Water Chemistry Beyond the Primer – Lots of Questions – Would Appreciate Your Help

[Jiffster]

I’ve used the “Primer” (starting with RO water) for a few of my brews and now I’m taking my water chemistry to a new level. I purchased a Hach Pocket Pro+ pH meter and I’m trying to learn to use Bru’n Water to estimate/plan my water additions to hit the water profile and pH targets for the Porter I’m preparing to brew this weekend. (BierMuncher’s Black Pearl Porter).

I’m going to conduct a test mash (10% of grain bill) today to see what the mash pH is with just RO water.

I’ve posted other questions on here before regarding certain steps of this process, using Bru’n Water, etc. so please forgive me if this seems like I’m double posting all over the place. I’m hoping this thread consolidates my questions/posts.

My target mash pH for this brew is 5.5 (Just because I’ve read that’s what it should be).
This is for a 5.5 gallon batch

Here's my grain bill

8# - Pale Malt 2 Row (2 SRM)
2# - Munich Malt (10 SRM)
1# Caramel/Crystal Malt (30 SRM)
1# Chocolate Malt (350 SRM)
1# Flaked Oats (1 SRM)

Here's my latest attempt at hitting Bru'n Water's recommendations.

So here are my questions specific to this brew:

1) Should I use 100% RO water for my sparge (batch sparging) or add Lactic Acid to my sparge water as Bru’n Water suggests? (See image above from Bru’n Water).

2) I typically heat more strike water than I need for my mash (i.e. target volume + 2 gallons) in order to make it easier to measure the water volume leaving my brew kettle (using the markers on my sight glass).

When I do this, I treat that entire volume of water as suggested in the “Primer”. However, using Bru’n Water or any other method to achieve a certain mash profile, I need to treat a “more specific” amount of water for my mash.

a. In doing this do you typically heat the exact amount of strike water, treat the water with whatever additions called for and then dump that entire volume into your MLT?

b. What do you do if your equipment set-up won’t allow you to pick up and dump your water; how do you compensate for the volume left in the HLT?

3) Once I complete my test mash, how do I use my findings with Bru’n Water?

4) I'm assuming that I shouldn't attempt to adjust pH once the mash is underway because it would then be too late - Hence the test mash. If I'm wrong, what does the process look like for making adjustments?

I appreciate any help you can provide, especially specific to using Bru’n Water, water profiles for Porter’s and anything I may have missed.

I'm surprised there aren't more videos on these subjects.

 

[Jiffster]

Tell me if looks better.

 

[Yooper]

My eyes are old, and I'm on a tablet with a tiny screen, and I'm afraid I can't see the screenshots, so I'll just go to the questions I can answer:

1. Yes. Sparging with RO water (or properly acidified water to reduce the alkalinity) is ideal.

2. I treat all of my water in most cases, which does equal the amount of mash and sparge water. You can set the volumes in brunwater. If I am using more water than fits in my HLT, I will treat them separately. I have a sight gauge in my HLT, so I know when I'm at "8 gallons" in the MLT and then add the salts there if doing them separately.

3. Your test mash will give you the actual pH of the mash. Use that figure instead of the "projected" mash pH in brunwater, and adjust your additions if needed.

4. I have a little chart in my brew room that tells me how much acid or base to increase or drop the pH .1 based on my volume and mash size. But you are correct, unless you are wildly off and know near the beginning of the mash, you may not be greatly successful in adjusting the mash pH. However, you will still correct the kettle pH by fixing it.

 

[PJM]

I add my brewing salts to the mash tun rather than to the strike water in the HLT. Just mix it in as you add the strike water to the mash tun.

 

[Jiffster]

My eyes are old, and I'm on a tablet with a tiny screen, and I'm afraid I can't see the screenshots, so I'll just go to the questions I can answer:

Hopefully these images are bigger and easier to read.

Water Additions and Sparge Acid

Additions Zoomed (For easier viewing)

Water Profile (Results of Additions)

1. Yes. Sparging with RO water (or properly acidified water to reduce the alkalinity) is ideal.

I see Bru'n Water has me adding Lactic Acid to the sparge volume.

It also has be dividing my Calcium Chloride between my "mash" and "sparge" volumes. I guess that's to achieve a particular profile in the "kettle"?

2. I treat all of my water in most cases, which does equal the amount of mash and sparge water. You can set the volumes in brunwater. If I am using more water than fits in my HLT, I will treat them separately. I have a sight gauge in my HLT, so I know when I'm at "8 gallons" in the MLT and then add the salts there if doing them separately.

OK, so in those situations you add your salts/additions in the MLT instead of in the HLT?

I had read in a post on here somewhere that recommended adding your salts before heating the water.

3. Your test mash will give you the actual pH of the mash. Use that figure instead of the "projected" mash pH in brunwater, and adjust your additions if needed.

Where would I enter that figure in Bru'n Water?

Would I need to modify any of the other entries, etc?

4. I have a little chart in my brew room that tells me how much acid or base to increase or drop the pH .1 based on my volume and mash size. But you are correct, unless you are wildly off and know near the beginning of the mash, you may not be greatly successful in adjusting the mash pH. However, you will still correct the kettle pH by fixing it.

Kettle pH.... I haven't even considered that yet. Baby steps, right?

I remember how it took me a while to really grasp what a "sparge" was and then "batch" vs "fly". I feel the same way now when discussing water chemistry, pH, salts, alkalinity..... LOL!

 

[Jiffster]

I add my brewing salts to the mash tun rather than to the strike water in the HLT. Just mix it in as you add the strike water to the mash tun.

I believe that's what Yooper said she does as well, when needed. (see above)

 

[whovous]

I had read in a post on here somewhere that recommended adding your salts before heating the water.

I don't have a source right at hand, but I've read the same thing. Some salts (I've forgotten which ones) are difficult to fully dissolve in water. The hotter the water, the less they dissolve.

 

[Jiffster]

I did my test mash.

Bru'n Water estimates a Mash pH of 5.31 with no additions, yet I measured 5.46.

Not sure what to do now. I can't figure out how to enter the measured mash pH in Bru'n Water.

pH after 10 minutes 5.45

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1470500727.470629.jpg

pH after 20 minutes 5.46

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1470500744.495203.jpg