.
I am resisting the slippery slope of playing with water chemistry and trying to keep things simple. Generally, I get good efficiency but on occasion, my numbers are off, so I wanted to test the waters of mash pH adjustment, so to speak.
I got a pH meter, calibration and storage solutions, and some lactic acid. I followed the calibration instructions, and measured a sample of my Maibock at the beginning of the mash today, letting the sample cool first.
I got 5.8 - yikes! Probably due to the absence of anything remotely dark in the recipe. Well, I looked around on the internet and found a post on another forum that suggested adding 1 ml per 10 L mash water. For me, BIAB, that meant 3 ml.
I sort of winged it, as I have nothing that measures liquid on such a small scale yet, but I did manage to get the pH down to 5.3.
So, after all that, here's my question: Those calculators like EZwater and BrunWater look pretty powerful, but as I said, I am following the KISS principle for now. I want to measure mash pH directly, and adjust up or down. Is there some tool I can use just to figure out lactic acid additions, assuming I need to adjust down? The rule of thumb I found does not seem to take into account starting pH, so I don't trust it.
Thanks for any guidance.