45-minute mash not enough for conversion at 156F?

[PistolsAtDawn]

You are not mistaken. It's a pain in the arse either way.

The ColorpHast strips are supposedly much better than regular litmus paper strips for our purposes, but they're expensive and sell out quickly on Amazon.

 

[mot]

dont waste time with the cheap PH strips.
Coloplasts strips are much more $ but closer for accuracy
PH meter is nto that hard to keep calibrated if you take the time to do it properly.

There is so many thing that come into play on your mash being done in 45 minutes

 

[gointomexico]

i use this type, easier to read quickly:
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/40-to-70-pH-TEST-STRIPS--P1001.aspx

 

[mot]

i use this type, easier to read quickly:
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/40-to-70-pH-TEST-STRIPS--P1001.aspx

those are not very accurate

besides going to a ph meter these are your best bet, cut them in half to get mor uses
http://morebeer.com/products/ph-strips-colorphast-40-70.html?gclid=CIL19LrLrLcCFSdgMgodJ34AVA

 

[jdooley]

Thanks for that. I don't have trouble with sparging as I use nylon netting to line the cooler so I can pull the grain away from the ball valve outlet. But I will go for a finer crush and see what happens.

 

[Echoloc8]

Man, 30 bucks for 100 strips. That's halfway to a meter, but then the meter needs solutions and (infrequent) probe replacement and constant calibration, so I guess the colorpHast strips aren't a bad idea.

The cutting in half option sounds like a very good one.

Are the strips temperature-sensitive? I.e., do they need to be corrected for mash temperatures?

-Rich

 

[PistolsAtDawn]

Man, 30 bucks for 100 strips. That's halfway to a meter, but then the meter needs solutions and (infrequent) probe replacement and constant calibration, so I guess the colorpHast strips aren't a bad idea.

The cutting in half option sounds like a very good one.

Are the strips temperature-sensitive? I.e., do they need to be corrected for mash temperatures?

-Rich

Strips will read 0.3 higher at mash temps. So subtract 0.3 if you read the wort sample at that temperature.

A meter is more expensive, but it's a LOT more accurate too.

 

[mot]

Man, 30 bucks for 100 strips. That's halfway to a meter, but then the meter needs solutions and (infrequent) probe replacement and constant calibration, so I guess the colorpHast strips aren't a bad idea.

The cutting in half option sounds like a very good one.

Are the strips temperature-sensitive? I.e., do they need to be corrected for mash temperatures?

-Rich

They do seem spendy but they last a while especially when you cut them in half, 30 bucks for 200 beers isnt to bad

these are the only strips that are close. If someone tells you to use those cheap ones dont beleive them, complete waste of money.

 

[Echoloc8]

Strips will read 0.3 higher at mash temps. So subtract 0.3 if you read the wort sample at that temperature.

A meter is more expensive, but it's a LOT more accurate too.

That's what I thought. Easy enough to write corrections on the color-ref card.

There's no doubt a (good-quality, well maintained, well calibrated) meter would be more accurate, but when I take into account the babying meters need, at this point in my brewing career I think a bag of strips is the way to go.

-Rich

 

[mot]

That's what I thought. Easy enough to write corrections on the color-ref card.

There's no doubt a (good-quality, well maintained, well calibrated) meter would be more accurate, but when I take into account the babying meters need, at this point in my brewing career I think a bag of strips is the way to go.

-Rich

taking care of a meter is very easy. I was skeptical how much of a pain it would be. I have a freind who is a microbiologist and they do it daily walked me through it and it is not hard at all. You just need to keep it in a buffer solution when not in use.

 

[Echoloc8]

taking care of a meter is very easy. I was skeptical how much of a pain it would be. I have a freind who is a microbiologist and they do it daily walked me through it and it is not hard at all. You just need to keep it in a buffer solution when not in use.

I'm not really worried that I wouldn't be able to do or understand the process; I'm more thinking that it's one more set of steps to forget/mix up on brew day or during cleanup. I'd much rather dip, read and toss, even sacrificing some accuracy. I'm already having to engage "delicate-instrument mode" for my refractometer.

It's good to know it's not as painful as it sounds, though. Thanks!

-Rich

 

[masskrug]

I had lousy mash efficiency (88%, as opposed to the 95% or so I've come to expect)

Good Lord, I am trying to achieve 80%. Consider yourself blessed!

 

[Echoloc8]

I had lousy mash efficiency (88%, as opposed to the 95% or so I've come to expect)

Good Lord, I am trying to achieve 80%. Consider yourself blessed!

Mash efficiency, not brewhouse efficiency.

-Rich