1.35 ml/gal lactic acid in mash too much?

[sictransit701]

Have never adjusted my mash with acid. Just got a water report and a ph meter. I put my water profile and recipe in bru’n water. In order to get the mash to 5.3 ph, I would have to use 1.35 ml/gal lactic acid 88%. I’ve read that could cause off flavors. Is that true? I’ve never done this. Is that an acceptable amount?

I guess I could use ro water, as I’ve heard it’s more acidic, but I don’t know. The great value drinking water at Walmart says purified by reverse osmosis. Is that the same? Then, is there chlorine in there?

 

[worlddivides]

I usually add around 3ml of lactic acid for my pale beers (for a 3.4 gallon/14 liter batch, which often uses around 20 liters in the mash). The only time I don't add lactic acid is when I'm using above a certain amount of roasted grains (in which case I often add baking soda to increase the pH). I've never had any "off flavors" from lactic acid additions and I don't think I've ever heard of anyone getting off flavors from lactic acid additions either (though I'd be interested to hear about it).

 

[mac_1103]

I’ve read that could cause off flavors. Is that true?

I think the only off flavor is the taste of the lactic acid itself. And I guess it would depend on your own taste threshold for it. Here's a short thread on a similar question FWIW:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/how-far-will-the-flavor-from-lactic-acid-carry-over.731800/

 

[IslandLizard]

Have never adjusted my mash with acid.

How have your beers been using your regular tap water?

What made you get your water tested?
Can you post/list your water report?

I guess I could use ro water, as I’ve heard it’s more acidic

No, RO water is not more acidic. It's actually very neutral and pure, containing virtually no minerals.

The great value drinking water at Walmart says purified by reverse osmosis. Is that the same?

That's means their drinking water is based on RO (purified) water, but may have had some minerals added back in, for better flavor. Those minerals may be listed on the label, the store, such as on their website.

Many Walmarts (and other supermarkets) may have an RO machine where you can fill your own jugs. It used to be around 39 cents a gallon. They also sell pre-packaged gallon jugs for about double that price, or higher. So bringing your own jugs to fill saves quite a bit of money in the long run.

RO water is a blank slate to which you can add specific "salts" depending on your beer style and preferences.

 

[mac_1103]

Many Walmarts (and other supermarkets) may have an RO machine where you can fill your own jugs. It used to be around 39 cents a gallon. They also sell pre-packaged gallon jugs for about double that price, or higher. So bringing your own jugs to fill saves quite a bit of money in the long run.

Primo water has both filling stations and pre-packaged exchanges at Walmarts and other outlets. The filling stations are RO water; the pre-packaged stuff is remineralized. There are a lot more exchange locations than filling stations, and the website is often wrong about whether a particular location has a filling station.

 

[HM-2]

I've dosed mashes for very pale beers up to 10ml of lactic acid in 7 gallons of mash water. Which is broadly in line with what you're being suggested here. No off flavours or issues.

 

[YeastFeast]

Just for reference…..I do a lot of IPAs (hazy) and use RO water. I check my pH with a calibrated pH meter throughout the brewing process for every batch. I found I only need 1-2 ml of 88% lactic acid TOTAL for a 5 gallon batch, despite what the calculators tell you. Just my experience over the years.

 

[mac_1103]

...use RO water...I found I only need 1-2 ml of 88% lactic acid TOTAL for a 5 gallon batch, despite what the calculators tell you.

OP had the calculator telling him to use 1.35 mL/gallon with his very high alkalinity tap water. Not RO.

 

[rallenhall]

Be careful with water from machines in places such as Walmart. They often are not well maintained and can carry a very high TDS load. Have not had problems with water from specialists such as Culligan, but will never buy Walmart "RO" again.

 

[mac_1103]

You can get a TDS meter for less than ten bucks. Bring one to the store a check a small sample. If it's good, fill your jug. If it's bad, tell the manager.

 

[IslandLizard]

Be careful with water from machines in places such as Walmart. They often are not well maintained and can carry a very high TDS load. Have not had problems with water from specialists such as Culligan, but will never buy Walmart "RO" again.

Before filling the jugs with RO water from the machine, use a cheap TDS meter ($8-16). It will tell you the actual ion content in that RO water.

Usually there's also a maintenance report posted on or near the RO machine. Check the last few service dates and TDS values.

Some supermarkets and possibly Dollar General stores may have RO machines too. Call around.

 

[Bobby_M]

Walmart sells distilled water for about the same price as their drinking water. You'll find it in the water aisle, but if not look by the baby formula. No, distilled water does not have chlorine in it.

Distilled/RO is not more acidic, it's just less alkaline so it is more easily acidified.

You do have simultaneous threads going about your water so you'll be getting answers in both places. Whether you use your softened tap water or distilled, you're going to need to add some gypsum and calcium chloride to get your Calcium up. Those will both lower your mash pH a little.

 

[jdauria]

1.35 ml in a 5 gallon batch I assume? It will not cause off flavors, you would need to be using a lot more than that. You can always keep acidulated malt on hand and add a few ounces to a recipe on the Bru'n Water sheet to lower pH! For what it's worth, I brewed a blonde ale this weekend, just a 2.75 gallon batch and added 2 mL of lactic and then another mL late in boil.

My town water is not great, too high in sodium and chlorides, plus their water reports are just an average of tests over the year. A Ward Labs test showed that the numbers were pretty close to the town's report. Because of that, I use distilled water. Used to use RO, 5 gallon jugs from BJ's and then during Covid, I signed up for water delivery and would get 5 gallon jugs delivered. Now that I am only doing small batches, I just grab 4-5 gallon jugs at the store. I use distilled over store bought RO, because you really need to read the label with RO...a lot of them in stores have minerals added back...what minerals, who knows.

 

[mac_1103]

1.35 ml in a 5 gallon batch I assume?

no

1.35 ml/gal

 

[mac_1103]

You can always keep acidulated malt on hand and add a few ounces to a recipe on the Bru'n Water sheet to lower pH!

Isn't acidulated malt just a somewhat inefficient method of adding lactic acid?

 

[jdauria]

Isn't acidulated malt just a somewhat inefficient method of adding lactic acid?

It definitely can be, especially with larger batches of beer, as you would need a lot more acidulated. But for me, I brew smaller batches and in a pale beer a few ounces of acidulated will move the needle. I have a recipe for a 3.5 gallon batch of Helles I am brewing up...without any water salts my pH is 5.69. Just 4 ounces of acidulated in the mash, brings me down to 5.44, much closer to my 5.4 target. 2.4 mL of lactic would do the same, it's really a personal choice which to use. If I am making a pale lager, I use acidulated, other beers, I use lactic.