Reiterative Mash

[mschoeffler]

So I’m planning a barleywine for this weekend and am going to try this technique. I have two questions. 1) does the second mash need acid malt like the first? 2) does the second mash need salts (CaCl2) like the first?
I’m using all Chevalier malt and need acid malt to adjust my pH. I would assume that the salts would be unnecessary but have read somewhere that adding 1/2 the original amount is necessary.
Thanks in Advance

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

IIRC, in some of Chris Colby's published books / articles on re-iterative mashing, he talked about these questions. "Beer and Gardening Journal" is the web site; "Methods of Modern Homebrewing" is the book.

eta: I would need to find my notes to know what I did and what the outcome was. After brewing big beers a couple of different ways, I'm settling in on using a "two hour boil" as the easiest way to make the bestest big beer.

 

[mschoeffler]

Grest article, so thank you. He suggests the same amount of CaCl2 as the strike water but doesn’t address acid malt. I think that I will be safe omitting the second mash acid malt.

 

[DuncB]

Could check the pH and then add acid and acid in sparge.

 

[doug293cz]

Grest article, so thank you. He suggests the same amount of CaCl2 as the strike water but doesn’t address acid malt. I think that I will be safe omitting the second mash acid malt.

You need to control the pH in the second mash, just as you do in the first, and for the same reasons. I don't know of any water adjustment programs that know how to predict the pH of the second mash, but you could calculate the acid additions for the first mash, and then recalculate with the original strike volume, but total grain bill, and add the difference to the second mash.

Brew on

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I think that I will be safe omitting the second mash acid malt.

IIRC (I didn't check my notes), I didn't do anything to the wort with the 2nd mash; and the beer came out fine.

If you think you are going to use this process a number of times, take some pH measurements this time so you can plan for some 'fine tuning' the next time.

 

[DuncB]

You need to control the pH in the second mash, just as you do in the first, and for the same reasons. I don't know of any water adjustment programs that know how to predict the pH of the second mash, but you could calculate the acid additions for the first mash, and then recalculate with the original strike volume, but total grain bill, and add the difference to the second mash.

Brew on

On a slight tangent.

I've come across a few recipes where the brewer drops the pH after the boil and before the whirlpool hops. They already had done mash pH adjustments and it was something to do with hop utilisation / taste.

Will any software be able to tell me how much acid ( of a known type) to add after the boil?

Or is it just a case of measure pH add some acid reassess and then adjust again?

I plan on using 50% phosphoric acid. Damn those craft beer and brewing podcasts for giving me ideas ( problems ).

 

[jerrylotto]

If your mash is iterative then you are using your wort from step 1 as your strike for step 2 right? That means that your pH going in is initially fine and your mineral content will be fine but 10 min later it may change. So check it and adjust accordingly with acid or base addition.

 

[mschoeffler]

pH should be 5.35 going into the second mash. I’ll add the same concentration of CaCl2 to account for some loss to the malt. Hopefully that will keep the second mash pH the same.
Thanks for all the advice.

 

[DuncB]

pH should be 5.35 going into the second mash. I’ll add the same concentration of CaCl2 to account for some loss to the malt. Hopefully that will keep the second mash pH the same.
Thanks for all the advice.

I would retest the pH and adjust based on that.