5.2 PH stabalizer

[boo boo]

I recently tried the trial packs of 5.2 PH stabalizer from Paddock Wood. I have just tasted a brew made with it and can detect no difference in the taste of my brew. I use PH strips to check PH and I know theyr'e inaccurate. Do the 5.2 make any difference in your brews and just what the heck is it really doing in my mash? Do it adjust both up and down to make my mash a PH5.2?

 

[Beermaker]

I use 5.2 when I brew. I tested the ph before and after adding a tblspoon. I did notice a ph drop, and did not notice a taste differance. I did however, notice a jump in my efficiency.

 

[ajf]

It's a buffering solution that will adjust the pH either up or down to 5.2. I believe that it would make a noticeable difference if your mash pH was way off the mark, and would make no difference whatsoever if the pH was 5.2 without using the buffer.

-a.

 

[boo boo]

My mash usually shows somewhere between 5 and 6 on the cheap PH strips I have and I usually add a tsp of gypsum to my sparge water. I guess it is one of those things that I can add to make sure everything works as it should.
Efficieny increase, huh. Gots to order me more than. Sounds like cheap insurance.

 

[Lost]

Unless you have really soft water you'll only need to acidify the mash.. and you'll typically only have to do this when you're using lighter colored grains. So, as long as you don't live in Pilsen, don't use a water softner, reverse osmosis, or distilled water all you'll probably need is some gypsum to acidify things and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than that 5.2 stuff. Aside from PH's effect on enzmatic activity (and thus efficiency and sugar profile) it also directly affects the likelyhood of tannin extraction - this is why we stop sparging when the PH of the runoff hits 6... and why some acidify the sparge water.

Minerals create a PH buffering capacity - this is why the acidifying effect of the malt sometimes isn't enough to lower the mash PH into the 5.2-5.3 range when the brewer has very hard water. Of course, if you use brewing salts (i.e. baking soda, epsom salt, and gypsum) to tinker with the mash PH you'll need a PH meter to make sure you hit the right PH - those papers get old fast.

I think the 5.2 stuff is marketed as a cure all (and an expensive one to boot).. I do not think it's worthless but I do think a little bit of water chemistry knowledge coupled with some very inexpensive brewing salts will better serve the homebrewer.

My .02

 

[Kaiser]

I definately see the benefits of this product and getting a consistent mash PH w/o having the need to by an expensive PH meter. But I strongly dislike the idea of putting chemicals (even food grade ones) into my beer (must be a German thing ):

[FONT=AvantGardeBkBT,Bold]

WARNING​

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[/FONT]: Severe eye irritant. Contains a blend of food-grade buffering phosphates.
DO NOT get in eyes or on skin. Wash after use. Wear suitable skin and eye protection
when using this product. Can be harmful if swallowed. DO NOT TAKE INTERNALLY.​

FIRST AID:
Eye contact ​

​

– Flush with cool running water for 15 minutes lifting upper and lower eye
lids intermittently. Get medical attention at once.​

Skin contact ​

​

– Wash skin with cool running water for 15 minutes. Get medical attention
if irritation persists.​

For Ingestion ​

​

– Do not induce vomiting. Give large quantities of water. Call a physician
at once.​

Rev. 10/03

just my 2c and I also lack the background to do an objective discussion on this.

Kai​

 

[david_42]

Severe eye irritant - So are jalapenos

Ph 5.2 is a buffer, it contains an acid and a base that work together to extablish & maintain pH. What it is doing is improving the function of the conversion enzymes. I started using pH 5.2 to improve my efficiency. I even add it to my sparge water. A side benefit: no more tannins, so I can sparge hotter.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I definately see the benefits of this product and getting a consistent mash PH w/o having the need to by an expensive PH meter. But I strongly dislike the idea of putting chemicals (even food grade ones) into my beer (must be a German thing ...just my 2c and I also lack the background to do an objective discussion on this. Kai

I read lately that all water in Germany is treated because it is supposed to be badly polluted. At least they know the differrence...

 

[Kaiser]

I read lately that all water in Germany is treated because it is supposed to be badly polluted. At least they know the differrence...

Yes that is true here and there.

If the water has "drining water" quality, it is good for brewing under the Reinheitsgebot. It is legal to treat the water for brewing but it is not legal to use artificial means for adjusting the PH. That's probably why acid malt doesn't seem to be produced by non-German maltsters.

Kai

 

[KopyKat]

As to chemicals such as phosphates.
Many city & county municipal districts use phosphates in water treatment plants. This addition will not show up in the published water analysis as it is a food grade substance. Many restaurants and hotels use phosphate injection sytems in water treatment for hot water systems, drink dispensing systems and ice production systems. Preprocessed foods use to many chemicals to count in processing and this includes phosphates.
Of course, those of you with surface supplies that have sewer treatment plants dumping into the river above or lake which provides your water, you have enough prozac and zoloft in your water to calm you down from the irritation

 

[boo boo]

My water here is really soft according to the water report I had quoted to me over the phone fron my municipal water supply plant.