smyrnaquince
Well-Known Member
I want to check the pH of my mash. I know that the grains will bring down the pH, but I don't know how long this takes. How long after adding the grains to the strike water should I check the pH?
novahokie09 said:I check around 10 minutes in. I use a very small pyrex food container, swirl it around to get down to 90F, and then pop it in the freezer for 3-5 minutes to get to room temperature.
Then, I add some aciduated malt after the pH reading to bring it down to the 5.5 range, at room temperature. I use the heuristic of 1% acid malt per 0.1 drop in pH. It's worked pretty well for me.
That's the typical procedure. Try to base it off your experience as much as possible since the calculators are just rough guesses.How about if I use the EZ Water Calculator to determine the initial adjustment based on the report from my town's water department, then test and adjust (if needed) after 5 minutes of mash?
...
Your test strips are not reliable, but you may already know that. ColorpHast strips are just barely useful, but they read very low. Some say .3, but my strips are .4 to .5....
I only have pH strips from the LHBS to test the pH. The strips only read at 5.0, 5.4, and 5.8 in the range desired for the mash.
I only have pH strips from the LHBS to test the pH. The strips only read at 5.0, 5.4, and 5.8 in the range desired for the mash.
Your test strips are not reliable, but you may already know that.
a couple points:smyrnaquince said:...
Based on EZ Water, I've come up with a mix of gypsum, epsom salt, and lactic acid to bring the pH down, bump up some of the elements (e.g., calcium), and not get anything out of whack. This will be a witbier. I used Bru'nwater to see the Hoegarden water analysis to try to mimic,...
I'll see if I can return them. It seems like they won't get me any closer than the EZ Water Calculator will.
Hitting a different LHBS today. My favorite one did not have lactic acid. Based on EZ Water, I've come up with a mix of gypsum, epsom salt, and lactic acid to bring the pH down, bump up some of the elements (e.g., calcium), and not get anything out of whack. This will be a witbier. I used Bru'nwater to see the Hoegarden water analysis to try to mimic, but I found EZ Water easier to use (at least this first time trying to adjust water).
maybe watch the calcium-sulfate ratio.
Ha. Thanks Denny. I hadn't yet had my minimum daily requirement of coffee when I posted that.Do you mean chloride/sulfate ratio?
Ha. Thanks Denny. I hadn't yet had my minimum daily requirement of coffee when I posted that.
Good thing Denny invoked my name and pointed out the levels of Cl and SO4 or I would have overlooked that post above.
Thank you. I am reading more on your Water Knowledge page and learning.
I made this recipe a few weeks ago with no water adjustments. This will be the same brew, except for the water adjustments, so I can see their effect.
To take this one step at a time, I think I will try just adding the CaSO4 for the calcium and lactic acid to lower the pH. If I throw the kitchen sink at it, I'm afraid I won't really know what had the biggest effect. I understand that this means the Cl will be high.
Thank you. I am reading more on your Water Knowledge page and learning.
I made this recipe a few weeks ago with no water adjustments. This will be the same brew, except for the water adjustments, so I can see their effect.
To take this one step at a time, I think I will try just adding the CaSO4 for the calcium and lactic acid to lower the pH. If I throw the kitchen sink at it, I'm afraid I won't really know what had the biggest effect. I understand that this means the Cl will be high.
Checking mash pH at about the 5 to 10 minute stage is appropriate. In my RIMS, the wort is recirculated fairly rapidly. So I check at about 5 minutes. In an uncirculated tun, then you should check shortly after you think the mash is well-mixed enough.
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